Top 9 Wedding Theme Ideas - The Ultimate Guide

Popular wedding themes come and go. For example, it would have been unthinkable to host a 70s-themed fete just a decade or two ago, but it’s all the rage now. Chances are, within the next few years, it will fade away and all those 70s-themed celebrations will look dated.
Trendy wedding theme ideas are perfectly fine for your big day when they reflect you, your partner, and the love you share, but what if you’re looking for a theme that’s timeless? A theme that won’t look dated in your wedding pictures when you pull out your photo album on your 10th or 20th wedding anniversary?
Here are our top nine wedding themes that will stand the test of time.

Outdoor Wedding Reception Space With String Lights Next to a Barn: Brides, Outdoor Wedding Reception Space Overlooking the Southern California Mountains: 100 Layer Cake, Outdoor Wedding Ceremony With Wooden Benches Next to a Wooded Lake: HubPages

Outdoor Wedding

Outdoor weddings are among the top wedding themes because there’s nothing like using the grandeur of nature to decorate your ceremony and reception. Very little décor is needed to fill you and your guests with awe on your big day.
There are quite a few variations on this theme, all of which are timeless. They include:

⦁ Garden weddings

⦁ Vineyard weddings

⦁ Forest weddings

⦁ Farm weddings

What matters is that you lean into what’s found naturally all around you with these outdoor wedding theme ideas. For example, you might hang round floral chandeliers from the oak tree you’re using as your ceremony backdrop at a forest wedding. You might use a vine branch cake knife to cut the cake at a garden wedding or decorate reception tables with wood box vases at an outdoor farm wedding.

Table Covered in a White Floral Garland Cascading to the Floor With Candles: Katie Trauffer Photography, Interior Wedding Reception Space With Arches and Tall Greenery Centerpieces: Wedding Chicks, Floral Centerpiece With Ivory and Blush-Colored Flowers: Style Me Pretty

Classic Romance

Weddings are all about love and romance, so it makes sense that leaning into classic romance is among the best wedding theme ideas if you’re going for a timeless look.

Romantic weddings tend to feature soft textures and muted colors. The overall look is airy and idyllic, as if your entire wedding day is a photograph come to life.

Getting the lighting right is a must, regardless of the color palette or particular details you choose. Think staircases covered in sparkling candles inside geometric glass candle holders and strategically placed candelabras. If you don’t want to go all-in on candles, try hanging Edison bulbs or fairy lights above tables instead.

Wedding Guests Dancing on a Black and White Tile Floor: The Knot, Outdoor Reception Table With White Floral Arrangements and Hanging Crystal Chandeliers: The Lane, Bride in a Grace Kelly-Style Wedding Dress in Front of an Ornate Mirror: Ruffled Blog

Effortless Bridal Glamour

The classic bridal look is all about white, blush, and off-white details, but effortless bridal glamour is among our favorite wedding theme ideas because it takes classic bridal styling up a notch.
This kind of wedding draws inspiration from past and modern icons, like Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton. It features over-the-top floral arrangements with classic white blooms like roses, orchids, and lily of the valley.
Gold is a staple at a bridal glamour wedding. Try gold silverware, fancy gold taper candlestick holders, and glass charger plates with a gold rim. Champagne towers, couture gowns, and classic car getaways are also perfect additions to this theme.

Wedding Table Display With Old Photographs and Books: Junebug Weddings, Wedding Reception Seating Featuring Vintage Couches and Throw Pillows: Chic Vintage Brides, Typewriter Displaying a Personalized Message on a Table With Polaroid Pictures: Hitched

Vintage Touches

There are tons of vintage wedding theme ideas out there, many of which can end up looking a little cheesy or outdated as time passes. In order to make this theme stand the test of time, you have to incorporate understated vintage touches.

For example, gold charger plates with vintage flourishes will make place settings pop. Vintage glass candle holders come in a wide variety of colors to match your palette, and items like bar carts are functional and harken back to the past.

Add vintage details with more personality sparingly, depending on the kind of vintage celebration you’re hosting. A typewriter would be a fun decoration for couples who like to read or write, old suitcases are perfect for those who travel, or you could cover tables with vintage doilies your grandmother made.

Wedding Aisle With Mismatched Rugs Lined with Wooden Benches: Green Wedding Shoes, Bride and Groom Standing in Front of a Decorated Crumbling Brick Wall: Nouba, Rustic Wedding Cake on a Pedestal Featuring Pressed Wildflowers: Rock My Wedding

Boho Wedding

Although its roots date back to the 1960s and 1970s, the modern boho wedding rose in popularity and was one of the top wedding themes in the 2010s. However, it has proven that it has staying power, as brides and grooms continue to look to bohemian weddings for inspiration over a decade later.

