Discover 20 creative car decoration ideas and e xplore unique ways to adorn your getaway car for a stylish and festive exit.
Choosing your wedding decorations is an important part of the wedding planning process. You need to figure out how to decorate your wedding aisle, your reception space, your tables, and so much more. As you can likely tell, there’s a lot of decorating that goes into creating your personal wedding style.
Chances are, if you plan to drive to or from your big day, you’ll also want to do it in style. Wedding car decorations can be a great way to jazz up your ride for your wedding day. Plus, a decorated car makes for great wedding photo opportunities!
But how, exactly, should you decorate your car? Let’s take a look at some of the best wedding car decoration ideas for a proper send-off.
1. Banners
If you want to announce to the world that you said your “I do’s,” hanging a “Just Married” banner from the back of your car is a great way to do it.
Banners make for great wedding car decorations because they’re simple and versatile; depending on the material and font you use, you can create a look that speaks to any type of wedding style. Plus, because all you have to do is tie them to something on your car (like a door handle), they’re super easy to attach to your vehicle—and, just as importantly, super easy to detach from your vehicle when the wedding festivities are done. The last thing you’re going to want to do after your wedding is spend hours removing all the decorations from your car.
2. Tin Cans
Hanging tin cans from the back of your car is one of the most classic and iconic wedding car decorations out there—and it can make for great photos.
But, make sure to remove the car cans from your car before you get to driving on any active roads; if one of the cans were to fall off the car, it could create a dangerous situation for other drivers.
3. Balloons
Another wedding car decoration that makes for a great visual, but is definitely more practical for pictures (and not so much for driving), is balloons.
Writing wedding-related messages on balloons (such as you and your partner’s names, your wedding date, or wedding phrases such as “I do” or “Happily Ever After”) and then attaching them to your car mirrors, door handles, or other parts of your car offers a great photo op for you, your partner, and your getaway car.
For the best visual effect, use balloons that match your wedding color palette. And again, make sure to pop the balloons or remove them from your car before you hit the actual road (otherwise, they could block your vision as you’re driving).
4. Bows
Photo Credit // Unsplash
If you want to lend a feminine, romantic style to your wedding car decorations, try adding car bows to your wedding getaway car.
If you really want to embrace the wedding/bridal theme, use white or off-white fabric to tie bows to your car mirrors and/or the hood of your car—and if you want to get creative, incorporate other materials (such as ribbon, flowers, greenery, or more brightly hued fabrics for a pop of color) to really make the bows stand out.
5. Flowers or Greenery
With a talented florist on board, there are a few different ways you can use wedding flowers (or artificial flowers) and greenery as a wedding car decoration, including:
Floral Garland. Lining the sides of your car with wedding garland made from flowers or greenery (or both) can be an elegant way to decorate your car for your special day.
Rose Petals. If you want to decorate your vehicle’s interior—and create some seriously romantic vibes for your post-wedding drive—try laying rose petals on the floor and seats of your car.
Flower Bouquets. Who said bouquets are limited to your wedding ceremony and reception? Have a few placed around the interior of your car (on open seats, propped up in the center consul) for a stunning floral display.
6. Stickers
Stickers are another great option for decorating your car for your wedding. There are a TON of wedding-themed car stickers with phrases such as “Just Married” or “And They Lived Happily Ever After” that you can stick on the exterior of your car (or, if you don’t want to put a decal on the paint, you can also stick it on the back window).
If you want to go with more custom messaging, you can have stickers made with your name, wedding date, or wedding hashtag.
7. Car Paint Marker Message
Whether you love your shared last name, wedding hashtag, wedding date, or a fun phrase, you can write it on your car for your guest (and other late-night drivers) to see as you drive off. Pulling this off is as easy as searching for car-safe paint pens online or at your local craft store. If possible, secure colors that are close to your wedding color palette. Then, decide on a message (or several) and get to writing and drawing all over your windows.
8. Streamers
A party classic, colorful streamers add an air of joy and excitement to a getaway car exit. Simply order or purchase streamers in your wedding colors (or whatever colors suit your fancy), place them partially inside of your car trunk, then close it so that they are secured. As with many of these examples, just be sure to remove them before you begin driving on any active streets or freeways. A few short streamers that don’t obstruct your license plate are probably fine, but a large amount of longer ones can get pulled under your car, rip off, and generally cause trouble for other drivers.
