Wedding Signs You Need for Your Special Day

Your wedding day is filled with important moments, carefully planned details, and meaningful touches. Among these elements, wedding signs play a crucial role in both function and style. The right wedding signs you need can guide guests, set the tone, and add personality to your celebration. At Joy Photo and Video, we've photographed countless weddings and have seen firsthand how thoughtfully designed signs can enhance the guest experience while creating beautiful photo opportunities.

From welcoming guests to providing important information, the wedding signs you need serve multiple purposes throughout your special day. In this guide, we'll explore seven essential wedding signs you need to consider incorporating into your celebration, with ideas on how to personalize them to match your unique style and vision.

Practical Wedding Signs You Need for Guest Guidance

1. Welcome Signs: Making the First Impression

The welcome sign is often the first décor element your guests will see, making it one of the most important wedding signs you need. This sign sets the tone for your entire celebration while confirming to guests that they've arrived at the right place.

A beautifully designed welcome sign can take many forms – from elegant wooden boards to acrylic displays or even fabric banners. Consider including phrases like "Welcome to our beginning" or "This is how our story begins" to add a personal, emotional touch that immediately connects with your guests.

Your welcome sign should reflect your wedding's aesthetic, incorporating your color scheme, font styles, and overall theme. Position it at the entrance to your venue where it will be easily visible to arriving guests and create a perfect photo opportunity to document the start of your celebration.

2. Unplugged Ceremony Signs: Ensuring Present Moments

In our digital age, unplugged ceremony signs have become some of the most practical wedding signs you need. These signs politely request that guests turn off their phones and cameras during the ceremony, allowing everyone to be fully present for this meaningful moment.

An unplugged ceremony sign can be displayed at the entrance to your ceremony space or included in your program. The message should be clear but kind, perhaps explaining that you've hired professional photographers to capture the moment and would appreciate guests enjoying the ceremony without distractions.

These signs not only help ensure that your professional photos won't be compromised by guests stepping into the aisle with phones, but they also create a more intimate atmosphere where everyone can focus entirely on the commitment you're making.

Looking for more ways to keep your wedding day running smoothly? Our guide to How to Get Organized While Planning Your Wedding offers practical tips to ensure every detail is perfectly coordinated.

3. Seating Charts: Guiding Guests with Style

Among the functional wedding signs you need, seating charts rank high for receptions with assigned seating. These signs help guests navigate to their tables without confusion, streamlining the transition from ceremony to celebration.

Seating charts can be as simple or elaborate as suits your style. Traditional options include elegant framed displays listing guests alphabetically with their table numbers. For a more creative approach, consider a drink wall where guests grab a beverage with their table number attached – serving both as a refreshment and a guide to their seat.

Whatever style you choose, ensure your seating chart is easy to read, arranged alphabetically by guest name, and positioned in a well-lit area where it won't create a traffic jam as multiple guests try to find their assignments simultaneously.

Decorative Wedding Signs You Need for Personal Touches

4. Bar Signs: Informative with Personality

Bar signs are both practical and personality-filled wedding signs you need to consider. These signs can communicate essential information about your beverage service while adding a touch of humor or style to your reception.

A basic bar sign might simply list available drinks or indicate whether you're hosting an open bar. For a more memorable touch, consider adding personality with phrases like: "Our wedding will have an open bar. Warning: it will also be heavily photographed. Any drunken shenanigans will be documented, thoroughly mocked, and remembered for years to come."

Position your bar sign prominently at or near your bar area, making it easy for guests to reference throughout the evening as they enjoy your hospitality.

5. Reserved Signs: Honoring Absent Loved Ones

Some of the most meaningful wedding signs you need are those that honor loved ones who have passed. These reserved signs create a special tribute, keeping important people symbolically present on your wedding day.

These signs can be placed on chairs at your ceremony or on a dedicated table at your reception. They might be as simple as a small "Reserved" card with the person's name, or they might include a brief message like "In loving memory" alongside a photo of your loved one.

This thoughtful gesture creates a space for acknowledging those who cannot be physically present but remain important parts of your story and celebration.

6. Sweetheart Table Signs: Highlighting the Newlyweds

The sweetheart table – where you'll enjoy your first meal as a married couple – deserves special designation with one of the most trendy wedding signs you need. These signs help identify this special space while adding a decorative element to your reception design.

Currently trending are neon signs displayed behind the sweetheart table, often featuring your new shared last name or romantic phrases like "Better Together" or "It Was Always You." These illuminated signs not only mark your special seats but also create a stunning backdrop for reception photos. Alternatively, more traditional wooden or acrylic table signs can be positioned at the front of your table, identifying it as the "Mr. & Mrs." table or simply as the "Newlyweds" for a clean, classic look.

7. Guest Book Signs: Providing Clear Instructions

The final category of essential wedding signs you need addresses your guest book station. These signs provide necessary instructions for how guests should participate in this meaningful tradition. Whether you're using a traditional bound book, a photo guest book with a Polaroid camera, or an alternative like signing wine bottles for future anniversaries, clear instructions help ensure your guests understand how to leave their well wishes.

A guest book sign should explain the concept briefly and provide any specific instructions, such as "Snap a photo, paste it in, and sign your name" for a photo book or "Sign a bottle for us to enjoy on our anniversary" for wine bottle alternatives.

Wondering how to make the most of your guest book experience? Don't miss our article on 5 Things You Should Know About Wedding Guest Books for creative ideas and practical advice on this meaningful wedding tradition.

Bringing Your Wedding Signs to Life

The wedding signs you need should reflect your personality as a couple while complementing your overall wedding design. Consider using consistent materials, fonts, and design elements across all your signage to create a cohesive look throughout your celebration.

When planning your wedding signs, think about durability and visibility. Outdoor signs may need weather protection, while all signs should be legible from a comfortable reading distance with sufficient contrast between text and background. For a budget-friendly approach, consider which wedding signs you need most and prioritize those with the greatest impact. Welcome signs, unplugged ceremony notices, and seating charts generally offer the most functional value, while decorative signs can be added as budget allows.

At Joy Photo and Video, we love capturing these special details that make your wedding unique. From the welcome sign that greets your guests to the sweetheart table backdrop where you'll share your first married meal, these elements tell the story of your day in beautiful, meaningful ways.

Choose Joy,

The Joy Team