Let’s talk about welcome signs: where to put them, what size they should be, what to make them out of, and more!

What are welcome signs for?

This is obvious: to welcome your guests! Your welcome sign serves as a functional piece of decor at your wedding; it looks pretty and it helps set the tone for your day. If your wedding is happening at a large venue where there might be more than one ceremony location or more than one event happening on the same day, it tells guests that they’re in the right place.

How big should a welcome sign be?

When clients ask me this, I always tell them it depends on their space. If the wedding is going to be outdoors with a ton of space, you want something big enough to be eye-catching. If guests are going to be walking into a church through a small lobby, you might want something that can be set on a tabletop as they enter. Those are things to consider, but I usually recommend 18x24” - it’s large enough to be eye catching, but not so big that it would overwhelm a smaller space. You can always go bigger, too! But 18x24” is what I always recommend to my clients.

What materials should a welcome sign be?

There’s tons of options - the most common are:

Acrylic: leave it clear or paint the back to match your wedding colors! This is my favorite material to work with. It’s so versatile and goes with so many different wedding vibes!
Wood: Perfect for a rustic wedding! Stain it, paint it, or use something like driftwood for a wood welcome sign!
Chalkboard: Chalkboard is a classic! You can get a large chalkboard propped up on an easel, or a sandwich board. There’s so many options out there!
Mirror: Mirrors are the prettiest signage for an elegant wedding, and after the wedding, you can remove the lettering and use it in your home!
Mounted poster: This is great for couples who want all of their stationery and day-of items to have a cohesive look. Get a digital design printed onto heavy duty mounted posterboard!

What should the welcome sign say?

Here’s some ideas:

Welcome to Our Wedding
Name + Name
Date
Welcome
Name + Name
Date
Name + Name
Date
The [Last Name]s
Date
Put a cute phrase on it, like: The Beginning of Our Forever
Name + Name
Date
There’s so many cute ideas, and you can make it personal to you! I recently made a welcome sign for a couple that met on PlentyOfFish.com that said “Two Hearts Hooked Forever”!
You can even add additional details, like the names of your wedding party and schedule of events (to serve as a program), any instructions the guests need to know (like if it’s an unplugged ceremony), or a little note of thanks to your guests!

How can you decorate your welcome sign?

Place it on an easel
- Here are some easels I like! You can also find unique and pretty easels at HomeGoods, Marshalls, Home Sense, Hobby Lobby, etc!
Add greenery or a floral swag
Prop it on or against a table and surround with flowers, candles or tea lights
Surround it with photos of you & your soon-to-be spouse
Have it serve double duty by greeting guests at your church or ceremony space and then setting it up at the reception
So many ideas! Check out my Pinterest for some curated wedding inspiration!

Main Street Ballroom Wedding Welcome Sign

What do you do with it after the wedding?

My favorite thing about welcome signs? They can be reused as decor in your home later! Choose your wording strategically so that you can easily reuse your sign - instead of “Welcome to our wedding”, “Name + Name, wedding date” or a cute phrase is easier to repurpose.

I hope this helps as you plan out your wedding decor! Do you have any questions about welcome signs that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Work Together

I’d love to work with you on your wedding signage and help your vision come to life! Shoot me a message and let’s get chatting about what you want for your big day!