centerpieces for travel

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20 Travel-Inspired Decorating Ideas to Evoke Your Favorite Destination

Showcase globes, maps, suitcases, and other accessories from your travels throughout your home.

Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more.

Most everyone has souvenirs from their travels, whether it’s shells from the beach, novelty T-shirts, or even just plenty of photos. Luckily, there are plenty of both subtle and bold ways to incorporate your love for travel into your home.

Hanging photos is simple, but you can also turn them into a statement by creating a gallery wall or even unique wallpaper. Or use photos of places you dream of going, maps, or subway routes for more graphic, abstract art. Small touches can also add elements of travel to your home. Vintage suitcases come in many colors and can be displayed to add extra storage or serve as an end table. Use these travel decor ideas as inspiration, then adapt them to fit your favorite places and trips.

Seashell Display

Cameron Sadeghpour

Large seashells from a beach vacation double as tabletop travel decor and as a way to display Polaroids. Smaller shells can also nest inside a larger shell as a way to show them off on a shelf or table. Place them next to a blue glass lamp reminiscent of sea glass to tie the coastal theme into the rest of the room.

Abstract Travel Wall Decor

Adam Albright

City maps make stunning travel wall decor and are a great way to remember some of your favorite (or dream) destinations. These pictures lean abstract, using the city streets to create a leaf-like design. The shades of green used on each map complement dark green wall paint .

Subtle Travel Decor

Ann VanderWiel Wilde

Small accents can help show your love for a destination without dominating a room. In this alcove, a simple metal sign shaped like the state of Minnesota hangs above a rustic dresser with other memorabilia. This travel wall decor fits into almost any room and can take the shape of a favorite country or city skyline.

Map Wall Art

Using maps as wall decor is an easy way to incorporate graphic art in muted pastel colors. Despite varying color palettes, this trio of maps feels cohesive thanks to neutral frames with white mats. Bold navy walls help further showcase the travel decor.

Suitcase Bar Cart

Cocktails (or zero-proof drinks ) can definitely be part of a great vacation, so it’s only natural to incorporate travel decor into your home bar cart . A vintage suitcase is the focal point of this bar cart and acts as unique storage for a variety of bottles and bar tools. Antique drawers contain glassware and match the feel of the old-fashioned suitcase.

Seashell Storage

Brie Williams

Seashells are a popular beach souvenir, but finding a place to store them can be tricky. These embellished boxes are a beautiful way to display shells. Each box features a mosaic of shells while also providing storage on a living room mantel . Complete the look with other ocean souvenirs, like driftwood or sea glass, and vases and artwork with blue accents.

Entryway Travel Decor

David A Land

Display travel decor in your home’s entryway for a reminder of your favorite destinations every time you walk in the door. This console table includes a travel bag that's ready to be grabbed for any adventure. Houseplants also help give the space a tropical feel, and the tabletop provides a surface to display travel photos.

Travel Wallpaper

In addition to small accents, you can also add travel decor to your home on a larger scale. World maps paper the walls of this bedroom . The muted colors complement natural wood furniture and blue accents on the bed. The wallpaper contributes eye-catching texture without overwhelming the space.

Showcase Souvenirs

KIM CORNELISON

This living room features several souvenirs that work together in a subtle way. A gallery wall incorporates map artwork; its bright colors and abstract shapes coordinate with a globe perched on top of a bookcase. A bright blue vintage suitcase on one shelf nods to vacationing and pairs well with the navy velvet sofa .

Historical Wall Decor

Alisal Ranch

These large-scale framed maps act almost as an accent wall in this dining space. It includes historical boundaries and territory lines from the early days of the U.S., and its rustic appearance matches the wood-plank wall and vintage chairs. A large map can also serve as a way of tracking your travels across the country.

Bookshelf Display

If you enjoy collecting art on your travels, display them together on a shelf to blend souvenirs with your personal style. This bookcase includes a variety of vases, figurines, and sculptures from a variety of destinations. Natural materials like wood and earthy colors tie everything together.

Mural Accent Wall

John Bessler

Large-scale wallpaper prints can be overwhelming, but using them on an accent wall is a stylish way to add a bold pattern to a room. This living room has a tropical feel thanks to the blue and green mural of palm trees. The colors tie in with the area rug, and the graphic print contrasts the black-and-white striped seating.

Vibrant Color Palette

Dustin Halleck

The rich jewel tones of this library create a luxurious feeling. Stacked vintage suitcases serve as an end table while matching a floral rug and dark cobalt walls. Shelves near the seating area provide an opportunity to display travel souvenirs like prints, decorative boxes, and figurines.

Surfing Inspiration

Chad R. Mellon

Add a nod to the beach without displaying shells or pictures of the coast. Instead, hang a surfboard patterned with typography for a sunny, ocean vibe that upgrades a blank wall. Pair with a wood vanity and blue bathroom floor tiles for a casual coastal aesthetic.

Photo Wall Treatment

A repeating pattern of coastal photos creates a bold but still neutral wallpaper in this bedroom. Customize walls with your own photos, or find a print that features professional photos from a dream destination. Pair with a blue painted ceiling and geometric light fixture to turn the room into a beachy paradise.

Coastal Travel Decor

Bring the beach to a small area of your home. In this room, seashells and starfish are displayed alongside ceramics featuring shades of blue. The seaside collection and cool colors help bring a coastal feel to a section of the room where dishes and serving platters are stored.

DIY Nightstand

CARSON DOWNING

Vintage suitcases take on a new function with this DIY bedroom decor. Stack three on top of each other to create just the right height for a nightstand next to the bed . Pair with a lampshade patterned with a map of the country to really highlight a travel theme.

Tropical Decor

Carson Downing

Large-scale botanical wallpaper creates a tropical aesthetic in this bedroom. The print complements green painted flooring and a leafy bedspread. Natural accents, including a woven leather headboard and rattan side table, make this room feel like a tropical destination.

Decorate with Globes

Kritsada Panichgul.

Go all-out with travel decor with a shelf full of globes. Here, the globes feature similar colors and are grouped by size for a cohesive look. Instead of buying new globes, shop secondhand or thrift stores for vintage varieties.

Dining Room Souvenir Display

Several decor items work together to create travel-inspired style in this dining room . A large print of a beach scene provides seaside inspiration, while a large shell and a piece of driftwood act as centerpieces for the table and credenza. A pendant light with natural fibers completes the look.

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25 Centerpiece Ideas You Can Make at Home Quickly and Easily

Luckily, the supplies you need are probably laying around your house!

Cindy Richter of Country Road 407

Whether you're prepping for a casual weekend brunch or a celebratory soiree, adding some DIY centerpieces to your spread can take the occasion up a notch. Your guests will appreciate that you put a little extra time and effort into the party, and you'll have a picture-ready piece of décor that sets the tone for the whole event. (You'll also have earned a few bragging rights.) Best of all, your charming centerpieces could influence others in your circle—before you know it, everyone will be putting together simple centerpieces to zhoosh their tables.

Opting for seasonal table decorations (like pumpkin centerpieces ) is fine, but so is creating one that works for any season. The key to a simple centerpiece is letting it speak for itself and not getting too hung up on one (relatively small) component of the party. After all, the purpose of the occasion is to enjoy spending time with other people.

