Wedding arches have become such a staple for wedding ceremonies and receptions. They provide the perfect backdrop and framing for the happy couple, and visually look absolutely amazing!

But buying one already made, put together, and decorated can get pricey. If you have a smaller wedding budget and want a wedding arch for your special day, fear not! We’ve compiled the best DIY wedding arch ideas that you can make yourself, as well as steps on getting started before the fun part: decorating!

How to Make a DIY Wedding Arch

Decide on Shape

First thing’s first, you’ll want to decide on your desired arch shape. You can choose from the traditional rounded arch and square/rectangular arch, or you can opt for a trendier shape like a triangle, circle, or hexagon. We’ll show you examples for all of them so you can get inspired before you get to work on your DIY wedding arch!

These are some of our absolute favorite wedding arches that you can definitely DIY on your own. They’ll make your ceremony space feel defined, romantic, and of course, uniquely yours!

Rounded Arches

You can’t go wrong with a classic rounded arch for your ceremony. They feel so romantic and also simplistic. They’re also a fabulous shape for an all floral & greenery arch look.

Square/Rectangular Wedding Arches

Square/rectangular arches can be of the lighter, metal variety, or a heavier, more durable wooden option. Both have a unique look that can range from modern and contemporary to more rustic and chic.

They’re especially beautiful with bunches of florals, rather than an all-over floral and greenery look. Or pair well with drapery, or a drapery and floral decor combination.

Circle Wedding Arches

Circle arches are becoming increasingly popular, especially for more contemporary styled weddings. Choose from silver, gold, bronze, or rose gold hoops to make your ceremony or reception arch stand out!

Triangle Wedding Arches

Beautiful and boho chic, triangle arches are the perfect backdrop for brides looking to create an indie, unique feel for their wedding space. Add bunches of flowers to make it feel even more romantic.

Hexagon Wedding Arches

Probably the trendiest option of the group, hexagon arches are all the rage lately. They’re fun, fabulous, and are the perfect, modern-feeling frame around the happy couple whether it’s during the ceremony or behind their head table at the reception!

Gather Your Materials

You have several options when it comes to sourcing materials for your arch, and it definitely helps to shop online if you’re trying to keep budget in mind. Whether you’re looking for a metal arch or a wooden one, you’re going to find lots of options online.

Note: Keep in mind that if you are ordering a heavy wooden one, you may be able to order it for pick-up in store at large chain stores like Lowes and Home Depot to cut down on shipping cost.

Here are some of our favorite DIY wedding arches we found – perfect for decorating!

For fabric and florals, you will be able to find faux-flowers and greenery, as well as lightweight drapery material at your local fabric or craft store, or at larger chain stores like Hobby Lobby and Michael’s.

If you want to use real flowers, you’ll likely want to get them from the same florist/vender that is doing your bouquets and centerpieces. This will ensure that you’ll be able to get the same colors as your wedding color palette.

If you are planning on using real flowers, you’ll also need to factor in your ability to do the DIY wedding arch project yourself, or if you’ll need to hire the florist or wedding planner/assistant to decorate your arch the night before or day of your wedding. Using real flowers limits your window for decorating because you don’t want the flowers and greenery to wilt or dry out. Talk to your florist to make a plan for your wedding arch.

How Do You Make a Wedding Flower Arch?

We love this video by Your Floral DIY Flowers on Youtube, it shows you every step of making your DIY wedding arch the perfect floral creation for your wedding and how to decorate it with florals like a pro.

You’ll start with your arch of choice already assembled, and from there you’ll add sausage-link looking foam around the edge of your arch. This will allow you to stick loads of florals and greenery right into them, creating a beautiful display of florals! Watch the above video for in-depth details and step by step instruction.

How Do You Make a Wedding Arch With Drapery?

You can source sheer, light drapery-style material at your local fabric store. Or you can often find it at large chain stores like Hobby Lobby and Walmart. You’ll want to go with white, ivory, or another color within your wedding color palette.

Drape and loop the fabric around the arch to mimic one of these pictures once you decide which style you like. If it’s a windy day, you may want to consider adding thread or rope in the same color as your drape fabric to secure it onto the arch.

This video by TheSorryGirl’s shows you how to put together the perfect drapery and floral combination arch. Watch it to get some ideas on how to craft your own – it’s so simple!

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Wedding Arch?

It depends. Building your own wedding arch can cost anywhere between $70 all the way up to $700, depending on what materials you choose to make it with and how extravagant you plan to go. Lighter metal arches that can be easily assembled are going to be far less expensive than heavy-duty wooden arches.

It also depends on what you decorate your arch with. Fake flowers and drapery is going to be much less expensive than hundreds of real flowers from your florist. If you go with the latter, you’ll also have to consider whether or not you’ll need to pay a florist or wedding planner/assistant to decorate the arch the day of or the night before, as you’ll have a much smaller window of decorating time with real flowers and the bride is often too busy the day of to be stressed & hurriedly assembling a flower arch!

When it comes to cost, you’ll want to consider materials and decorations in your budget. As well as the timing of putting it all together before your ceremony or reception.