Are you planning your wedding and wondering if it’s necessary to decorate your car? Are you looking for some unique decoration ideas for a vehicle for a special event?
I will help you.
As a florist specialized in event planning, I guide engaged couples through every step of preparing their decorations. I offer solutions and advice to help them celebrate their union in a remarkable decor that truly reflects their personality!
Today, I’m sharing everything I know about decorating cars 🚘 for a wedding, so you can approach this topic with confidence.
Not only does decorating your vehicle celebrate your union throughout the journeys you take on your wedding day, but it also serves as a beautiful backdrop for stunning photographs. Whether you’re using a rented vintage car or your personal vehicle, I recommend entrusting the decoration to a close friend or family member, who can either handle it themselves or coordinate with the florist for the ceremony day. There are many decoration options available to you: a floral arrangement or a V-shaped floral garland on the front hood, a floral composition on the rear bumper, as well as ribbons, stickers, and more…
Curious to learn more? I invite you to keep reading to discover:
- What a car decoration can do for you
- How to choose a car for the occasion
- How to plan and organize this decoration
- What decorative elements you can prepare for your vehicle
Why Should You Decorate Your Car for Your Wedding?
Alongside essentials like the bridal bouquet and floral table centerpieces, decorating your car may seem like a minor detail. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth!
In fact, it’s often in your car that you will spend part of your wedding day.
This is becoming increasingly common today, as engaged couples often have a civil ceremony, a religious ceremony, and then celebrations at a reception hall or rented venue for the occasion. Therefore, it is essential to travel between these locations, and that’s where your car comes into play!
Decorating your car will allow you to celebrate your wedding on the road and to enjoy a beautiful floral backdrop during your travels. Additionally, it has the undeniable advantage of helping your guests spot you and follow along, creating a festive procession.
Finally, you’ll be able to take stunning memory photos in your decorated car to mark the beginning of your new life together.
👉 If you’re decorating your car, you might also want to consider subtly decorating the sweep car that will follow all the guests’ vehicles in the procession. There’s nothing like it to make your rides memorable and stand out!
Which car should you choose for this occasion?
To answer this question, I’ll outline the options available to you:
➡️ You can choose to get married in a “modern” car that you use in your everyday life. If your car isn’t in top shape or if you feel it’s too small, too old, or too classic for the occasion, consider asking a friend or family member if they can lend you a nice car for the event. Usually, they’ll be happy to drive you in a vehicle they’re proud of!
➡️ You can also rent or borrow a classic vintage car from a friend. Perfect for a bohemian, rustic, or romantic wedding, these stunning cars help create a chic and unforgettable wedding atmosphere. Renting a classic car will also allow you to capture amazing photos, worthy of a movie set. It’s a fantastic idea to break away from the ordinary and make a statement on your special day.
Additionally, when you rent a classic car, the driver typically includes their driving as part of the service. This is a very classy touch that will impress your guests!
➡️ Looking for a bit of originality? Don’t hesitate to innovate: why not take the journey on a motorcycle, in a sidecar, a horse-drawn carriage, or even a tandem bike, which you can decorate for the occasion? This is sure to create unforgettable memories.
How to Organize in Advance?
Although this is a much quicker step than decorating a reception hall or a church, it’s important to plan ahead a bit and allow some time to prepare your car so that everything goes smoothly.
Who Decorates the Wedding Car?
If you want to create a more substantial decoration (on the hood or bumper), I recommend entrusting this task to a professional florist who can create a suitable design that harmonizes with the rest of your floral arrangements and will withstand the movement of the car while driving.
If you’re planning to add some decorative touches to your vehicle (like ribbons on the mirrors, for example), a witness or a friend can take care of that for you.
In any case, I recommend that you entrust your vehicle to a trusted friend or witness, who will make sure the decoration is done on time and matches what you envisioned.
When to Decorate the Car?
If you’re planning to decorate a car for an event, it must be adorned on the same day, ideally in the morning before the ceremony. This is important because the metal bodies of cars can heat up significantly in warm weather, which can damage the flowers and shorten their lifespan.
For this same reason, I also advise you to always park your vehicle in the shade when it is blooming.
⚠️ If your decorations are done right before the ceremony, keep in mind that the vehicle, once decorated, should not drive faster than 31 mph to avoid damaging the floral arrangements.
However, if your car decorations are made solely with dried flowers, ribbons, or any other non-perishable decor elements, you can prepare them the day before or even a few days ahead of your wedding. This way, you won’t waste any time on this step of the festivities on the big day.
How to Prepare Your Car for Decorating?
Before decorating your vehicle, it’s essential to wash and thoroughly dry it. In fact, beyond just the aesthetic aspect, many decorations are attached with suction cups, which only stick well if the surface they’re adhering to is clean, smooth, and dry.
Custom stickers, which are very trendy, should be applied right after the vehicle has been cleaned.
How to Decorate Your Car?
In the following lines, I’ll outline the various options available to you for decorating your car for your wedding or any other festive event.
Flowers and Foliage 💐
To showcase your vehicle while staying true to your wedding theme, I recommend using the same flowers as those in your decorative arrangements, the bride’s bouquet, and any other floral accessories planned for the occasion.
For the decor, you can choose from several options, or even combine them:
➡️ A round or oval floral arrangement, mounted on the front hood of the vehicle. It should not be placed in front of the driver to avoid obstructing their view.
➡️ Three or five small floral arrangements, placed in a triangle on the front hood, forming a V shape. They will be connected by a simple garland of greenery, such as ivy. This works particularly well on sedans with a large hood, like Jaguars.
➡️ A simple V-shaped garland, decorated or not with small flowers, attached to the front hood of the vehicle, with the point of the V typically positioned above the license plate.
➡️ A floral arrangement that you can place on the rear bumper of your car, which looks particularly lovely on classic cars like the 2CV.
➡️ Small bouquets to attach to the left and right mirrors of your vehicle—this little detail makes a big difference. 😊
This list is not exhaustive! You might consider adding flowers to the dashboard, on the roll bar of a convertible, or even on the rear shelf! Don’t hesitate to ask your florist what can be done based on your vehicle model and your budget.
The Trendy Detail: A Customized Sticker 💞
Ordered ahead of time online, these stickers are typically placed on the back window of your car. They can be simple, featuring the phrase “Just Married,” or customized with your names and the date of your wedding. When paired with flowers on the back of your vehicle, they create a romantic decoration reminiscent of scenes from movies!
Ribbons and Bows for the Finishing Touches 🎀
Once the decoration is complete, you can add ribbons to the side mirrors or the front or rear bumper of your vehicle. Traditionally, tulle bows were attached in these spots, but this is not as common anymore unless you are aiming for a vintage look for your ceremony.
Currently, couples are opting for materials like jute for a rustic wedding or natural or pastel organza for a bohemian ceremony.
You’re now ready to plan a beautiful car decoration for your wedding to make this unforgettable day even more special! In future articles, I will likely share some tutorials on how to create a floral arrangement for your vehicle yourself.
In the meantime, feel free to visit our specialized online store for floral items to discover a variety of trendy and original floral decoration products for all your events, such as our flower walls or our bohemian flower crowns! 😉