22 Pond Wedding Ideas for Nature Lovers

If you’re on the hunt for a beautiful, natural, and magical wedding location, consider getting married on the banks of a charming pond. Surrounded by ducks, butterflies, and other native species, ponds are unique ecosystems often located against the backdrop of rolling hills, grassy meadows, or at the foot of impressive mountain ranges. Whether you’re planning a wedding that takes place near a pond, on a property with a pond, or you are looking for exquisite pond wedding ideas, we can help.

In this post, we cover a variety of amazing ideas to help nature-loving couples plan a peaceful pond wedding. From decoration ideas to entertainment tips, we explore pondside wedding venues, DIY decor tips, and explore other inspiring pond wedding ideas.

Discover 22 picture-perfect pond wedding ideas your guests will love

Pond wedding styles and theme ideas

By making thoughtful decor and layout choices, couples add their own style to outdoor wedding settings. Add style and flair to a pond wedding with a unique event design or sub-theme.

1. Host a garden party wedding beside a peaceful pond. Garden-themed weddings typically incorporate lush florals and greenery, making it a fantastic sub-theme for pondside wedding ceremonies. Treat guests to splendid scenery, afternoon tea, and a taste of elegance at an outdoor garden-themed pond wedding. Surrounded by wildlife and natural beauty, add crisp linens and classic white accents to create a sophisticated wedding design.

2. Plan a Zen wedding around a Japanese koi pond. Who says weddings have to be stressful? Blend celebration and relaxation by planning a Zen wedding. Say, “I do” standing on a stone bridge covering a golden koi pond, hidden inside luscious Japanese gardens. For example, in Pasadena, California, couples can wed outside an authentic Japanese teahouse at Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden. The venue grounds offer a mesmerizing backdrop for wedding photos that includes a serene pond, granite statues, and a secret garden oasis.

3. Invite friends and family to a fairytale wedding. Set up a towering tent beside a beautiful outdoor pond to create the perfect setting for a fairytale-themed wedding. With a built-in chorus of croaking frogs jumping around lily pads and cattails, the mystical setting is perfect for lovers of magic and mystery.

4. Celebrate your favorite hobby with a fishing-themed wedding. A stocked pond is an ideal location for adventurous anglers tying the knot. Set your “Catch of the Day” wedding ceremony against the backdrop of a mirrored pond at sunset. Incorporate lures and fly fishing ties into wedding decorations or use antique reels in nostalgic centerpieces. After the ceremony, invite wedding guests to kick back and catch a catfish or hang out by the bonfire.

5. Go organic with a farm-to-table wedding. Treat friends and family to a healthy, natural wedding experience by planning a farm-to-table style wedding. If you’re looking for a venue that can provide an all-natural, fresh wedding menu and environmentally-friendly supplies, seek out sustainable special event venues, like Farm to Fork on Wisconsin’s Buffalo River. Couples hosting at home can work with organic farm-to-table catering companies. Save on wedding costs by gathering the ingredients yourself and designing an intimate farm-to-table backyard wedding menu.

Pond wedding ideas for venues

If you don’t have a pond on your property or access to a secluded location, these ideas can help you find the perfect off-site wedding venue.

6. Look for a wedding venue that has stunning pond views built right in. Venues located against awe-inspiring backdrops will amaze your guests and lead to stunning wedding photos. Some of our favorite pond wedding venues blend rustic elegance and modern luxury. For example, host your wedding at LePlatts Pond, located on the 100-acre L-J Ranch in Bayfield, Colorado. Get hitched against the backdrop of mountains, green meadows, and giant cottonwoods, and treat your guests to gorgeous waterfront views at a wedding they’ll never forget.

7. Save money booking with a BYO venue. A popular option for many engaged couples on a budget, consider looking for a wedding venue that allows couples to BYO (“bring your own”) materials. Field & Pond, for example, allows weddings to supply their alcohol, as opposed to purchasing from the venue directly. A sophisticated wedding venue tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Field & Pond in Winters, California, can accommodate a wide range of wedding styles.

8. Host your wedding against the backdrop of historic gardens. The Millstone at Adams Pond is an elegant venue located in Columbia, South Carolina. Dating back to the 1700s, Adams Pond offers a picturesque setting for pond weddings dripping in enchanting southern charm. The Millstone at Adams Pond hosts indoor and outdoor weddings; it boasts a large wrap-around porch, a large open deck, multiple brick patios, and expansive gardens.

9. Search for a venue that offers wedding guest activities. If you’re a nature lover, consider hosting your wedding at a nature center, like Killens Pond Nature Center in Felton, Delaware. Perfect for outdoorsy couples and science-lovers alike, Killens Pond is located inside Killens Pond State Park Nature Center where wedding guests can observe pond wildlife, view native reptiles, explore exhibits, and more. The modern conference room can hold up to 200 guests, and intimate outdoor reception space is located behind the nature center for smaller gatherings.

Pond wedding ideas for decor

Most ponds are teeming with wildlife, providing a unique and magical setting for an outdoor wedding. They are often located on farms or private estates, surrounded by inspiring landscapes full of native plants and animals. Kick the natural, ethereal beauty of wetland locations up a notch with these decoration tips and pond wedding ideas.