There are centerpieces that suit everything from a backyard party to a graduation celebration. Make sure yours pairs well with your skillset, crafting supplies, and available time, and this bit of party décor will shine. At the very least you'll get an A for effort—though these fail-proof centerpiece ideas are sure to shine.

A Bunch of Tulips

Brea McDonald Photography

There's nothing more classic than a simple bunch of tulips. While they're normally associated with spring, we love how Maine wedding planner Azalea Events displayed them here in a brass vessel alongside a mini gingerbread house to help it feel more holiday-themed.

Pumpkins and Greens

An inexpensive but incredibly smart idea is to layer mini pumpkins on top of lettuce leaves in a bowl, like how Cindy Richter of Country Road 407 did here in this centerpiece idea . Cindy humorously says, "Hotels do it all the time so why not me?! I’m fancy and cheap." And we have to give her credit: It looks ultra-lush and is very low-effort!

Wishing Well

Here is an interactive and heartfelt way to celebrate someone—Mom, a recent graduate, or an expectant parent. Pass around strips of paper about 6 inches long and ask guests to write a message (like a wish, a memory, or a piece of advice) for the honoree. Twist the papers around a pen to curl them, then toss them into a large bowl. Have the guest of honor read the messages aloud during dessert.

Charming Container

Big blossoms, such as hydrangeas, roses, and peonies, look gorgeous displayed in an unused serving piece, like a soup tureen.

Related: Easy 15-Minute Party Centerpieces

Dress up your home with these stylish vases that take just minutes to make.

Floating Fruit

Float bright Granny Smiths in large, clear-glass vases (filled to different levels) for a whimsical still life.

Sweet Stash

A bouquet of colorful pinwheel lollipops stands steadily and cheerfully in a bucket packed with dry sand.

Creative Combo

The rich tones of sweet peas and cabbages (yes, cabbages ) work together beautifully in a creative combination.

Natural Pairing

Add jewel-toned fruit to a white bowl with sensuous lines for an easy arrangement. Look for fruits of differing sizes and shapes but with similar coloring, as with these plums and pomegranates.

Silver Bells

What could be more delicious than a large-footed vase sparkling with foil-wrapped treats?

Citrus Twist

Pair smooth objects (lemons) with smaller, textured ones (nuts) for a compelling composition. Show it off in a glass bowl with a pedestal for drama.

Colorful Cocktails

An array of brightly colored sodas or juices add a fun note to a dinner.

Paper Pom Poms

On a steamy night, set a casual table with a bouquet of hot-colored paper flowers, guaranteed not to wilt.

Daisy Toppers

Bring a splash of sunshine to your meal with a vibrant partnering of daisies and oranges.

Fruit Fillers

This tone-on-tone assemblage starts with miniature citrus fruits (key limes, kumquats) and Peruvian lilies bursting with color.

Modern Fruit Display

Flip containers (here, acrylic boxes and lids) upside down and arrange fruit on top to create a multitiered design.

Row of Daisies

A field of gerbera daisies and wheatgrass "grow" charmingly in a rustic table runner.

Mix and Match Vessels

Line floral arrangements down your table―if you don't have enough vases, cake tins, jelly molds, and small ice buckets make surprisingly pretty containers. For a bit of illumination, you can also add a few flameless candles in between arrangements.

Lush Carnation Display

Two humble elements—a wooden salad bowl and carnations—add up to something special. Cut the stems to 3 or 4 inches, arrange them in a glass dish, and place them in the bowl.

Seasonal Substitution

Trim off the top of a pumpkin and hollow out the seeds. Arrange fresh flowers in a water-filled jar and place inside, or use dried leaves and twigs.

Heavy Metal

A galvanized tub becomes the base for a gathering of oversize leaves, like these from a magnolia.

Autumnal Delight

For holiday decor, arrange pinecones—spray-painted gold or silver, if you wish—in vases and compotes of staggered sizes, and add festive ribbon.

Garden Greens

Lydia Menzies

Why not forage your own garden for some centerpiece greenery? Lydia Menzies proudly displayed her bounty in this clever arrangement featuring veggies like artichokes, apples, and zucchinis.

Wooden Candelabra

Erin Gerlach of Hamilton Park Home

We absolutely love this twist on a candelabra for the star of your table. Erin Gerlach of Hamilton Park Home actually made this herself ! She found a 4' x 4' scrap piece of barn wood in her garage and drilled holes into it. Upcycling at its finest!

Branching Out

Branches, whether artificial or the real deal, look striking in an arrangement. In a well-ventilated outdoor space, spray them with white paint, let dry, then display them in glass bottles or vases.

Frequently Asked Questions

A good centerpiece is pleasing to the eye, doesn’t block a guest’s view, and is cohesive with the party’s theme. If using flowers, make sure they are fresh and properly trimmed . For any centerpiece, be sure it is appropriately scaled for the size of the table.

There are several items you can put in a centerpiece besides flowers. Some common filler ideas include branches, fruit, candy (like chocolate kisses), or pinecones. If you’re planning a child’s party, other whimsical fillers include lollipops, drink bottles, paper pom poms, or curled ribbons.

For round tables, one centerpiece should be plenty. However, use larger centerpieces for larger round tables. For rectangular tables, consider spacing out one centerpiece every 3 to 4 feet. So a four-foot table would have one centerpiece in the center, and an eight-foot table would have two centerpieces spaced equally apart.

Related Articles

70+ World Travel Themed Home Decor Ideas

Pretty soon, I’ll have my first place of my own (I’ve moved out before, but I was always in some sort of dorm), and I’m super excited to buy all the furniture, decor, and everything else that goes with getting your own place. Given my very obvious travel addiction, I thought it would make sense for a lot of the home decor in my new apartment to be travel themed. I can’t make EVERYTHING travel themed (my boyfriend would kick me out before we even moved in), but let’s just say people won’t have to guess what I had in mind when decorating our new place. So, if you are moving into a new place, or just looking to do some redecorating, check out these world travel themed home decor ideas!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Find more information about affiliate links on our policy page .

• Living Room
• Dining Room
• Other Decorations

Travel Inspired Living Room Decorations

Travel throw pillows.

Pillows are a great way to add just a touch of travel decor to a living room. They’re not overly obnoxious, but still obvious. Plus, since they come in so many different colors, it’s not too terribly difficult to find one that would match your couch!

Stacked Travel Chests

I found out real fast when looking at furniture that end tables are surprisingly expensive. So, when I saw these on Amazon, I thought it was a really cool idea. Instead of the traditional end table (that may or may not have a small drawer to put things in), why not get suitcase styled chests? They’re stack-able and can store way more than your traditional end table.

Suitcase Shelves

I found these in one of the home decor stores I had visited and thought it was a cute idea. Instead of the traditional wooden shelves, get creative and use shelves that were decorated to look like suitcases. They’ll match your suitcase end tables!

Travel Coasters

If you don’t already have some souvenir drink coasters from your various trips around the world, you can get some world map drink coasters to make sure your new, nice tables don’t get ruined by condensation from drinking glasses.

World Map Tissue Box Cover

I don’t think too many people use tissue box covers anymore, but I thought it was one of the more unique travel decor ideas. If nothing else, it’s a conversation piece!

