The Arch

• The wedding arch can be a simple garden arch you purchase at a local discount store or a more formal design created with a wedding ceremony in mind. Brides and wedding planners should consider the wedding venue when selecting the arch itself, taking into consideration the arch dimensions as well as its construction materials. For example, a white or bamboo arch is appropriate for a beach wedding, whereas a rustic arch designed from vines may better suit an outdoor wedding in the mountains.
  
  

Tulle

• Every bride’s style is different and while one woman may want a minimalist approach to decorating the wedding venue, another may want to go over the top. Keeping that in mind, purchase at least enough tulle to cover the arch once, and buy additional yardage for a draping or pooling effect. Extra fabric can always be pinned onto the arch if the original amount turns out to not be sufficient.
  
  

Decorating

• For a simplistic design, you may decorate the U-shaped arch with a single layer of tulle draped over the top. To add another soft layer, decorators can loosely wrap the tulle around the front and back edges of the arch. A dreamier approach is to drape the tulle around the arch frame and pin it in place at every other rung, allowing the fabric to pool in each section. This creates a soft, flowing effect around the ceremony centerpiece. Extending the tulle out to the sides allows for the decorator to drape nearby items, such as a candelabra, planter or basket.
  
  

Secure

• Unexpected winds can come out of nowhere during an outdoor ceremony and even indoors, accidents happen. After the wedding arch is fully decorated, secure it in place with stakes, sandbags or weights to prevent that unwanted wedding disaster of the arch toppling over.