10. Turn a canoe into a cooler. Get the party started after your pond wedding ceremony and invite guests to join you by the canoe cooler for a cold beverage. Repurpose an old canoe to serve as a cooler for sodas, beer, bottles of water, and other refreshing beverages. Elevate the canoe cooler by sitting it on wooden blocks or barrels, or place the canoe directly on the ground. The neutral coloring of wooden and tin canoes fits well with a pond wedding theme.

11. Use wildflowers and grasses to create breathtaking floral displays inspired by the setting. Although soggy soil isn’t a very friendly environment for common wildflowers to grow, ponds, bogs, and other wetlands are home to unique and otherworldly plants. Use native wetland wildflowers, such as the New England Aster, Southern Blue Flag, or Gray Headed Coneflower, in floral arrangements, centerpieces, or the bridal bouquet at your pond wedding.

12. Incorporate citronella candles into wedding centerpieces. In addition to casting romantic low-light and offering a pleasant citrusy scent, citronella candles help keep the bugs away. Look for ways to incorporate natural bug repellents, such as lavender or peppermint, into your pond wedding ideas, as pests are naturally drawn to the moist, rich environment.

13. Use wooden wine barrels to elevate pond wedding decorations. Wine barrels are versatile decorations as they complement countryside, rustic, and vintage wedding styles. Mark the start of the aisle with wine barrels holding floral arrangements, a welcome sign, or other wedding decor. Wooden barrels can be used as gift table legs or to hold tin ice buckets full of craft beer.

14. Decorate the water with floating pond decorations. Using floral foam, fresh flowers, and a skewer, you can quickly craft fresh flower balls that float. Design lush floral spheres or floating wreaths using daisies, roses, chrysanthemums, or other sturdy wedding blooms.

15. Use hanging lanterns to illuminate guest walkways. As the sun begins to set, guests may have a challenging time navigating to and from a pond wedding reception. Hang lanterns along sidewalks, trails, and other paths to help guests travel safely in the dark. Replace traditional fire-based lanterns with long-lasting LED options to reduce fire hazards at an outdoor pond wedding.

Pond wedding ideas for the ceremony

Turn an outdoor pond wedding ceremony into an affair to remember with these unique ideas.

16. Impress your guests by arriving on horseback. Start the wedding ceremony with a bang by surprising your guests with an impressive entrance. Arrive at your pond wedding riding a magnificent horse for a true fairytale wedding experience.

17. Create a welcome display at the ceremony entrance on the bed of a vintage truck. Antique and vintage vehicles can be used in a variety of different pond wedding ideas, as they complement an outdoor farm setting very well. Put the tailgate of an old truck down and use it as the base for a wedding guest “welcome” display. Craft a catchy welcome sign to sit in the truck bed surrounded by wedding flowers, cherished photos, and a wedding program for each guest.

18. Prepare for seasonal outdoor wedding challenges. Guests may face hot temperatures, mosquitos, and sunburn in warmer months while chilly air and harsh travel conditions can make outdoor weddings uncomfortable in fall and winter. Offer arriving guests water bottles, parasols, and fans to help combat the heat at a summer wedding by the pond or greet them with hot cocoa and cozy throws when the temperature is low.

19. Arrange haystacks into ceremony seating for guests. Soft, comfortable, and easy to acquire, haystacks make wonderful pondside wedding ceremony seats. In addition to being comfortable and lightweight, using haystacks can help couples cut down on event rental and setup costs by reducing the number of chairs needed. During the reception, move haystacks closer to the campfire (but not too close!), near the band, to the pond bank, or anywhere additional guest seating is needed. If you intend to serve a formal sit-down meal, however, we recommend using dining chairs.

Pond wedding ideas for the reception

Keep the party going after the ceremony using these pond wedding ideas at the reception.

20. Create a polaroid photo booth station and tree trunk display. Invite reception guests to visit the photo booth at your pond wedding and memorialize the day with a polaroid. Wrap twine, rope, or cord around the trunk of a large tree and use clothespins to attach photos. As more guests visit the wedding photo booth, the tree trunk will begin to fill with smiles, laughs, and memories that the newlyweds can place into an album to cherish for a lifetime.

21. Set up outdoor lawn games for wedding guests to play. Take advantage of the wide-open outdoor space at your reception and set up a variety of wedding lawn games for guests to enjoy. Cornhole, badminton, life-size Jenga, and giant bowling are crowd-pleasing outdoor games that are fun for all ages.

22. Send the newlyweds off with a fireworks display. Wish the married couple a fond farewell and send them off with a bang. Light up the night sky with a striking fireworks display that casts a dazzling reflection across the surface of the pond.

Bookmark these pond wedding ideas for reference later!

Now that you have a list of your favorite pond wedding ideas, it’s time to put them to use and start planning the big day. The months and weeks leading up to the big day can be stressful, but having a plan of action helps. Up next, we walk engaged couples through the wedding planning process, from start to finish.

In our 25-step wedding planning guide, we take you step-by-step through the entire process. Learn how to establish a wedding timeline, outline your budget, when to send invitations, and so much more.