Wedding Chair Decorations: Ribbon Sashes and Simple Aisle Markers

Rows of plain chairs are the largest blank surface at most ceremonies, which is why a little ribbon goes such a long way there. Handmade wedding chair decorations need no covers, clips or special hardware: ribbon, a few stems and a pair of scissors are enough for all three projects below.

Each one ties on and unties again without leaving a mark, so it suits borrowed and rented chairs. Choose a single design, or put a sash on the couple’s chairs and a bundle or tassel on the chairs that line the aisle.

Decide Which Chairs to Decorate

Decorating every seat is rarely necessary, and it multiplies the work quickly. The chairs guests notice are the ones along the aisle, so start there.

• Aisle chairs only: count the rows and multiply by two. Ten rows means 20 decorations.
• Every other row: the same ten rows need only 10, and the aisle still reads as decorated.
• Reception: two sashes or bundles for the couple’s chairs are often enough.

Whatever the count, make two spares.

Ask Before You Attach Anything

If the chairs are rented or belong to the venue, ask whoever owns them what is allowed before you buy materials. Then keep to one simple rule: everything is tied on with ribbon, twine or a soft fabric strip.

Tape, staples, glue, pins and bare wire can mark paint, varnish and upholstery, so none of them should touch the chair. On folding chairs, tie the decoration where it cannot be pinched in the hinge when the chair is opened or stacked.

Option 1: A Ribbon or Fabric Sash

A sash is one long strip wrapped around the chair back and tied in a bow. Wide ribbon of 2 1/2 to 4 in (6 to 10 cm) works well, and so does a strip of light fabric such as chiffon, voile or tulle.

Measure and cut

1. Wrap a tape measure around the chair back where the sash will sit, usually the upper third. Suppose it reads 36 in (91 cm).
2. Add about 54 in (137 cm) for the bow. That allows two loops of roughly 6 in (15 cm), the knot, and two tails of about 12 in (30 cm).
3. The total here is 90 in, which is 2 1/2 yd (2.3 m) per chair. Multiply by your number of chairs: 20 aisle chairs need 50 yd (46 m), plus one extra length as a spare.

For fabric sashes, buy a piece as long as one sash and tear or cut it lengthwise into strips about 8 in (20 cm) wide. Fabric that is 44 in (112 cm) wide gives five sashes from each 2 1/2 yd length. Torn edges fray softly, which suits a relaxed look; cut edges look sharper.

Tie it on

Center the strip on the front of the chair back, cross the ends behind it and bring them to the side where the bow will sit. Tie one snug knot, then make the bow and adjust the loops until they match. If your bows tend to twist or sit crooked, the step-by-step guide to tying a flat, even ribbon bow shows the fix. Finish both tails with an angled cut.

Option 2: A Greenery or Dried Flower Bundle

A small bundle hung from an aisle chair adds texture that ribbon alone cannot. For each one, gather:

• 3 stems of greenery such as eucalyptus, about 10 in (25 cm) long
• 2 or 3 stems of dried flowers or filler flowers, a little shorter
• Floral wire and floral tape
• 24 in (61 cm) of ribbon about 5/8 in (16 mm) wide for the wrap and a small bow
• 30 in (76 cm) of narrow ribbon or twine to tie the bundle to the chair

1. Lay the longest greenery at the back and the shorter stems on top in a flat fan, so the bundle will lie against the chair.
2. Bind the stems about 2 in (5 cm) from the cut ends with three turns of floral wire. Twist the wire ends together, trim them short and press the twist flat into the stems so no sharp end sticks out.
3. Cover the wire with floral tape, then spiral the ribbon over the tape and finish with a small bow. It is the same wrap used for a ribbon-wrapped bouquet handle, only shorter.
4. Pass the 30 in tie through the back of the binding and knot it around the top rail or side post of the chair, with the leaves pointing down or toward the aisle.

Option 3: A Ribbon Tassel

A tassel is the quickest of the three and uses up short ends of ribbon, lace and fabric. If you are also making a fabric strip garland, cut both projects from the same mix so they match.

Cutting list for one tassel: six strips of 30 in each, a 20 in (51 cm) length of narrow ribbon for hanging, and a 12 in piece for binding. Six strips come to 180 in, or 5 yd (4.6 m), so ten tassels need about 50 yd in total across all your ribbons and fabrics.

1. Stack the six strips and find the midpoint.
2. Lay the hanging ribbon across the midpoint and knot it tightly around the stack.
3. Fold the strips down over the knot so twelve tails hang together, each about 15 in (38 cm) long. The two ends of the hanging ribbon stay pointing up.
4. Wrap the binding piece twice around the tails about 1 in (2.5 cm) below the fold and knot it at the back.
5. Tie the tassel to the top corner of the chair and trim the tails level or leave them uneven.

What to Make Ahead and What to Leave

Ribbon and fabric pieces keep well, so cut the sashes and finish the tassels weeks ahead. Roll sashes loosely around a cardboard tube instead of folding them, and store everything flat, dry and out of sunlight.

Bundles of dried flowers and faux greenery can also be made weeks ahead; pack them in a single layer in a box so nothing gets crushed. Bundles with fresh greenery are best made about a day ahead and kept somewhere cool until they are tied on.