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Well-designed signage does more than just convey information to wedding guests. It can add moments of humor or sentiment and even be a showstopping design element in and of itself. Rustic outdoor celebrations lend themselves particularly well to wooden wedding signs’ casual, conversational tone, whether it’s a simple “Cheers, y’all” at the bar or a more detailed run-of-day schedule displayed as guests arrive. With elegant touches like custom calligraphy and the use of unexpected materials (think leather or copper), it’s easy to keep the look elevated for a more formal event, too.
Read on for 35 creative ways to incorporate a rustic or wooden wedding sign into your special celebration.
For their three-day celebration in beautiful Barcelona, this couple chose to feature a large wooden sign that read "Welcome to our beginning"—how sweet is that?! Make it extra memorable by adding your name and the date of your wedding in a beautiful font.
Photo by Anna Delores Photography
Tell your guests your love story! We love the way that this couple, who met on Hinge, took printed screenshots of their first conversations and displayed them on a rustic wooden wedding sign.
Spruce up a classic wooden welcome sign by adding a witty line like, "Let's get this party started" to get the guests excited for the night ahead.
Photo by Catalina Jean Photography
Modern meets rustic with this vibrant, neon "Mr. and Mrs." sign against the backdrop of a tent with a long wooden reception table.
Photo by Anna Shackleford; Planning by Mariée Ami; Calligraphy by Julie Ha Design
One easy way to help establish separate areas for your ceremony and reception, especially in a large space, is with a simple-yet-chic directional sign pointing the way. Guests at this wedding were greeted by wooden arrows guiding them to the ceremony area in a field, the mountains of North Carolina rising up in the distance.
Photo by Carina Skrobecki; Planning by Greenwood Events; Signage by West Pasture Studio
Cloth signs can feel just as rustic as wood and offer the chance to add a pop of color as a nod to your event’s palette. For their romantic fall wedding in Montana, this couple hung a wine-hued banner featuring their monogram to welcome guests to the ceremony held in a candlelit barn.
Photo by Lauren Fair Photography; Signage by Paper and Pine Co.
Add an extra-personal touch to your welcome sign by including a favorite quote, song lyric, or book excerpt. This couple’s design featured a line from The Last Battle, the final book in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series.
Photo by Jeremiah & Rachel Photography; Planning by Greenwood Events; Calligraphy by West Pasture Studio
Get the party started by offering guests a drink, like this couple who displayed a “Take a Shot, Take Your Seat” sign alongside tequila shooters for family and friends to pick up on their way to the reception.
Photo by Alison Dunn Photography
A welcome sign doesn’t have to have a lot of info to feel personal. In fact, some of the prettiest ones simply combine rich wood textures and greenery.
Photo courtesy of Libby Tipton
A pretty, hand-lettered sign positioned at the entrance to your reception acts as a reset of sorts, signaling to guests that one element of your day is done and a new, exciting part is about to begin.
Photo by Tenth and Grace; Planning by Stylish Details Events
If “rustic yet elegant” are three words you’ve used to describe your wedding day vision, consider copper signage as this couple did for their travel-inspired Malibu wedding. A freestanding sign welcomed guests to the event, while smaller signs in a similar style graced the bar and served as a seating chart.
Photo by Carrie Patterson; Planning by Lovely Day Events; Calligraphy by Dotting the i
Leather’s rugged patina makes it a good fit for rustic weddings, while hand-painted lettering gives it a romantic, elevated vibe. This couple directed guests to their woodland ceremony site at a ranch in Jackson Hole with a black leather sign calligraphed with the words “Two paths diverge in the woods,” inspired by Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken.
Photo by Olivia Rae James; Planning by Gregory Blake Sams; Signage by Mary Mac Studios
Checkered fabric evokes the fun of a summertime picnic—perfect for a casual welcome party. This couple’s playful, camp-inspired wedding weekend included a get-together with lawn games, a crawfish boil, and a vibrant sign raised between two birch logs.
For a unique touch, have your ring bearer carry a wooden box calligraphed with your initials, wedding date, or favorite quote down the aisle in lieu of a traditional ring pillow.
Photo by Ashley Caroline; Planning by Emily Coulter
Get guests into a playful mood by placing a wooden sign in the grass and having lawn games at the ready.
Photo by Patricia Lyons Photography; Planning by Easton Events
Set the bar scene with a chalkboard sign, dressed up with a rustic frame and stunning lettering like the one at this couple’s Southern soiree. The bourbon-tasting bar at their welcome party also included charming country touches like barrels, wooden crates, and vases filled with wildflowers.
Photo by James x Schulze; Design by Bluebird Productions
Create an oversized frame, find a photogenic spot, and—voila!—an instant photo booth. For their country wedding in an Aspen Meadow, this couple included their custom logo at the top of the frame, as well as haystacks and colorful blankets for guests to pose with.
