Church decorating ideas for different events

Church decorating ideas are vast, and you can find ideas for every occasion. However, there are times when you may struggle to decorate the space properly.

The tips below will help you decorate a church for three main occasions:

Christmas
Weddings
Children

You can also use many of these tips for decorating on other occasions.

Decorating Church for Christmas: ComforTek Recommendations

Church Christmas decorating themes can follow many trends, and there’s a lot that you can do to make your sanctuary “awe-inspiring.”

Nativity Scene

Church nativity scenes are one of the most popular during the holiday season. Your members will love to see the scene and will come to expect it from your congregation. You can find stone or plastic items to add, which must include:

Animals
Baby Jesus
Joseph
Mary
Wise Men
Etc.

You can find some of these scenes put together in one plastic mold, but it’s almost always better to create your own scene. Many churches put down straw and add lighting to make the decoration the center of attention.

Plants, Flowers and Other Greens

Plants, flowers and other forms of greenery also add a nice touch to churches at this very special time of the year. Common options are:

Poinsettias
Christmas trees
Etc.

Advent Wreaths

Wreaths are a great decorative piece for Christmas, and it’s not uncommon to see them hanging on doors. The circular shape of the wreath is a symbol of life being eternal or circular, and this often represents life and resurrection.

Candles

Candles can be used for wreaths, and they’re also heavily used on Advent. The tradition is to set out four candles and to put them at the center of the wreath. You’ll then light the candles on each Sunday of the event to represent:

Faith
Joy
Peace
Prayer

You can opt for candles of any color and make the sanctuary more festive, too.

Lighting Options

Multiple lighting options are common at this time of year and can include:

Candles – the most popular choice
Lanterns
Etc.

It’s not uncommon to see flames dancing on the windowsills of churches at Christmas because the lights can be seen outdoors. Candle flames, even if you choose to use electric candles, add a beautiful ambiance to the space that can be viewed indoors and outdoors.

Christmas is a very festive season, and it’s one that will allow you to decorate your place of worship in ways that excite members and help them remember the meaning behind this very special day.

However, what if you need to begin decorating a church for wedding[RE1] ceremonies?

Decorating Church for Wedding Tips

Decorating church for wedding events is often the responsibility of the bride and groom, but churches may offer this service, too. If you plan on outfitting a church with your own décor on your wedding, the following ideas can help:

Floral Framing

One of the timeless church decorating ideas is to frame the doorway with florals. You can add beautiful blooms to the sides of the main entryway and try to add as much height to these as you can.

Adding florals will make the couple feel like royalty.

Also, the flowers will make for the perfect place to take pictures.

Decorate the Aisles

Whether the sanctuary has church chairs or pews, you can decorate the aisles with spectacular greenery. You want to:

Add greenery on the end of the aisle where the couple will walk down
Be cautious not to create any tripping hazards with your décor

If you plan on having a flower girl walk down the aisle, it will complete the magic of this experience.

Wrap Railing

While you add beautiful greenery to the space, don’t forget about the railings. You can wrap any stair railings with leaves or other flowers. However, you do want to remain cautious of impeding a person’s ability to grab the rails if they need help walking up steps.

Ideally, adding foliage to the railings will only be on stairs that the couple will walk up and down – not the rest of the guests.

Lantern Lining

Lanterns are magical, and if the church has wide aisles, you can line the space with lanterns. While you may have the option to use candles for the lantern, it’s far safer to use LEDs or other electric lanterns to reduce the risk of fire.

Floral Arches

Beautiful large floral arches are a great option for:

Entryways
In front of the bride and groom
Creating an “entryway” for the couple

Flowers, plants and other forms of greenery are certainly the way to go when trying to decorate for a wedding. You’ll find that these options:

Bring the outdoors, indoors
Add beauty to the space
Can be used to add color and contrast

Decorating a church for a wedding is a personal experience and one that you need to spend a lot of time considering. If you want to make the space truly unique for your big day, implement some of the tips above.

However, church sanctuary decorating ideas can also be for children.

Children’s Church Decoration Ideas

If you’re not spending time on children’s church decorating ideas, you need to start now. With membership numbers dropping, it’s more important than ever to entice younger generations to attend service.

Children love beautiful colors and warm spaces, and you can use décor to help create this type of atmosphere for them.

A few options that you have available include:

Themes

Themes are a great option for kids because they do not change quickly. You can choose a theme, such as:

Motivation from Jesus themes
Biblical themes, such as a room painted like Noah parting the sea
Rooms decorated with animal pictures and paintings

Educational Items

Educational themes are another timeless option, and this can include:

Musical notes on the wall
Music equipment items
Hang old instruments

You can also add religious-based books and other items in the room.

Jungle Themes

Jungle themes are almost timeless because children absolutely love this type of theme. You can add in a lot of neat touches, such as:

Beautiful greenery around the space, maybe even live greenery
Painted trees on the wall
Paintings of different jungle animals, such as lions, tigers, monkeys or other

You can also take the time to work with a local artist who can paint the space. Waterfalls or other items add a beautiful touch to the space. You’ll also need furniture that children can fit into, such as chairs or tables. A wide range of church chair items are available that are perfect for kids.

Ministries may be tempted to decorate spaces with posters or trendy cartoon figures, but this can quickly become a mistake. The main issue is that if you choose trendy décor, it can become dated overnight.

Instead, you’ll want to keep your children’s decorating ideas timeless.

Summary

Church decorating ideas can follow many themes, styles and tastes. If you’re struggling to decorate your sanctuary, the recommendations above can help you get started. Over time, you’ll amass a lot of decorations and be prepared to properly decorate your space.