Whimsical + Woodsy: Inspiration for your Forest Wedding

There's something so enchanting about a forest wedding. Towering trees, shady groves, and rustic décor create a magical atmosphere and a one-with-nature experience.

If you're dreaming of a woodsy wedding, we hope you'll be inspired by the verdant yet vibrant details below...

A wedding couple walking through a forest of towering trees

Benj Haisch


Forest Wedding Ceremony Inspiration

When Mother Nature is your event designer, there's really no need for a lot of additional decoration. Unusual elements like dreamcatchers or natural wreaths woven from twigs and ferns lend some visual interest to the already breathtaking scenery.

A dreamcatcher on a redwood for rustic forest wedding decor

Vibrant Events | Arrowood Photography

Rustic wedding wreathes comprised of twigs and ferns

Arina B. Photography

For the ceremony pièce de résistance, check out this spellbinding altar. Way to WOW your guests, right? Natasha Lisitsa of Waterlily Pond used 75 "super-heavy" tree stumps and 300 candles to create this masterpiece. (Note the use of hurricane candle holders!) #onlyyoucanpreventforestfires

A tree stump wedding ceremony altar with flowers and candles

Waterlily Pond Floral and Event Design

Woodsy Wedding Style

Forest weddings call for a more natural, bohemian sense of style—leave that poufy ballgown at home! This bride got her forest wedding dress soooo right: An exquisite Inbal Dror wedding gown with long sleeves and delicately tattooed lace.

Lace wedding dress by Inbal Dror

Inbal Dror | Arrowood Photography

Her hairstyle is also perfection. A loosely swept updo with a crown of baby's breath. Floral crowns add a touch of whimsy to any wedding look, but for a forest wedding, we especially love the idea of a headpiece made entirely of greenery, such as these olive leaves.

A bride with a crown of olives leaves on her hair

Home Sweet Flowers

But the bride shouldn't have all the fun. Style your flower girl into a little woodland fairy—complete with wings—and she'll be on cloud 9.

An adorable woodland fairy flower girl with wings

Anna Kuperberg

Forest Wedding Flower Ideas

The most gorgeous forest wedding bouquets we've seen are the ones that are beautifully undone. Messy sprigs of silver dollar eucalyptus and big, bold florals like protea and amaryllis stand out next to towering redwoods, pines, or other surrounding trees.

Lush wedding bouquet with eucalyptus and bright florals

Home Sweet Flowers

The boutonnières, on the other hand, may be kept more simple. A feathery flower and a few sprigs of berries perfectly fit the natural theme.

Simple wedding boutonniere with berries

Vibrant Events | Waterlily Pond Floral and Event Design

Centerpieces that use modern and unusual florals such as lotus pods, succulents, and blushing bride protea can also hold their own against an already striking backdrop.

Rustic wedding centerpiece with unusual and unique florals

Home Sweet Flowers

Or, you may opt to ditch the florals altogether and stick with simplicity, like this moss table runner.

Natural wooden tables with a simple moss table runner

Alixann Loosle Photography

Woodland Wedding Reception Décor

Speaking of tables for your forest wedding, how entrancing is this reception? Long family-style tables are left almost entirely bare, while hanging greenery and florals provide a luxuriant canopy overhead.

An enchanted forest wedding reception with hanging florals

Vibrant Events | Waterlily Pond | Arrowood Photography

Place settings can be kept minimal. A large fern leaf, some rustic berries, and a craft paper tag do the trick.

Simple white place setting with a fern leaf and berries

Paola Colleoni

Forest wedding cakes can go a few different ways. Naked cakes are left unfrosted, exposing the rustic layers within. Chocolate wedding cakes can be rough-iced with buttercream, or have a woodgrain effect carved into the fondant. But our favorite? A simple white wedding cake adorned with woodsy details, like this faux bird's nest.

Forest wedding cake with moss and faux birds nest

Arina B. Photography

And our last bit of forest wedding inspiration? Bistro lights. Must have bistro lights.

A forest wedding at twilight with strands of bistro lights

Veronica Varos Photography


Looking for the perfect forest wedding location? Find forest venues near you.


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