Wedding decorating: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering wedding decorating
You design and install wedding decor, from ceremony arches and drapery to reception lighting and signage. Couples want a room that matches the style they picked, and you make that happen on the day.
What customers ask
- Can you work with our florist and venue?
- What is the difference between a rental and a purchase in the quote?
- How long will installation take?
- Can you use the venue's ceiling, walls or floor for hanging decor?
- Who takes everything down after the reception?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the venue, the style, the color palette and the spaces that need decor
- Bring a mood board with photos of ceremony and reception setups in a similar room
- Visit the venue before you quote and note the hanging points, the load in path and the outlets
- Put in the quote each rental and purchase, the install window and the removal time
- Send a layout drawing for approval, showing each space and its placement
- Coordinate the florist placement in writing before the install day
- Confirm the venue's hanging and lighting rules with the couple and build them into the design
What to put on your profile
- Post photos of ceremony arches, drapery and reception lighting from past weddings
- List the venue types you work in, such as barns, halls, gardens and hotels
- Show the styles you specialize in and the rental stock they use
- Describe your install and removal process from start to finish
- Add photos of your signage and custom pieces
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a finished room photo set for the couple to keep
- Suggest a rental return plan so the couple knows what must be returned and when
- Recommend a rehearsal walkthrough of the ceremony layout with the officiant
- Share ideas for reusing the decor for the couple's first anniversary
Licenses and permits
No license is usually required to decorate weddings. Carry general liability insurance and keep a signed contract for each wedding, since venues often ask for proof of insurance before a decorator can install.
Questions
Do I need a permit to hang drapery at a venue?
Ask the venue. Its rules usually cover hanging points, fire safety and load in, and some venues require the decorator to follow a written process.
What if the florist and I disagree on placement?
Show both options on the layout drawing and let the couple decide. Keep the final placement in writing.
How do I handle a venue that will not allow the design?
Tell the couple early and offer a design that works within the venue's rules. Do not install anything the venue has not approved.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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