Traditional Globes

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of travel decor? A globe of course! You can’t decorate your new place with a travel theme and not have at least one globe around.

Travel Themed Dining Room Decor

Travel placemats.

Like I mentioned above, once you get that nice, new table, you don’t want it to be ruined from moisture from cold drinks or hot plates. Placemats are an easy and common fix to that problem. If you’re going to be buying placemats anyway, might as well make them travel themed, right?

World Map Table Runner

If dinner placemats aren’t enough, why not complete the look with a matching table runner?

World Travel Bedroom Decor

Travel lamp.

Looking for something cool and unique to show off to all of your friends? Then you have to check out this floating globe lamp! It uses magnets to make the globe levitate and it even spins around like a traditional globe! It has LEDs built into the frame to make it light up and look even cooler! Of course, you can always go with the more traditional travel home decor too…

World Map Bed Comforter

Do you dream of traveling the world? I thought so! Why not go to sleep surrounded by a map of all the places you dream of visiting?

Travel Pillow Cases

Of course, you can’t have a world map bed comforter and not have matching pillow cases. You just can’t do it.

Travel Themed Bathroom Decor

Travel inspired shower curtains.

Since most showers require some sort of shower curtain (unless you don’t mind lots of water getting all over the floor), having a travel themed shower curtain is an easy way to add a touch of travel to your home life. It’s simple, and separate from the rest of the rooms in the house (in case you don’t want your guests overwhelmed by travel decor the moment they walk into your new place).

World Map Towels

If you are looking to make the entire bathroom travel themed (instead of just having a touch of it), you can also get bath towels that are travel themed. It’s especially nice if you have a rack where you can sort of hang them on display when not in use.

Travel Inspired Kitchen Items

Travel themed alcohol items.

Even if you’re not into the “travel decor” thing, you can still add a bit of travel to your home life. You can break out these glasses when you’ve brought home some souvenir drinks from your most recent destination.

World Map Plates

If you don’t have a big dinning room table, or aren’t really the type of person to use placemats and a table runner, you can still add a bit of travel decor to meal time with these cool looking plates!

Travel Inspired Napkins

My mom always gives me a hard time because I have a bad habit of wiping my hands on my jeans instead of using a napkin (especially when eating greasy or salty foods), but if I had these napkins, I might be a little more inclined to use them (hint-hint mom: these would make a good moving gift).

World Map Cutting Board

Cutting boards are another one of those more subtle items that don’t necessarily get put on display. Since most traditional cutting boards are typically pretty bland, you can spice yours up by getting a travel decorated one.

Travel Themed Office Decor

Push pin cork globe.

My boyfriend and I are to turning our second bedroom into an office since both of us have computer desks. It’s the perfect place to put a tiny globe like this one. Plus, it’s exciting being able to put a new pin in it every time we go someplace new.

Globe Book Ends

I LOVE books. Unfortunately I don’t have as much time to read as I used to (which I think is a shame given how much I really loved it), but I’m really proud of my bookshelves and all the books that sit on them. Plus, I’ve always loved the feel of sitting in a library (especially those rustic ones you see in movies). I figured why not combine some of my biggest passions and add a little travel decor to my bookshelves?

Book Box Covers

If you’ve never heard of book boxes, don’t feel guilty. I hadn’t heard of them either until I started shopping for home decor! Book boxes are great for those book lovers (like me) that want their books to remain in mint condition. You can put your favorite books in book boxes to protect them from dust and moisture. Plus you can give your bookshelves more of a universal look (like the rustic library I mentioned above).

Pencil Holder

Because no desk would be complete without a pencil or pen holder.

Travel Wall Decor

Decorative world maps.

This is what usually comes to mind when you think of travel decor (and usually some of the first results when looking online). You can always go with the traditional, school-like world map, but there are some really cool looking world maps out there if you’re looking for something a little more unique.

Scratch Off World Maps

In more recent years, scratch off world maps have become more popular. They’re a great way to showcase all of the different places you’ve been! My mom got me one for Christmas and I absolutely love it. However, all of the places I’ve been are pretty small, so it doesn’t look like I’ve scratched anything off, but I’m working on it!

Wall Clocks

This is another one of more simple travel decor ideas. It’s a common household decoration and easy to customize to your style. Plus, there are lots of different options out there, so it isn’t too difficult to find one you like.

Word Art and Hangings

You can find all sorts of quotes that have been turned into travel decor. I feel like almost every home decor store that I’ve walked into has had some sort of wall piece with an inspiration adventure quote on it. Even if you’re not looking to go all out with the travel theme, they’re something small and nice you can hang on the wall to express your passion for travel.

Other Travel Decorating Ideas

World map welcome mat.

What better way to welcome guests than to welcome them to your adventures? No better way to set the travel theme than to have it be the first thing you see!

Light Switch Covers

I don’t know if I would replace every light switch cover in my new place with a travel inspired one, but I thought it was a unique way to incorporate travel into home decor. At this point though, the rest of the place is already travel themed, might as well make the light switches travel themed too.

Outlet Covers

If you’ve got travel themes lights switch covers, it only makes sense that you have travel inspired outlet covers too. If you have one, you just have to have the other!

And that’s it for my long list of travel themed home decor! What did you think? Will you be including any of these items the next time you decide to do some redecorating? Let me know in the comments below!

Further Reading

• Useful Gifts for Travelers

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19 Table Centerpiece Ideas That Are Perfect Any Time of Year

From evergreen DIYs to vintage-inspired wares, these table centerpiece ideas are sure to inspire.

Lauren is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com.

You don't need to use the holidays as an excuse to dress up your dining room table. There are plenty of great table centerpiece ideas that can work year-round in your home. We rounded up an array of our very best ideas that'll look as good on your table at Thanksgiving as it will on Mother's Day . We actually think that some of these ideas are so perfect for year-round display that you'll be tempted to skip the seasonal swaps entirely.

Choose between candlelight delights, floral-inspired sets, or unique vessels that can be filled with neutral décor. Most of these centerpieces can easily be made in one afternoon at home, and you might already have everything you need on hand. And if you don't, a quick run to the craft store, your favorite home improvement spot, or floral provider should provide everything you need.

Dried Flowers Centerpiece

Dried flowers look beautiful at any time of year, and the best part about them is that you don't have to worry about wilted, droopy flowers every week. You can either dry your own flowers, or purchase an already dried bouquet. Pop your favorite dried flowers and branch stalks into different colored vases of differing heights for a beautifully layered look.

Candles and Fruit Centerpiece

A mix of taper and pillar candles inside lamp chimneys brings this simple yet elegant table centerpiece idea to life. Scope out the lamp chimneys from your local hardware store or scour for them at vintage shops. Once you've found your perfect candle-to-lamp-chimney ratio and arranged them on your table, surround them with votive candles and add fruit and foliage to complete the look.

Dip-Dyed Candle Centerpiece

Customize your taper candles by dip-dying them first. (You can also do this with pillar candles as well.) Arrange your dip-dyed candles in mismatched, vintage candle holders at different heights for a table centerpiece idea that has some visual depth.