Photo by Birds of a Feather; Planning by Lady Liberty Events; Signage by Prim and Pixie
This wedding featured a sophisticated travel theme (thanks to its international guest list!), which was highlighted by a sign illustrating how far guests had come for the celebration. We love this idea for travel-loving couples and adventurous duos.
Photo by Branco Prata; Planning by Evoke Design & Creative
There's something understandably rustic about a simple chalkboard. Make yours short and sweet by writing your initials in a heart, or go all out and have it double as a guest book.
Photo by Hannah Costello; Planning by Sarah Dollar of LB Event Planning & Design; Floral Design by Jenn Sanchez; Signage by Prim & Pixie
Highlight the guest book with a special wooden sign.
Photo by Kristin Sweeting; Planning by H Three Events
At this Tenessee wedding, the couple used custom wooden letters to display their initials atop a stone fireplace. After the wedding, you can even repurpose these in your new home.
Photo by Hannah Costello; Planning by Sarah Dollar of LB Event Planning & Design; Floral Design by Jenn Sanchez; Signage by Prim & Pixie
Again, wooden signs do not have to be rustic! We love how this light-hued card calls our the couple's signature drinks and looks effortlessly chic thanks to special etching.
Photo by Wendy Laurel Photography; Planning by Couture Events; Calligraphy by Allanah Rae Calligraphy; Floral Design by Mandy Grace Designs
A beautifully designed, oversized piece of wood with a dark stain and a frame to match makes for an eye-catching seating chart when calligraphed with delicate, white lettering. This couple dressed up the display with arrangements of white roses and delphinium.
Photo by Henry + Mac; Planning by Glass Event Planning; Calligraphy by Sharon Morgera; Floral Design by Semia Floral
Wooden seating charts can also serve as a show-stopping installation when paired with abundant florals. Guests found their table numbers amongst white blooms and greenery, displayed in the bed of a vintage truck at this couple’s flower-filled, late-summer wedding in Massachusetts.
Photo by Jeremiah & Rachel Photography; Planning by Greenwood Events; Calligraphy by West Pasture Studio
This Montana wedding was filled with rustic signage and included a show-stopping seating chart framed with elk antlers and long wooden boxes overflowing with dahlias, roses, and greenery.
Photo by Jenn Emerling Weddings; Planning by Ashley Smith Events
For an escort card display that fits with a woodland setting but feels decidedly contemporary, take a cue from this couple’s colorful camp wedding in the California redwoods and display guests’ tables on sheets of paper in your palette, pinned to light wooden boards.
Photo by Mi Belle Photographers
Friends and family often bring cards to the wedding, so it’s a good idea to create a cute card box where guests can drop them. This display mixes a mailbox, a wooden crate, and a “cards” sign with a vintage-style illustration for an arrangement that’s both pretty and practical.
Photo by Simply Sarah Photography
If you have important info to convey to your guests, be it a request for abstaining from social media or a wedding hashtag, creating an artful sign is a tasteful-yet-straightforward way to go about it. This wedding included a request to turn off phones alongside a thoughtful touch of blankets to keep friends and family warm.
Photo by Laura Murray Photography
Whether it’s a cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, or dessert menu, a display menu is an easy way to let guests know what their choices are at your wedding. This midsummer celebration included a cocktail bar with a menu of drink options propped on rustic spirits boxes.
Photo by Jen Rodriguez; Planning by Vanessa Noel Events; Sign by Fête & Quill; Floral Design by Fluidbloom
Rustic shelving instantly creates a charming, homey vibe and is an easy way to display family wedding photos or escort cards. This music-loving couple framed escort cards for each of their reception tables, which were named for song titles like “Tiny Dancer” and “Days Like This.” A laser-cut sign, lyrics from The Troggs “Wild Thing,” added to the theme.
Photo by Sarah Kate Photo; Planning by Emily Clarke Events; Design by The Detail Department
Direct guests to find their escort cards with a clever greeting.
If you're having a floating reception, it can be tricky to get friends and family to direct guests to different areas, such as the photo booth, bar, et cetera. Consider doing so with a special sign displayed during cocktail hour.
Photo by Alison Dunn Photography
Wedding chair signs are a fun, photogenic way to mark your first meal together as newlyweds. They’re easy to personalize not only with your names but also with ribbons and flowers to match the look and color of your event. These wooden “Mr.” and “Mrs.” versions add a rustic touch.
Nothing ends the night on a sweet note quite like a make-your-own s’mores station. Draw guests over to the area with a sign and have all the fixings out and ready to go.
Consider giving your rustic sign a twist by using a material like lucite for a modern vibe.
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