DIY Decor: How to Decorate Metal Folding Chairs for a Wedding

When it comes to weddings, every single detail matters.

From the big things, like saying yes to the dress or booking the right venue, to the seemingly minor elements, like lighting or drafting the perfect invitation, every tiny detail adds something to the bigger picture. In this tutorial, we show you how to easily DIY a beautiful solution to one of the most overlooked wedding details: chair decor.

Read on to learn how to make a floral wedding guest chair and pick up some easy wedding chair decoration ideas.

What You'll Need to Make a Floral Guest Chair for Your Wedding

To create this chair decor, you’ll need:

2 Designer Flower Boxes in Naomi Rust & Sepia
3 Supporting Flower Boxes, White Pampas Grass
Floral Foam
Wire Cutters
Mesh Wire
Cable Ties
Any Chair with a Backrest
Your creative spirit

Our DIY tutorial uses two Designer Flower Boxes to create enchanting decor for your guest chairs. Ling's Flower Boxes are filled with a selection of greenery, plus all the flowers you need to create a completely customized, DIY floral arrangement.

If you don't feel especially 'crafty', have no fear. Making this floral wedding chair decor is easier than you'd think!

How to make a floral weding guest chair

Step 1: Build your Base

First, we need to build the base of our floral arrangements.

To do this, cut the floral foam into two blocks, each about 4 inches long. Next, wrap each block with the mesh wire. Lastly, cut off any excess wire on all sides of the blocks.

A man in apron cutting a floral foam block

A man wrapping wire mesh around a floral foam block

Step 2: Attach your Base to the Chair

Now that you've constructed your base, it's time to attach them to your chair of choice.

Fix the floral arrangement bases to two legs on opposite corners of the chair. Position the bases to make them look balanced, and trim excess ties.

Once you're satisfied with the positioning, use the cable ties to attach the floral foam base to the chair, inserting them through the mesh wire.

Step 3: Create the Shape with Pampas Grass

Start by sorting your two Designer Flower Boxes into darker and lighter tones.

Inserting the Pampas Grass for the base is easy. Remember, the grass should create shape and add texture to your wedding guest chair, not be the central focus.

Imagine you're building a giant cartoon sun: let the Grass spread out from the floral foam center. Avoid making the arrangement look overly symmetrical by using fewer and shorter pieces on one side and making the other more full, lush, and long.

A man inserting sepia flowers into a floral foam block

A man arranging flowers and attaching them on a chair

Tip: Keep your Pampas Grass positioned close to the ground so that it stands up straight and reaches upwards.

Step 4: Add Flowers

Now for the fun part -- adding flowers!

Start with the lighter shades, standing in front of the foam bases to make sure you cover them entirely with blooms. Make sure you vary the space between flowers to create an organic, handmade vibe.

A wooden chair decorated with pampa grass and flowers

Next, add the darker flowers to your arrangement. Similar to how you handled the lighter flowers, spread the blooms evenly around the base. Make sure the center of the flowers faces upward and out. Add depth to your arrangement using different lengths of flower stems, scattering them both high and low.

A man adding darker flowers into the floral arrangement for chair

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Small, elegant details are key to any successful floral display. Theyadd to the overall aesthetic without making a big deal of themselves. Be sure to tune into these fine details for your guest chair wedding decor.

Insert the little decorative leaves found in your Designer Flower Boxes evenly throughout the arrangments, allowing the longer leaves to fan out. Ensure that flowers are spaced organically and correct any overly symmetrical areas.

A man inserting decorated leaves into the floral arrangement

FAQ

Do Chairs Matter for a Wedding Reception?

Look, we get it -- the cost of a wedding can add up quickly. And it's natural to ask yourself, 'How much do chairs matter for a wedding reception?'

Think about it like this: your wedding guests will spend most of the festivities and dinner in a chair. The seats will be in many of your wedding photos, to be remembered forever. Your choice of chair decor is a chance to reaffirm your wedding theme, an important decision that helps set the tone of your big day.

Wooden chair attached with rust and sepia pew flowers

So yes, chairs matter for a wedding reception, and while it's entirely possible to have a beautiful ceremony without chair decor, it's not ideal.Luckily, Ling's has all the Designer Flowers you need to DIY the wedding guest chairs of your dreams.

How do you Decorate Chairs without Chair Covers?

When researching how to decorate chairs for a wedding, you might be bombarded with one solution: chair covers. While covers are great and can be a quick and classy way to make a chair match your wedding theme, other options do exist.

From flowers to fabrics, there is an entire world beyond seat covers. Keep reading for more wedding chair decoration ideas, plus how to make your own guest chair.

Two chairs decorated with floral arrangements and drapes

How to Decorate Metal Folding Chairs for a Wedding

Metal folding chairs are something you might already own, be able to borrow, or re-use from a previous event. Even better, adding a little romance to simple metal folding chairs is easy.

Here are some quick ideas for how to decorate metal folding chairs for a wedding-

Ling's Designer Flower Boxes. Our premium artificial flowers include a full selection of hand-selected designs, flowers, and greenery that you can customize and DIY for your wedding seats. Flower Boxes are limited only by imagination and come in all the best colors to match your wedding palette.
Sashes. Other wedding chair decoration ideas we love include sashes or ribbons made of silk, tulle, burlap, or linen. Adding fabric is a simple and easy way to dress up metal folding chairs for a wedding. Sashes are a great example of decorating chairs with fabric without using chair covers.
Chair covers. This choice is classic for a reason: Chair covers are an instant seat transformation. Covers require little crafting and can sometimes be purchased or rented directly from your wedding venue.
Signs. Adding your names or quirky quotes to the back of your wedding chairs via your sign is a fun, memorable option. However, signs can get costly and are best for smaller ceremonies unless you have the means to order a large quantity of them.

You Did it!

And just like that, you've learned step-by-step how to create your very own floral chair decor for your wedding guests!

Go ahead and pat yourself on the back! You deserve it. And when you're done, tag us @lingsmoment on Instagram so we can see your handiwork and pass on the inspiration to other brides.