DIY Copper Glassware

You can create your own spectacular centerpieces with a little copper electrical tape and a vase or jar of your choice. Pick up the tape from any home improvement store and wrap it around a vessel to create a vase or candle holder that is sure to catch the light (and your eye).

Colorful Candle Holders

If you have a few near-empty cans of spray paint at home, this might be the perfect craft for you. All you need are glasses, a safe space for painting, and a little imagination. You can spray the entire jar or give it an ombré effect by focusing the paint towards the bottom of the jar and allowing the top part to get a lighter coating.

Leather Wrapped Vases

The neutral hues of leather-wrapped vases are the perfect complement to your favorite flowers. Stage a few in the center of your table, focus on just one larger vase, or line them up on an oversized charger plate depending on the look you're going for.

Pampas Grass

Pampas grass is easy to incorporate into your home's décor, but the trick is making sure that your vessel is tall enough to support the lengthy plumes while keeping the bulk of the arrangement out of your eye line. Tall, skinny vases work best for these designs. Choose a neutral glass like this one if you're opting for more colorful grasses.

A Candle in a Bottle

Don't toss out your travel-sized bottles until after you've taken a look at this centerpiece. Use a variety of shapes and textures as molds to create a mix of candles to place on your table—we suggest setting them on charger plate to make for easier clean up if you decide to light them, or else letting them serve as more decorative (rather than functional) pieces by keeping them dark.

A Sprig of Green

You don't need a whole lot of color to make a statement when the color you're using is a rich, verdant green. Pair sprigs of your favorite greenery with a natural vase to recreate the beauty of the great outdoors in the heart of your home.

Decoupage Décor

To recreate this look you'll need a few floral-inspired images to decoupage onto your favorite set of up-cycled bottles (empty olive oil bottles work great). Paint the bottles different shades of the same color, place your design on them, and then coat the bottles in mod podge to seal them. Since the florals are on the exterior, you can save space by not having to add any blooms to the jar. Which means one less trip to the store (and one less thing to worry about changing).

Colored Glass

When the colorful part of your centerpieces is the glassware itself, you don't need a ton of blooms to make a statement. To create this look, you'll want to choose several glasses in various sizes that are similar in color yet varied enough to show off their hues. Stage them around each other while filling some with tea lights or single-stemmed flowers.

Citrus Blooms

Here's a fun alternative to flowers: Pair bright, bold citrus with a leafy green backdrop. We like to display the setup in an elegant Grecian vase for a look that's both classic and timeless.

Birch Wrapped Vases

The simple beauty of unfinished birch bark makes whatever you display in these vases stand out. Choose vibrant blooms for contrast, or combine tall white amaryllis with ivy cuttings like in this display.

Candle Bowls

Bring the elegance of a meal by candlelight to your dining room by using shallow candle bowls as your centerpiece. Choose unscented varieties if you want them to be lit during your meal so that their fragrance doesn't interfere with the smells wafting from your plate.

Dried Hydrangea Blooms

Hydrangeas are known for being big and fluffy, but after they've been spent on the stem you can save your favorites for centerpieces—all you need to do is dry them out first . "Mop head-style" varieties will work best for this type of centerpiece ( Endless Summer Hydrangeas are a good option), and will produce dried flowers with subtle shades that range from green to lavender.

Upcycled China

Don't keep your favorite pieces of China tucked away for special occasions. Instead, bring a piece or two out for year-round appreciation by incorporating it into your everyday centerpiece. Turn a saucer and teacup into a candle that you can light during mealtime. When it burns down, you can refill it with a new wax scent, or place a votive in its place.

Herb-Filled

Cut fresh herbs from your garden and secure them to a small glass jar to create the perfect candleholder for tea lights and votive candles. Use a small bit of twine to hold the sprigs in place, then enjoy the way the smell fills your dining room as the leaves dry out. Just beware of any fire hazards the drying leaves and open flames may present.

Fruit Baskets

Show off a plentiful harvest or inspire your family to eat more fresh fruit by having your centerpiece pull double duty. Add several pieces of the same fruit to a small decorative basket on your table to get this look. Refill it with seasonal fruits to update your table's look.

Floating Candles

If you already have candles that are perfect for floating (those with flat bottoms that aren't too thick are best), you can create your own sea of light. You just need a shallow serving bowl, a bit of water, a handful of candles, and a flower for garnish. Just make sure your flower petals are far enough away from the flame so that it doesn't become a fire hazard.

Savvy Travel Advice

Inspiration for Your Travel Themed Wedding or Destination Wedding

Last updated: August 26, 2023 - Written by Jessica Norah 106 Comments

Planning a travel themed wedding? The goal of this article is to provide inspiration for couples planning a travel inspired wedding or destination wedding.

I guess you could say that Laurence and I had a travel-themed wedding although it was more of a destination wedding. We legally married at sea aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2 in the Atlantic Ocean. Then we had a small ceremony in Venice Italy for family and friends to celebrate our wedding in Venice .

Even though we did not have the most traditional wedding ceremony or reception, I spent quite a bit of time online researching awesome travel themed wedding items and ideas about ways a couple could incorporate their wanderlust and love of travel into their wedding ceremony and wedding reception.

We’ve put together a list of over 100 items that we think would be perfect for a travel-themed wedding. These include travel themed wedding invitations, wedding rings, wedding decorations, table place cards, cake toppers, DIY ideas, wedding favor gifts, and more!

Many of our recommendations are focused on handmade items and unique products that can be customized to fit the style of any wedding couple. We include items that should fit just about any type of wedding and suit any wedding budget.

We have physically reviewed many of these items and hope you enjoy this list of wonderful travel themed wedding items. We hope it inspires you and gives you plenty of ideas for your own travel themed wedding!

Table of Contents:

100+ Ideas for a Travel Themed Wedding

In 2015, one survey of American wedding couples found that approximately 21% have a destination wedding of some sort, whether domestically or internationally. The study found that there are more than 350,000 destination weddings each year, 77% of which take place in the continental US and 23% at international destinations with the Caribbean and Mexico being the two most popular destinations.

However, not all couples want or can have a destination wedding, but many still want to incorporate their love of travel into their wedding celebration. You don’t have to have a destination wedding to fill your marriage celebration with travel inspired touches. 

So we are sharing over 100 products we found during our search that we thought would be perfect for a travel themed wedding or a destination wedding. These simple travel themed wedding decorations can help transport your guests to another land, and make them feel like they’re on holiday, even if they are still in their hometown.

I got truly interested in the topic of how to incorporate elements of travel into one’s wedding after we decided to get customized engagement/wedding rings with a strong travel element.  Many of the items on this list we physically reviewed. Some were items we purchased or received as gifts, and others were given to us by artists for review. Other products are just ones I loved when researching travel themed weddings online.

The majority of the items included on our list are handmade or hand customized items, made by a single artist, family, or a small business. Many of these items are truly unique and the majority can be customized to include elements that are special to you.

Note that most wedding items are marketed towards heterosexual couples with bride/groom and his/her versions. However, given that most of our recommended items can be personalized, most artists are happy to adjust wording/colors/features to suit a gay wedding, civil union, nonbinary couple, etc. Just message them to ask!

