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What are Wedding Columns?

B. Miller
B. Miller

Wedding columns, also referred to as wedding pillars, are a type of decor used at weddings. They may be used to create an altar where the bride and groom will stand for the ceremony, or they may be used to divide up a large room and create the illusion of a smaller space. Wedding columns may be purchased or rented, and may be provided by a party furniture rental company or sometimes by a wedding florist who may decorate the columns with flowers. Wedding pillars are typically white; it is rare to find them available in any other color. It is possible to wrap the columns with fabric or tulle to change the look if desired.

Some wedding venues will have wedding columns that are in place all the time in their designated area for holding weddings. These columns may be made of stone or wood, materials that would be difficult to move to different locations. This may be beneficial because the bride and groom will not have to pay extra to rent the wedding columns, but it could also be a problem if they do not like the way the wedding columns look.

Wedding columns are often meant to look like Greek columns.
Wedding columns are often meant to look like Greek columns.

Most temporary wedding columns are made heavy plastic, and are relatively easy to move around a location, but are sturdy enough not to fall over on windy days. They are often designed to look like Greek columns, as this is one of the most popular styles for weddings. When placed in a garden or even just a backyard, these wedding columns can add an elegant and regal look to the rest of the decor. In addition, it is possible to decorate the columns to make them coordinate with the rest of the wedding decor.

Wedding columns might be decorated with flowers chosen by the couple.
Wedding columns might be decorated with flowers chosen by the couple.

Florists may be able to wrap flowers or vines around the columns for an especially nice look. These flowers can match the flowers carried in bouquets by the bridesmaids or bride, as well as the flowers found in centerpieces. Sometimes, wedding columns may also be located on either side of a trellis or wedding arch, which may also be made of wood or heavy plastic to make it easy to disassemble. Usually these columns may be rented for a day or even just a few hours, and may be delivered and set up by the company which owns them, then disassembled and picked up after the wedding.

Discussion Comments

Rotergirl

@Lostnfound -- You should have been at a wedding I attended several years ago. The wedding was outdoors and the columns were inflatable. They looked OK from 50 feet away, but up close, they were ridiculous. The ceremony photos were also predictably ridiculous because the columns looked so very fake.

The kicker was when a couple of the groomsmen toted them into the reception hall and the happy couple had a bunch of photos made with them as a backdrop. Tacky is not the word.

Lostnfound

I might consider using wedding columns if the facility had them already available, but I don't know that I'd spend the money to rent them, unless I could get a really good deal on them.

If used tastefully, they can look very nice, but surely there are other, less expensive ways to decorate besides renting columns.

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    • Wedding columns are often meant to look like Greek columns.
      By: aarochas
      Wedding columns are often meant to look like Greek columns.
    • Wedding columns might be decorated with flowers chosen by the couple.
      By: photografer1980
      Wedding columns might be decorated with flowers chosen by the couple.