The Definitive Guide Of Wedding Arches (with Free PDF Printable) (2024)

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With the wedding right around the corner, you may want to figure out how your wedding arch should look, or if you really even need one at all. Don’t worry, we got you covered!

In this detailed guide, you will find out everything you need to know about how a wedding arch should be, what ideas you may come up with, and how to set everything up and have the perfect wedding day!

To Arch or Not To Arch?

Before we dive into our complete guide to all things related to wedding arches, you’ll have to decide if you really want one at all!

I’m going to guess that since you’re here, you’re probably leaning in the “yes” direction. However, if you’re still on the fence, check out our “to arch or not to arch” discussion. It will help you look at all of the different wedding scenarios in which an arch really does make a huge difference, as well as those times when you can easily get away without one.

If you do decide to go with one, you’ll have to answer quite a few questions to make it just right! For example, how tall should it be? Should you rent or buy? But what about the decorations?

I know, it can seem hard, but let’s go over everything one by one, and solve this mystery!

How Tall Should A Wedding Arch Be?

Wedding arches come in different sizes and shapes, and you may have noticed that. The perfect arch should be somewhere between 7 and 8 feet, and about 6 feet wide. You want to have enough space for you, your true love and the officiant to stand between the two sides.

If you and your partner are both very tall, I’d go with 8 feet, because you want a little “head room” at the top for your beautiful wedding photos. On the other hand, if you’re both short, bring it down a bit. Otherwise, your photographer has to stand farther away to avoid cutting off the top of the arch while still centering you in the shot.

If one of you is tall and the other short, I’d go with an arch that’s the right height for the tall one. I just think it looks better in pictures. However, like all things, it comes down to personal preference. If you’re looking at arches in person, bring a camera and stage a few shots to get an idea of how different heights look in your photos.

Indoor Or Outdoor Wedding Arch?

Well, this depends entirely on your ceremony. If it’s indoors, you need to make sure that you have enough space in the venue.

Even if it’s outdoors, consider something that will fit into your “backup plan” space. Sometimes the weather is not perfect, so you will need to adapt to this. Because it’s about your wedding day, you shouldn’t take any chances!

If you are using an indoor arch, then you have a little more leeway when it comes to decorating. We’ll talk about that more in a minute, but basically you don’t have to worry about the wind carrying your flowers, fabrics and other embellishments away.

How Much Does An Arch Cost?

A wedding arch can range from under $50 to a few hundred dollars, depending on its size, shape, and decorations. The very special and unique ones can really break the bank. Don’t worry, though; you can get creative and decorate it yourself if you’re working with a small budget. We’ll share some tips on how to do that in a few moments.

Wedding Arch Rental

One of the options you have is renting a wedding arch. You can find quite a lot of them, and the prices range from $75 to about $400 depending on their design.

Rentals are a very good option, as most times, people don’t have a place to store them, and they end up throwing them away or forgetting about them somewhere. If you choose to rent though, you may save some money and space, and everything will be ready for you on your wedding day!

Finding them isn’t quite as easy as hitting Amazon and Etsy, though. If you order a rental from far away, you could end up paying more in shipping costs than you would if you just bought one outright. I recommend contacting local party places and florists rather than renting from online retailers.

Buying Wedding Arches

Of course, you can always buy a wedding arch, and keep it as a memory after the ceremony is over. You can find a lot of wedding arches for sale on websites such as Etsy, Amazon, and home goods stores like Loews or Home Depot.

After the wedding, arches make beautiful accents for your garden. What if you won’t have a yard or any other place to put it? If you can’t store it and don’t want to rent it, you can always sell it later to recoup some of the cost. Of course, you could also donate it to a couple that’s down on their luck, too!

Wedding Arch DIY

Because DIYing is one of the best choices, you may need some ideas to make one yourself. DIY wedding arches are something unique, as no two designs will ever be the same. Besides, they are super affordable, as you are doing most of the work!

When DIYing your arch, there are two major aspects- making the arch itself and decorating it. These clever DIY arch kits can help you with the first part. Of course, you could also just buy the raw supplies and put it together, too. One groom thought arches were “stupid expensive,” so he built his own from scratch.

For decorating, your choices are endless. Choose the perfect fabric for your arch and add some flowers or leave it bare for a rustic look. Totally up to you. Since flowers are the most common choice, though, let’s look at how to decide on those.

Wedding Arch Flowers

Flowers on a wedding arch may just be the missing element, so you need to choose them carefully. You may want them to match your theme, or maybe you want something seasonal. Whatever your wishes are, there’s something for you!

What Are The Cheapest Wedding Flowers?

In general, the most inexpensive wedding flowers are carnations and gerbera daisies, but you can also find inexpensive roses in some places. For the boho weddings, you can always get daisy spray or baby’s breath, while tulips and lilies can be the perfect choice for something super fancy!

On the flip side, The Richest offers up a list of the most expensive flowers, and some of the prices will definitely give you sticker shock! For example, the average Hydrangea will run you $7 PER FLOWER. While that’s not too awful if you’re using a couple in your bouquet, covering an entire arch with them could very easily run you in the thousands.

That’s the cheapest of the top ten priciest buds, too! The Juliet Rose costs millions (MILLIONS!), and one flower- the Kadupul-is literally priceless.

Wedding Arch Flowers Ideas

Some small elements, such as flowers made out of different materials or petals can create a wonderful atmosphere. Start with these 9 Wedding Arch Flower Ideas That Really Bring on the Pzazz for some inspiration.

If you want to go for something that won’t wither, you can always make or buy some silk flowers to decorate your wedding arch with. They are beautiful, and may just last forever. Take a look at some great ideas on how to decorate a wedding arch with silk flowers.

Another good idea would be to make a floral arch swag for your wedding. It’s super easy, and will have a great impact.

Paper flowers are also an amazing idea, and you won’t have to spend a fortune on decorating the whole wedding arch. Of course, these work best indoors. If you do plan to use them outside, make sure there’s absolutely no chance of rain.

Last, if money is super tight, you may want to check out some of the most incredible wedding arch flower arrangements on a budget and get some inspiration from that.

Wedding Arch Pictures

Finding inspiration can be hard, but there are always images to look at, and get an idea about what you really want. Whether we’re talking about wedding arch ideas for ceremonies or indoor and outdoor wedding arches, the options are infinite!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Wedding Arch Ideas

As I said, the options are infinite. One of the best options for couples who don’t have storage space for after the big day is a portable wedding arch. These typically fold up or break down for easy storage. They’re also idea for destination weddings.

Triangle wedding arches are another great space-saving idea, and they’re super easy to DIY.

And I totally understand if you want your wedding arch to leave everyone wondering how you pulled it off, so you can also try attaching some lights to it! Check out these ideas for wedding arches with lights that really dial up the “wow” factor.

If you love the look of white wood, you can go for some of these birch wedding arch ideas.Fair warning, though, birch is a heavy wood, so these wouldn’t be good for portable arches.

For a beach, tropical wedding, bamboo wedding arches are a must! They just have a very beachy vibe to them!

And if you want a wedding arch including garlands, then you should know that it’s both possible and awesome! I love the idea of using a single strand of floral garland against a stunning fabric swag.

Printable Guide to Wedding Arches

Last, but not least, as promised, we turned this entire guide into a handy PDF that you can print out and take along with you as you shop. We even removed the images to make it as printer-friendly as possible. Download that right here!

Right now, you should have everything you need in order to decorate the best wedding arch! Remember, as long as it makes you happy, it’s the perfect arch!

Do you have any other wedding arch tips or advice? Share below!

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