Boho wedding theme ideas have a relaxed vibe and are often a bit mismatched on purpose. Imagine a wedding aisle strewn with different kinds of rugs and ceremony chairs in different styles and colors. Macramé and dried flowers are popular but have the potential to look dated since they have been so overdone. Instead, incorporate rattan details, and don’t just decorate with dried florals. Try incorporating things like pampas grass and bunny tails into floral arrangements that contain living blooms for a more classic wedding day look.

Rustic Floral Display with Candles and Wooden Crates: Rock My Wedding, Wood and Brick Wedding Ceremony Space With Hanging Greenery: Country Living, Long Reception Table With Brown Bottle Vases and Flowers: Ruffled Blog

Rustic Wedding

Rustic weddings also rose to the top of the most popular wedding theme ideas in the 2000s and 2010s, and they have never left. Although, some details have certainly gone by the wayside.

Skip the mason jars and burlap, as they look extremely dated. For a more timeless feel, look for decorations made of natural materials. Driftwood branches make for stunning table décor at a rustic wedding. Large branches can even be used to create a rustic ceremony arch that can be draped with fabric.

Instead of using burlap, try using cheesecloth. Brown glass bottles look more timeless and unique compared to mason jars, and skip the naked wedding cake, which is starting to wane in popularity. Instead, choose a simple design that incorporates real wildflowers. Or opt for a cheese wheel cake or a table full of rustic pies.

Centerpiece Featuring a White Candle on Top of Two Bricks: Wedding Chicks, Bride and Groom Exchanging Vows Below a Rusted Metal Wall: Refinery29, Modern, Contemporary Outdoor Reception Space With White Cement Walls and Tablecloths: The Lane

Modern Contemporary Wedding

If all the frills associated with weddings aren’t really your thing, you can consider planning a modern, contemporary wedding instead. This idea is among the best wedding theme ideas for those who are artistic, a bit avant-garde, or simply prefer clean lines and a deconstructed look.

Industrial chic weddings fall under the umbrella of this theme. They feature heavily cemented spaces, exposed ceilings, and are decorated with uniquely curved candlestick holders.

Modern contemporary weddings can also take place in art galleries and alfresco restaurants when you choose details like crisp white tablecloths. Iron, brick, wood, glass, and acrylic are materials that are commonly found at timeless modern contemporary weddings.

Two Grooms Standing in Front of a Sailboat on the Water: Love Inc., Reception Table With Sea Glass Bottles, Air Plants, and Netting: Inspired By This, Table Number Card Displayed Upright With Knotted Rope: An Endless Pursuit

Nautical Wedding

There will always be a place for nautical weddings among lists of the top wedding theme ideas. Making sure a nautical wedding doesn’t look dated is a matter of paying attention to the details.

First, only choose a nautical wedding theme if your nuptials are taking place near water, whether that’s the beach, the lake, or the river.

Focus on color and materials over details that could end up looking cheesy. For example, decorate with jugs, bottles, and candle holders that look like sea glass, grapewood branches that have been weathered by the water, and decorative rope details like napkin rings and table number holders.

If you do want to include nautical-style details, don’t overdo it. Choose just one or two things, like clam shells and seashells or anchors and oars. Don’t try to do it all.

Gilded Oversized Mirror With Writing Surrounded By Flowers and Candles: Elegant Wedding, Fairytale Wedding Reception With Crystal Chandeliers and a Leafy Canopy: Magnolia Rouge, Wooden Wedding Arches With Roses, Greenery, Candles, and Hanging Lanterns: Roomy Retreat

Fairytale Wedding

The fairytale wedding remains among the top wedding themes, and who can blame brides and grooms! This theme harkens to storybook weddings and Disney princesses.

Ball gowns are perfect for fairytale weddings, as are flower arrangements overflowing out of glass compote bowls, blooms draped on walls, and greenery hanging from the ceiling. Crystal chandeliers, vines, and sparkling details, like mirrored gem charger plates, are lovely at fairy tale weddings.

Woodland and literal storybook details are perfect for fairytale weddings too. Leather-bound books can be placed on reception tables, cloches can cover mossy flower arrangements, and painted mirrors can be used as signs and menus.

Just because you choose one of the timeless top wedding theme ideas on this list doesn’t mean you can’t personalize your big day! Let this list be a starting point for crafting a timeless wedding day design that’s perfect for you and your partner.