We know that many people, like us, want to try to support local businesses when we can, and with Etsy it is easy to find products that are made in one’s own country. We share items that are made worldwide, with a large number of products produced in the USA, Canada, and the UK. But we also include items made by artists in Australia, the Ukraine, France, India, Brazil, Israel, etc. 

When shopping, we recommend ordering items well before you need them for the wedding. Personalized and custom orders will take longer to make and international shipping times can be slow.

Although we chose these items specifically for a travel themed wedding, many of these items will also work for travel themed bridal showers, bon voyage parties, birthday parties, baby showers, engagement parties, wedding couple gifts, and just as general travel-related gifts.

There are so many possible ways to incorporate travel elements into your wedding, and we have tried to cover a variety of items from cake toppers to wedding invitations to wedding favors to wedding jewelry. We also tried to include items that fit a number of budgets and types of weddings. 

We hope that this list helps inspire you to incorporate some element of your own wanderlust into your upcoming wedding or party! 

Let’s get started!

Travel Themed Wedding Invitations & Save the Date Cards

Let your guests know that there will be a travel theme for the wedding from the beginning, with your travel themed wedding invitations and Save the Date cards. Get your guests excited by sending them something like a passport or boarding pass inspired wedding invite.

Most also offer other wedding stationery so you can also get matching menus, table place cards, thank you cards, etc. if you find a design you really love!

Just note when shopping for wedding invitations, the initial fee is normally the design fee which pays for the designer’s time to customize and tailor the invites to fit the look you want. Then there is normally a separate fee for the printing and shipping of the needed number of invites.

Below are some great travel-inspired options to get your imagination going.

Boarding Pass Wedding Invitation

These customizable destination-specific wedding invitations will get your guests super excited for your big day. The set includes a boarding pass inspired invite plus RSVP card. You can also add a matching Save the Date card to your order. You can customize them for any destination you want.

The Canada based designer works with you on all the final details to ensure your stationery is perfect for you! See lots of wedding stationery options in their Party Glamour Shop .

World Map Wedding Invitations

Impress your guests with these wanderlust-inducing world map wedding invitations . Featuring a patterned map border and a soaring airplane at the top of your wedding announcement, you can choose from 6 map designs to introduce your big day.

Invitation sets include the main invite with A7 envelope, a details card, and a RSVP card with an A1 envelope. Globe shaped design pockets can also be added.

See more travel-themed invitation designs and wedding accessories from Momentous Boutique here .

Starfish Hessian Wedding Invitations

These gorgeous handmade starfish beach invitations which are paired with a flip flop shaped RSVP card are a perfect addition for those of you planning a beach wedding. They are fully customizable in terms of color, font, and design allowing you the ultimate flexibility to create something you truly love.

Check out the Wedding Pod’s other designs and sweet wedding favors here .

Cruise Wedding Invitations

Having gotten married out at sea ourselves, we are huge fans of these cruise ship boarding pass wedding invitations ! It’s all about the little details with the cut-out notches and the perforated top – it almost looks like the real deal!

Each set includes a fully customized boarding pass printed on heavy white cardstock, a ticket sleeve with nautical knot pattern, 1 luggage tag inspired RSVP card with return envelope, and exterior mailing envelope.

You can explore more of The Stylish Scribe’s designs here .

Passport Invitations

I bet your wedding guests have never seen an invitation quite like this! These 2, 6 or 10 page passport invitations are fully customizable, affordable, and will suit every couple’s style & individuality. Made with premium semi-gloss or matte pages, they bring a modern alternative to traditional destination wedding invitations.

Based in Canada, Brian & Jacquie have some other pretty unique wedding invitations on offer at the Empire Invites shop .

Self Print Travel Wedding Invites & Save the Dates

These self-print boarding pass inspired wedding invites and travel-themed custom photo save the date cards are perfect for those who are looking for a more budget-friendly option. Price includes customization, proofing, and the print-ready files that come ready for printing at home or a local printshop.

These invites are great for those who have access to high-quality printing or for those who are planning to send their invites or save the dates electronically via email. 

We did a custom design with Sameeha and it turned out fantastic. You can see more invite designs in Sameeha’s Store here .  

Travel Themed Engagement or Wedding Rings

Has your mutual love for travel played a big part in your relationship? Travel themed engagement and wedding rings are the perfect way to symbolize and celebrate your love for each other and for the world you have explored together.

Capture the exact location you got engaged with a beautiful coordinates ring, or honor your hometown with interlocking coastline or mountain rings. We have included some really unique options to choose from below that are sure to showcase your shared love for travel.

World Map Cutout Ring

This 14K gold map ring features the continents attached to two solid gold bands giving it a unique look. The ring is available in yellow, white, or rose 14k. The ring has been designed with extra gold to be stronger and more durable to be worn as an engagement ring.

The handmade world map ring is also available in less expensive designs and metals for those with a smaller budget, although these may be less suitable for a daily wear engagement ring. See more world map ring designs in Layla’s online shop .

Interlocking Custom Coastline or Mountain Rings

This beautiful two-part platinum interlocking coastline ring is handmade to show off the outline of your favorite coastline—it doesn’t get much more unique than that! It is the perfect wedding ring to celebrate a special holiday, country of birth, or a location you will never forget.

Or if you are more of a mountain person than a water person, they also have an interlocking mountain ring where you can have a ring designed with the outline of your favorite mountain or mountain range.

You’ll be given the opportunity to choose your coastline or mountain range by specifying a place name, or stretch between two points once you’ve added the ring to your shopping cart. If you and your partner share a favorite place, you might consider getting matching rings.

You can find more of Hannah Louise Lamb’s work here .

Gold Coordinates Ring

Capture your favorite location with this thin 14 K sold yellow gold ring stamped with your custom coordinates. This personalized wedding ring measures 2mm in width and is 1.25 mm thick, so it is very thin and is perfect for stacking, so you can add to it when more of life’s big moments come knocking.

Anna Ourth has a whole selection of customizable rings and jewelry, click here to see more.

Joint Map Gold Rings

Unite through your love for travel with this pair of 18k white gold world map rings . One ring covers the northern hemisphere and one depicts the southern hemisphere. Only when you join both rings can you can see the complete map. One ring includes a 1.70mm diamond.

The ring set is available in white gold, rose gold, or yellow gold. Personalization is possible.

These unique wedding rings are made in Spain and you can see a large selection of jewelry by Pepe Dry .

Titanium Laser-Etched World Map Rings

This unisex titanium map ring has been laser cut with a world map design. This is repeated 3 times around the ring. The intricate map details are laser etched with a very high power laser and these are the most detailed world map rings we’ve ever seen. The inside of the rings can also be engraved.

Laurence and I purchased a custom version of this ring as our own engagement and wedding rings!

There are many other laser designs available, including custom requests. Fingerprints and photos can also be lasered onto the rings. See more ring designs by Bruce at Boone Rings .

Travel Themed Ring Pillows & Boxes

Once you have your wedding rings picked out, you need to think about how you want to store and present them on your wedding day. Your wedding rings are front and center at your ceremony so it’s important to make sure they arrive safely.

Not only do ring pillows and boxes act as a stylish way of holding your new jewelry as you walk down the aisle, but they can also be used as a lovely keepsake to remember your big day after the wedding.

