28 Best Fairy-Tale Wedding Ideas

bride and groom kissing outside of fairy-tale wedding venue — photo by rebecca yale

For many couples, the wedding day is one they've dreamed about for years. If you fall into that camp, and you're hoping to plan a ceremony and reception that's just as magical as the celebrations you've seen in your favorite movies and television shows, a fairy tale-inspired wedding might be the perfect fit for you. Not sure where to get started? Here's the good news: A fairy-tale wedding can be achieved by drawing inspiration from plenty of different enchanting elements. You could choose to tie the knot at castle-like venue, decorate your space with an abundance of blooms, select dreamy lighting, or add pops of gold to every surface. What's more, a fairy tale theme works for any season.

Is this theme the right fit for your wedding day? Here, we're sharing 28 fairy-tale wedding ideas guaranteed to help inspire your own storybook celebration.

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Theme Your Wedding Invitations

First things first: Set the tone for your fairy-tale wedding with an invitation to match. Consider a design that incorporates design elements such as scrolls, monograms, calligraphy, and a touch of gold for an inspired look.

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Choose a Magical Wedding Dress

bride in long wedding gown — Photo by Amy Anaiz Photography

If you're planning to wear a wedding dress, why not select one that ensures you're the belle of the ball? Ball gowns or dresses with long trains are a good place to start. At this castle wedding in New Jersey, the bride chose both: She donned a thematically appropriate Ese Azenabor off-the-shoulder ball gown complete with a stunning train.

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Don a Tiara

Bride wearing gold tiara with gemstones — Photo by Cinzia Bruschini

If you're planning a fairy-tale wedding, there's no accessory more appropriate than a tiara. For this bride's Florence nuptials, she chose a gilded headpieces with colorful crystals.

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Make a Grand Entrance

bride in strapless Ines Di Santo ballgown poses among French architecture — Photo by Oliver Fly

Just as if you're coming down the stairs in a castle, plan a grand entrance for your wedding. Utilize an ornate space in your venue for the ultimate photo op, just like this bride did at her Ritz Paris wedding.

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Level Up Your Place Settings With Gilded Accents

place setting with gold leaves — PHOTO BY REBECCA YALE PHOTOGRAPHY

Don't be afraid to embrace gilded accents—after all, this is meant to be an enchanted affair! Incorporate gold and crystal in your place settings with gold chargers and candle holders, just as this couple did at their California nuptials. Paired with gold-edged menu cards, beautiful, abundant flowers, and classic crystal stemware, your guests will feel as if they're dining at a palace.

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Use Plenty of Candles

Outdoor Wedding Reception Tables Covered in Greenery and Taper Candles — Photo by David Bastianoni

Incorporating plenty of candles into your reception table design will immediately create a magical ambience. Pairing them with gilded chairs and crystal place settings really completes the look.

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Carry a Royal-Inspired Bouquet

lily of the valley wedding bouquet — PHOTO BY RYAN RAY PHOTOGRAPHY

When Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, she carried a petite bouquet of lily of the valley, sweet William, myrtle, and hyacinth. On Meghan Markle's wedding day in 2018, the bride chose a similar arrangement of sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia, myrtle, and forget-me-nots. Draw inspiration from both of these fairy-tale celebrations and add lily of the valley and myrtle to your own big-day arrangement.

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Arrive in Style

Bride's Wedding Processional with Father, Entering Through a Flower-Covered Doorway — Photo by David Bastianoni

Most fairy tales include horse-drawn carriages, but you can make a stylish entrance however you'd like. Consider arriving at your flower-covered wedding venue in a vintage convertible, trolley, or any other mode of transportation you like, just as this bride did for her ethereal Tuscan wedding.

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Incorporate Plenty of Roses

place setting with roses — photo by rebecca yale

Fairy-tale weddings mean plenty of romantic touches, and roses are one of the best ways to bring that to life. Add small touches, like this dreamy addition to an otherwise simple escort display.

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Make Your Aisle Pop

aisle lined with flowers — Photo by Amy Anaiz Photography

Embrace abundance with gilded chairs and plenty of candles lining your aisle. To make it even better? Create a walkway of lush flower petals.