9. Custom Car Flag
An inventive and car-friendly take on wedding signs is a custom, celebratory car flag. With plenty of online retailers available, it’s easy to create your own design and have it printed onto a flag that you can attach to your car. These flags typically come with a window flag holder in the form of a clamp attached to the base of the pole. To secure, just roll down your passenger-side window, put the clasp in place, and roll your window up. Then, you and your flag can wave your wedding party and guests goodbye.
10. Wedding Car Ribbon
Have you ever seen someone win or be gifted a car with a huge ribbon wrapped around it? That’s the image we’re going for, here. Car ribbons are a classy and simple way to dress up any wedding getaway car. Whether it’s a front-only large bow or all-around tie, this decoration screams chic newlyweds.
Photo Credit // Unsplash
11. LED Lights
Take the party with you as you drive away with car-friendly LED lights. These can often be found and purchased in strips, which can then be placed in and around your getaway or bridal car. Most even run on battery packs, meaning you don’t need to fuss with cables, USB converters, and similar.
12. Vintage Suitcase
Some car decorations may not be meant for the road, but they’re definitely still worth pulling off. One such decoration is the addition of a vintage suitcase. Whether you’ll be having a vintage Volkswagen beetle or Chevy El Camino waiting for you outside, a securely placed vintage suitcase at the back will take it from classic to ready to jet-set. Just take it off and place it inside the car (or trunk) before you drive away. Bonus points if you’re headed off to your honeymoon right away.
13. Picnic Basket
A similar idea applies when it comes to a charming picnic basket. If you’re having a daytime or outdoor wedding, consider securing a cute (and empty) picnic basket to the trunk of your getaway car as a piece of prop decor.
14. Festive Wreath
We love winter and holiday-season weddings for their inherent cheer and lovely decor options. One of which is the addition of a festive wreath to the front or back of your bridal or getaway car. Finding a wreath at this time of year should be far from a problem, so keep an eye out for one that matches your wedding decor. Or, find one that’s bare and DIY it with ribbon, pinecones, lights, or whatever else you like.
15. Vanity Plates
Often times, a little goes a long way. A personalized license plate is a simple and exciting addition to your getaway car that’s sure to catch more than a few eyes. Consider some letter and number combinations that reflect you as a couple. Take inspiration from your names, shared last name, wedding hashtag, and the like.
16. Comfortable Truck Bed
If a truck is your bridal or getaway car of choice, consider decking the truck bed out with blankets, pillows, and rugs for a comfortable and stylish ride. That said, this set-up is not safe for driving, so it requires some extra work to pull off. Ask a loved one if they can put the set-up together towards the end of your reception or while everyone is lining up for your exit. Then, hop in the back for a few minutes of fun photo ops. Finally, throw a blanket over your shoulders, pack the rest in the car, and drive off together.
17. Custom Window Stickers
This is perhaps the easiest and most convenient wedding car decoration there is. The most difficult part of pulling this off will be designing or customizing the sticker of your choice. After that, you simply order it and place it (carefully) on your car on your big day. Be mindful, however, of your placement. Your car sticker shouldn’t obstruct your view.
18. Window Clings
Similar to stickers, car window clings are a no-fuss decor option. They are easy to customize (elegant initials, anyone?), prevent any possible damage to your car, and are easy to apply and remove.
19. Pom Poms
Like car cans and streamers, pom poms can be attached to sturdy string and tied to the back of your car. That way, when you begin to drive away, the colorful poms drag along the ground. It bears repeating: Remove these decorations from your car before driving on any roads.
20. Bumper Sticker
We know: This idea is so obvious, yet easy to overlook. A “Just Married!” or custom car bumper sticker is an easy way to add some wedding flair to your vehicle without going over-the-top. For a bit of an artistic look, compile a few that look good together and arrange them like a small collage on the bumper of your car.
When you drive away from your wedding, you want a send-off that your guests are going to remember. With these wedding car decoration ideas, you have everything you need to make your post-wedding drive a memorable one—for your guests, your partner, and yourself.