Personalized Wedding Ring Box

This engraved ring box is inspired by the Disney-Pixar film Up and designed for a couple who are ready for their next big adventure. The engraved wooden box has a magnetic seal and features a pretty balloon design and quote from the film. It can hold two rings with the felt and ribbon included. You can choose from 5 colored felt inserts.

Laura can also do custom designs and has some great bespoke engraved and printed designs in her UK-based store .

Travel Themed Wedding Ring Pillow

If you want to take this travel theme to the next level, it all comes down to the little details. This ivory satin ring bearer pillow could be a lovely addition to your wedding ceremony with its airplanes and customizable travel signpost.

You can personalize it with your name and wedding date, change the colors, or even order a matching guest book. You can find more options in Sandrine’s Porte Alliance store here .

Beach Wedding Ring Box

Fill this beautiful wooden ring box with sand from your favorite beach, or use the sand from the beach you will be getting married at! When you open up this tiny treasure chest, you’ll find a customizable color heart, where Renee can write your initials or the date of your big day in vinyl writing. The box itself measures 2.36″ x 2.36″ x 3.54″.

What an amazing keepsake box and one that will look fantastic in wedding photos as well!  See Renee’s full set of offerings here .

Travel Themed Bridal Wedding Jewelry

Jewelry is a great way to show off one’s love of travel. This can be done in an obvious way or in a more discreet fashion. There are a lot of travel-themed jewelry options out there and for a wedding we recommend thinking about necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

Below are some ideas to give you some inspiration, but if you don’t find something you love, take a look at our giant travel jewelry guide for more options.

Earth Bead Necklace

This sapphire blue earth necklace is perfect for the bride who needs a little “something blue” during her wedding. The necklace features a small round sapphire blue Czech glass bead, antique pewter charm, and silver plated chain. The globe charm can be purchased alone or with the chain.

This store has a large selection of travel-themed jewelry and charms, including other globe designs, and you can see more at Evelyn Mae Creations .

World Map Necklace

This handmade world map necklace features multiple hand cut pieces joined together to create a world map design. The necklace and chain is made from sterling silver or 14K filled yellow or rose gold. Personalization is also possible.

You can see more travel related jewelry at Ivy’s shop Ivy By Design .

Compass Rose Necklace

This dainty compass rose necklace has a small sterling silver charm and chain. Perfect for the bride who prefers small and more discreet jewelry, and great for everyday wear.

The necklace comes with gift packaging so is perfect for gift giving and would also make good bridesmaid gifts. You can see more jewelry by Efy Tal here .

Pandora World Map Pendant

This globe pendant charm is made by Pandora is made of sterling silver and features 23 bead-set clear cubic zirconia and shimmering blue enamel. Can be worn on a necklace or charm bracelet. Another option for a bride looking for “something blue”.

See more Pandora charms and jewelry here .

Airplane Gold Earrings

These tiny gold statement earrings are shaped like airplanes and made of 18K gold. These dainty earrings are a great way to show off one’s travel love in an elegant way.

See more fashion and fine jewelry designed by NYC-based Carleen  here .

Sterling Silver Country or State Earrings

These solid sterling silver stud earrings are cut in the shape of Australia and show a heart being cutout over Sydney, but almost any country, U.S. state, or continent is possible. These earrings are available in two sizes (standard and petite) and the heart location can be moved (or removed)! Also available in 14K gold as well.

See more state and country jewelry at Tanya and her husband’s store The Hometown Haven .

Gold World Map Cuff

This wide metal cuff contains a laser cut-out of the world map. Available in 24K gold plated or rhodium plated brass. The bracelet is designed to fit almost any arm.

A beautiful cuff for a globetrotter with a fine taste in jewelry. See more Christina Ramella bracelets here .

Bohemian Silk Wrap Bracelets

If you are having a more rustic or bohemian wedding, these silk wrap bracelets may be a great fit. Each bracelet is made with a hand-stamped aluminum tag that is then attached to a multi-colored handy dyed silk ribbon. This one says “Wanderlust” but the ribbon color and wording on the tag can be customized to say anything you want.

Great for any bohemian bride and these can be customized to include any word, name, coordinates, or phrase you wish. See more colorful wrap bracelets by Mystique Sieraden here .

Travel Themed Cufflinks

If you are thinking of a way to show off a groom’s love of travel, cufflinks can be a great way to do it. Cufflink styles vary from elegant to playful and customized designs are possible. Matching cufflinks may also look good on the groomsmen as well to tie together their look.

Below are several ideas to get you thinking.

Airplane CuffLinks

These classy airplane cufflinks  are handmade of sterling silver. Similar designs available in 24K gold plated brass. Personal engraving possible.

Tomer makes a lot of high quality airplane and pilot themed jewelry and accessories, and you can check out more in his store  here .

Globe Cufflinks

These  globe cufflinks are perfect for the globetrotting groom who enjoys a classy but novel cuff link. These feature a small round blue and yellow novelty globe on rhodium plated steel. The small globes actually spin!

See more unique cufflinks designs from LBFeel on Amazon here .

Personalized Map Cufflinks

These  handcrafted custom map cufflinks are made using a small clear glass dome, vintage maps, and silver plated stainless steel backing. Maps can be customized to any map location, so these can be your hometown, favorite vacation destination, wedding or honeymoon location, or anywhere else you want.

Cufflinks are available in two sizes. See more map related jewelry at the Bjeweled Vintage shop .

Nautical Cufflinks

These silver nautical themed cufflinks are designed to look like a ship’s steering wheel. They are made of solid brass with stainless steel plating. These are a great pair to consider for those with a nautical themed wedding, perhaps on a beach or on a boat.

These cufflinks are inexpensive and great for the budget-conscious couple. You can find more nautical themed cufflinks on Amazon here .

Personalized Coordinates Cufflinks

These rose gold cufflinks are personalized with the latitude and longitude coordinates of your choice (wedding location, places you met, etc.) and initials. You can engrave the front, back (hidden from view), or both sides of the cuff links.

A perfect accessory for the groom on the wedding day, and makes a great keepsake. See more coordinates jewelry and accessories at Georgie Designs shop .

Bride and Groom State or Country Custom Cuff Links

This set of cuff links are made of wood set in metal, and the wood can be engraved with the outline of any state or country. A heart can also be placed over any area. A great pair of cuff links to show off the home towns or countries of the bride and groom. They can be personalized as you wish.

These cuff links are handmade by Linsey in her Michigan-based shop, and you can see more of her jewelry and laser-cut designs here .

Travel Themed Bow Ties & Neck Ties

Adding a travel themed bow tie or neck tie to your wedding wardrobe is an elegant but subtle way to incorporate your love of travel into your special day.

If you are purchasing a bow tie, be sure to note if it comes pre-tied or not, and whether it can be self-tied. Most grooms will prefer one style or the other.

For weddings, especially if there are a lot of groomsmen wearing matching bow ties, it is often recommended by wedding photographers to wear pre-tied bow ties for the photo shoot so that all the ties are a uniform size and shape in the wedding photos. So, some grooms may want one of each.