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Theme Your Venue

chateau wedding venue — photo by rebecca yale

Your venue is one of the first wedding planning choices you'll make. Set the tone with a charming location. Choose a castle-inspired venue, a French chateau, or a historic building with an incredible ballroom.

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Create a Dreamy Dance Floor

fairytale dance floor — photo by Juliana Moreira Pessoa of Brett Matthews Gallery

Prepare an incredible space for your first dance. We love the idea of a white dance floor with scrolling gold font to celebrate your nuptials.

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Select Handmade Stationery

A deckle-edge invitation suite surrounded by colorful flowers. — Photo by Sean Thomas Photography

Wedding invitations and day-of paper goods printed on handmade paper will always make us think of a fairy tale. Set the stage for your storybook celebration by inviting guests to the big day using deckle-edge invitations. Bonus points if you add a custom wax seal, too.

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Decorate With Scrolls

Wedding Reception Place Settings on Long Pink Tables with Pink Scroll Escort Card — Photo by Le Vie Photography

No fairy tale is complete without one of the king or queen's pages unraveling a long scroll as they make an important declaration. Use the detail on a smaller scale on your wedding day to nod at your theme—the fun scroll place cards featured at this Malibu wedding are the perfect example.

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Feature a Lace-Inspired Cake

lace wedding cake — Photo by haley rynn ringo

Fairy tale meets regal with this cake design. Consider an all-white cake but let the texture speak for itself. This cake with lace buttercream detailing is stunning.

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Choose a Champagne Tower

Angela and Allister pour champagne tower while guests hold sparklers — Photo by Oliver Fly

There's just something downright regal about a Champagne tower. Consider using gilded glasses to make your setup even dreamier.

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Pair Green and White

green and white reception — photo by charla storey

Start with your color palette as a base to draw inspiration. One of the simplest, yet most enchanting pairings for a fairy-tale wedding? The classic combination of green and white.

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Feature Floral Plates

place setting with florals — photo by charla storey

No plain plates here! Embrace an enchanted garden vibe with a floral-patterned plate at every place setting.

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Line the Aisle With Ferns

wedding ceremony aisle with ferns — photo by hailley howard

Embrace a fairy-tale vibe with plenty of greenery. We love the idea of lining your ceremony aisle with plenty of ferns and white blooms to take the space to the next level.

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Consider Croquembouche

croquembouche wedding dessert — photo by rebecca yale

Channel a Paris-inspired fairy-tale wedding with a different type of dessert, just like this couple did at their romantic celebration. This French treat is the perfect sweet for a sophisticated wedding while still offering a towering look similar to a wedding cake.

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Add Plenty of Greenery

greenery reception decor — photo by K.R. Moreno

Planning an indoor wedding? Your space can still be incredibly enchanting with the addition of plenty of greenery. Create arches over a reception table for a magical setting.

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Choose a Gilded Cake

gold and white cake — photo by K.R. Moreno

Bring pops of gold into your décor and your cake design. This five-tiered cake featured incredible detailing with white blooms and gilded leaves.

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Dress Up the Front Steps

wedding ceremony steps with flowers — photo by valorie darling

Getting married in a church? Don't forget to dress up the entrance! An abundant floral installment will immediately make the steps of the ceremony space that much dreamier.

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Play With Pastel Pink

pink and gold place setting — photo by Jodee Debes Photography

A pastel pink immediately evokes a fairy-tale aesthetic. Consider incorporating it in subtle ways such as using soft pink linens or even pink glasses.

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Dress Up the Band Stage

green wedding stage — photo by charla storey

Don't forget to dress up simple elements such as the band's stage. Utilize a bloom-inspired backdrop and add a floral installment at the base.

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Go for a Greenhouse

greenhouse wedding — photo by Ke-Li Photography

Love the idea of a romantic, outdoor-inspired fairy-tale wedding? Choose a greenhouse venue as the ideal base for décor.

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Choose an Enchanted Ceremony Backdrop

wedding tree lit up — Photo by Emily Wren

Make a dramatic statement by choosing a magical ceremony location. Consider saying "I do" in the dark under the lighting of a dressed up tree.

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Look to Lanterns

lantern lit welcome sign — photo by rach loves troy

Lanterns are a great, simple way to add lighting and a touch of magic to any space. We love the way one couple used a candle-lit lantern to light up an acrylic welcome sign.

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