One of my favorite wedding themes is rustic, which can include a western, barn, farmhouse, woodland, or country vibe. Today we’re showing you how to plan a western themed wedding with a handful of tried-and-true ideas, both handmade and do-it-yourself. We’ll show you how to plan a western themed wedding with ideas for invitation, venue, time of year, attire, ceremony + reception decor, and gifts. Read on to find out more…
How to Plan a Western Themed Wedding
1. The invitation
Every great event starts with the perfect invitation. A wedding, particularly one with an overall theme, requires an awesome invitation to gear up your guests. The fun invitation, like this one in yellow and blue, is a great starting point:
The venue where you’ll tie the knot makes a huge impact on your overall theme. If you’re planning a country wedding, western wedding, or one with a woodland vibe, pick an environment that totally complements your theme. For instance, a country wedding would be beautiful at a ranch, on a farm, in a barn, or in an old farmhouse. A backyard wedding (or one in an open field) are also great options if you’re not able to pick a barn or farm.
When you plan a western themed wedding, you’ll want to consider the time of year. While you can plan this style in any season, it is much more convenient to have warmer temperatures, as your ceremony and/or reception will likely take place outdoors. The best time of year for a western themed wedding is spring, summer, or early fall (before it gets too chilly).
4. Attire
A western wedding is more casual than other themes. Instead of heels, the bride might opt for a pair of western boots.
The bride might wear a veil, or she might opt to wear a cowgirl hat instead (if even just for the reception).
A wedding dress of any style works well with this theme, although many brides tend to wear more casual dresses that are flowy and made of organic cotton or lace. If you’re getting married in a cooler month, you can add a top layer — like a cardigan or a plaid shirt.
The bridesmaids can go casual in mismatched dresses or coordinating dresses (convertible dresses are perfect for this), paired with western boots.
The groomsmen, too, should dress more casual. A button-down shirt and tie, paired with jeans and boots, is one perfect option.
The ring bearer will look cute-as-can-be with this red banana bow tie and suspenders set from The Baxter Boy:
by the baxter boy | photos by cami joy photography
Western Themed Wedding: Ceremony & Reception
5. Ceremony + Reception Decor
While your venue will play a large role in the overall (natural) decor of your ceremony and reception space. However, there are many fun + inspiring ways to add a personal touch to your handcrafted wedding. Let’s explore a few hand-picked decor ideas.
A ceremony and/or reception sign will tell guests where to go. Weathered + worn fit right in here!
A unique cake topper that features western boots or ‘just hitched’ are a few of our favorite finds.
Horseshoes are a symbol of good luck and an ideal decor piece for this wedding theme! (See where to buy horseshoes for weddings.) You can use horseshoes to make escort cards (see this post for inspiration), for ring toss as entertainment for guests, or as chair signs.
Western wedding programs are a must-have for this theme. Here is one design we love, which is made in a ‘fan-like’ form to cool off guests.
Tie in unique decor touches, like colorful bunting and hay bales around your ceremony and reception space. Here, the bride is preparing for her walk down the aisle with her father in an outdoor, backyard-style DIY barn wedding.
We’ve seen this done many times before, but we still find mason jars + red striped straws to be a totally charming detail. Mason jars and country / western weddings are made for each other. (We love mason jar drinking glasses even more, since they have a handle for holding.)
Details
Unexpected details can add to the casual, handcrafted flair of this wedding theme. One of our favorite ideas? Fabric-wrapped napkins.
Your ring bearer can carry a western themed wedding pillow — or choose a fun alternative instead. Have you ever seen a buck rack used as a ‘pillow’? Brilliant idea!
Western Table Numbers
For your reception tables, use cute western table numbers, like these boots from Dazzling Daisies Co:
Instead of a guest book, ask guests to leave well wishes in a rustic keepsake box on charming heart-shaped wood.
Drink in western style! These burlap koozies feature ‘Bride’ and ‘Groom’ on the outside.
What’s synonymous with a western themed wedding? BBQ! Give guests these unique bbq rubs as favors.
Ever western wedding requires one of these: a ‘just hitched’ banner!
Gift Giving
6. Gift Ideas
Gift-giving for a western themed wedding is fun! If you want bridesmaids or groomsmen to wear western boots, consider buying their pair (these can get expensive, though, so this is ideal for a smaller-sized wedding party). Other ideas for bridesmaid gift ideas or groomsmen gifts include the following:
– horseshoe jewelry
This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, just a few ideas to get you started! Find TONS of handmade wedding ideas here!
Happy Planning!
xo,
-E.