Map Bow Tie

This handcrafted bow tie is made using premium Japanese cotton with a world map design. It is adjustable and will fit a neck size up to 21″. Customs styles, fabrics, and sizes are possible. Most styles are listed as self tie but can also be customized to be pre-tied as well.

A matching pocket square in the same map fabric can also be found here . See more in Julia’s Canada-based store VIVID Clothing Toronto

Airplane bow tie

It’s all about the little details! This fun handmade blue airplane bow tie comes pre-tied and adjustable for your big day. It also comes in a variety of sizes to ensure that your entire wedding party can be matching as they stand at the end of the aisle.

Matching pocket squares are also offered. See more designs and wedding accessories from NewWay Creation Design here .

Anchor Nautical Bow Tie

This cute anchor bow tie is a great pick for anyone getting married by the sea or on a cruise ship! The handmade tie is made from 100% microfiber and is a self tie design.

These ties are designed and handmade in Australia. Take a look at some of their other tie designs and pocket squares here . You’re sure to find something to fit your wedding theme.

Pre-Tied Blue Map Bow Tie

This handmade bow tie is made of cotton with a blue map design. It comes either pre-tied with an adjustable neck strap or as a clip on style (we recommend pre-tied for a wedding). The map image showed here is of Europe, but you can customize the map image on the tie.  

Other map designs can also be found in the seller’s store. See more bow ties in Oxana’s store My Bowtiful Creations .

World Map Neck Tie

This  map tie is made from a light blue cotton fabric with a world map design. It is handsewn and the tie is made to standard size, but can be made wider or more narrow by request. Also available as a bow tie.

See more neck ties and bow ties by Julia at VIVID Clothing Toronto .

Airplane Silk Slim Neck Tie

This silk slim neck tie show’s off one’s love for travel in a subtle way with an airplane symbol on the bottom corner of the tie. Ties are available in a large arrange of colors and the airplane design can also be done in multiple colors.

See more tie designs at the London based Tie For You shop .

Travel Themed Bridal Bouquets

Your bridal bouquet is a wonderful place to add a touch of creativity to really show off your love of travel. For example, you can add a travel themed ribbon or a custom map charm to incorporate your home town or a special location into your wedding day.

Or if you are eco-conscious, allergic to real flowers, or want a bouquet you can keep forever, consider a bouquet of map paper or fabric flowers instead!

Map Print Fabric Ribbon

If you are looking for a travel-themed ribbon to tie your bridal bouquet or embellish a decoration, consider this printed fabric ribbon . The fabric ribbon is made of polyester and is 1 1/2″ width (38 mm) and perfect for flower arrangments and embellishments.

Lalle Craft Supplies have loads of other ribbons and European crafts supplies, which you can explore here .

Personalized Sterling Silver Map Charm

Add a personalized charm to your wedding bouquet to mark a special location, such as the place you met, a trip you took together, the exact location you got engaged, your wedding ceremony location, etc. You could even have one with your hometown and one of your partner’s hometown, if you come from different places.

The prints are taken from real maps, not printouts, and are all hand cut into shape and set in sterling silver pendant and preserved forever in fine layers of jeweler’s grade resin.

Take a look at Elizabeth’s other customizable designs here .

Map Print Fabric Flower Wedding Bouquet

With fabric roses created by hand from an old world map print, this bouquet is a stunning addition to your travel themed wedding. The accent colors include white, cream, light gray, or light blue and other custom color combinations can be selected as well.

The bouquets can be ordered in either 6 inch, 8 inch or 10 inch diameters, and each flower can be adorned with rhinestones, colorful beads, or pearls in the center.

Becki makes a selection of beautiful fabric flowers and bouquets, which you can find here .

Paper Map Flower Wedding Bouquet

This beautiful handcrafted wedding bouquet is made of paper flowers, cardstock, ribbon, wire, and glue. The paper flowers can be crafted out of recycled maps or atlas pages, book pages, love letters, sheet music, comics, burlap, colored cardstock, or any other type of paper and can be shaped into 7 different kinds of flower shapes. The colors, flowers, and bouquet size are all customizable.

Couples can specify the actual book, map page, or comic book they want used in the bouquet or provide them for Casey for her to use in the bouquet. Matching boutonnieres and corsages also available.

Just note that these custom bouquets can take a while to make and Casey gets a lot of orders, so be sure to order wll in advance of your wedding! See more at Casey’s store CraftingbyKnight

Travel Themed Guestbooks & Guestbook Alternatives

A guestbook is often one of the most treasured wedding keepsakes for a wedding couple as it contains the personal well wishes from all the wedding guests. A guestbook is often one of the first things that wedding guests see at your wedding, so it can be a good way to introduce the travel theme of the wedding.

Often the wedding couple has a guest book available to sign for people entering or exiting the wedding ceremony and then move it later to the reception so anyone who didn’t get a chance to sign at the ceremony can do it then.

If your guestbook is a bit unique, you may want to make sure you nominate a friend or family member to be in charge of letting guests know about your guest book. They can also show them how to use it if it requires any explanation.

When choosing a guestbook option, don’t forget to consider how many people are on your wedding guest list, to ensure that all guests have enough space to sign it. Many of the options below have different sizes available, while others come with the option to add extra pages for larger wedding parties.

Also note that most of our recommended guest books can also be used as a photo album if you prefer to use it to display photos of you and your partner, or if you wish for guests to take photos at the reception with an instant camera and add them to the book. Just be sure to check with the seller before purchasing if it is not clear.

World Map Wedding Guest Book

This stunning wooden wedding guest book is made from high-quality leather, wood, and paper so it is a keepsake you can treasure for a lifetime. You can customize the engraved text, engraved images, and page styles as needed. They can put a heart in any country of the world map as needed.

This guest book can also be used as a photo album if you prefer, just let Vladimi know at the time of order so he can adjust the binding.

We really love a lot of Vladimir’s guest books, photo albums, and journals! Take a look at more of his designs in his Woodlack shop .

Travel Theme Wedding Guest Book

Celebrate your favorite travel destinations with this hardback travel theme wedding guest book , perfect for a travel-loving couple or destination wedding! For the personalized hardback cover, you can choose your own map image (choose a state, country, world map, etc.) text, color scheme, and up to 15 destinations of your choice to display on the map image. It is available in two sizes.

We love lots of Jane’s designs, and you can probably buy just about everything you need for your travel themed wedding from her store! See all her travel themed wedding items in her shop No Ordinary Emporium .

Embroidered Our Adventure Book

If you are a fan of the 2009 Disney-Pixar movie Up , then you will love this Carl & Ellie inspired Adventure Book . The front looks handmade with embroidered words, suede cover, and a tied leather binding strip, while the 40 sheets of paper inside are made from thick craft paper and refill pages are available.

Each book comes with 8 Pixar Up postcards and photo corner stickers, so you can save all of your wedding memories for years to come. This is a great option for newlyweds who want to encourage their guests to take a picture with an instant camera (like this one ) at the reception and share it inside this wedding scrapbook.

For more Up inspired books, check out this list .

Hanging Map Canvas Guest Book

For something a little different, why not take a look at this unique map canvas that is designed to serve as an alternative wedding guest book. Made from durable anti-puncture canvas fabric, solid wood, and fade resistant ink, your wedding guests can write their signatures or leave a message of inspiration for your marriage anywhere they want on the map. Different sizes available.

This would make for a beautiful keepsake that you can hang up in your home after your big day. Fifth Vintage have lots of different travel inspired guest book canvas designs, which you can find here .

Alternative Shadow Box Guestbook

Start your adventure into life together with this great interactive wedding guest book alternative. This wedding guest book alternative is a globe-shaped shadow box with the message “Our Adventure Begins”, and it comes with 100 thin wooden hearts for your guests to sign or write a short message. Your guests then place the hearts into the shadow box for display.

Measuring at 11.8″ w x 14.8″ h x 0.6″ d and created with gold painted glass on a wooden frame, this unique guestbook also includes a tent card with printed instructions on how to use the guest book alternative.

The Taara Bazaar store has many other guest book alternatives in their store for you to check out.

Globe Wedding Guestbook

If you love globes, this wedding globe guest book is hand-painted and personalized with wording of your choice. Your guests can write their names and short messages with metallic markets directly onto the globe.

The globe colors, including the base, can be customized to match your wedding decorations. You can also order a sign asking guests to sign and markers if you wish.

This works best for smaller weddings so guests will have enough space to sign or write a message on the globe. If you have a larger wedding, you may want to have multiple globes available or use the globe in addition to a traditional guestbook.

Emily specialized in handpainted globes, and you can see her full selection in her store here .

World Travel Map Pin Board

This rustic looking map pin board is a piece of artwork, but you can also transform it into a beautiful message board from your nearest and dearest. Your wedding guests can write their names and messages on map tags like these and pin them to a map pinboard. You can then display the map pin board in your home after the wedding!

This is the design of the map pin board we have in our home, and it is designed to feel old and rustic, inspired by the vintage character, aged paper, and hand-drawn maps of earlier times. Several other map designs are available as well, including country and state-specific maps as well as more modern map designs. Various sizes are available for each map design.

If you want a map in a specific color to match your wedding colors, check out the color splash options .

These maps are handmade in the USA by Ross, and you can take a look at all of the Conquest Maps designs here .

Travel Themed Wedding Card Boxes

Your wedding guests may wish to give you a wedding card with their well-wishes on your special day, but with the hustle and bustle of the day, it can be hard to try to gather these throughout the day. So many wedding couples have a special place with a wedding card box where guests can drop it off.

Wedding couples often place these at the wedding reception with a sign so guests know they can drop off their cards and any gifts in a dedicated space. It may make sense to place it beside your guest book.

These travel themed wedding card boxes can also make a beautiful keepsake long after the wedding day.

Travel Wedding Theme Card Box

This wood card box makes the perfect accent to your travel wedding theme! It is shaped like a trunk and has an engraved airplane and wording. Not only does it give your guests a safe place to leave their cards, but it also makes a great keepsake box for after the wedding too.

The customized card box is made from solid wood with metal accents, and can be stained and personalized to your requests. You can engrave your names on the front or customize it with your choice of wording.

You can find hundreds of creative gift and wedding decorations at Red Heart Creations .

Globe Wedding Card Box

This custom hand-lettered world globe is perfect for guests to insert large greeting cards, well wishes, and cards of encouragement! It can hold approximately 100+ regular sized greeting cards or 200+ place card size ones. You can add place cards to the order if you wish for your guests to be able to write messages.

There is a door opening at lower-rear of globe with a hook closure so you can easily retrieve your cards and messages after your big day.

Take a peek at Amber’s other travel themed wedding decorations here .

Map Wedding Card Box

This travel themed wedding card box doubles up as home decor after the wedding day! The wooden trunk box has a map design and comes with a “Cards” banner that has wooden letters with burnt edges. This is quite a large box, measuring at 14 1/2″ long x 8″ wide and 9″ tall.

Note that given the handmade nature of most of their pieces, they are often limited to only a few in number. So if something is sold out, check their other listings and feel free to contact them for any custom requests.

Rose & Walter have hundreds of wedding favors and decorations, including some of the sweetest cake toppers we’ve ever seen, which you can explore in their Sugar Plum Cottage shop .

DIY Vintage Suitcase Card Box

If you want to have a go at decorating something yourself, why not use these vintage suitcases as a canvas? They come in stacks of 3, 4, 5 or 6 and can be used for a number of different reasons on your wedding day! Just open then up, add a sign, and perhaps some decoration for a unique travel themed card box.

Anthia has a beautiful collection of vintage style products if you wish to continue the theme across your entire wedding day!

Travel Themed Table Numbers & Place Card Holders

Depending on how you are organizing your wedding, you may be having your guests sit at specified tables and perhaps in specified seats. If so, you may need table numbers to designate each table and/or place card holders to designate the seat for each guest.

It is easy to add a travel themed touch to your table numbers and place card holders. For instance, instead of using traditional table numbers, you can designate tables using city names, country names, or photos of your favorite attractions.

Also, for those serving sit down dinners, if you are planning to have printed menus at the tables, you may want to think about doing one that matches the table place cards.

Airplane Travel Table Numbers

Do we have any pilot weddings coming up? These plane-shaped self-standing table numbers can be used as centerpieces for the tables and let guests know which table they are to sit at for a reception and/or dinner. You can personalize them with whatever text you want.

Measuring at 8″ wide and 9″ high, they are made from laser cut wood and available in natural unpainted or with a painted finish such as Gold, Silver, Rosegold, Red, Purple, Gold Glitter and Silver Glitter.

You can also find more custom wedding decorations from Mike here .

Old World Wedding Destination Table Numbers

We love these vintage style custom table numbers that allow you to designate your tables by a special city, state, or country rather than by a number! They can add a really personal touch in your special day, especially if you and your partner are from different parts of the world. Celebrate your home country or somewhere special to you with these beautiful travel themed table cards.

Once you have picked the size, design, and quantity needed for your table count, Carrie will print and ship your specific table numbers to you. Carrie has tons of other incredible map design products here .

Personalized Photo and Destination Table Name Cards

These custom photo table cards are a great way to have personalized and unique table designations that also share a bit of your story together with your guests. You can choose any destinations or places you want and then add a photo and a bit of text to describe the significance of that particular place.

See all of Jane’s many travel themed wedding items in her shop No Ordinary Emporium .

Suitcase Place Card Holder

These travel themed suitcase place card holders can also double as a sweet gift to let your wedding guests take home with them. Featuring a double stack of mini painted resin suitcases in pink and blue, the set of 6 place card holders come with matching white place cards with gold foil details.

There is a huge selection of cute wedding decorations in the Taara Bazaar store .

Map Themed Place Cards

These map print free-standing tent style place cards are the perfect addition to your special day. You can even write a little message inside for your guests if you wish!

Measuring at 4.25 inches by 2.5 inches, they are about the size of a business card size when folded in half. Each card is made from individually cut map stock, cardstock, and a name label attached to silver brackets. They are sold in increments of 10 cards.

Take a look at some of the other travel themed wedding and party decor designs from Mira here .

Travel Themed Wedding Seating Chart

Here’s something you may have never seen before! Why not create a unique map wedding seating chart for your guests to let them know where they will be seated.

You can choose to have a USA map, a full world map, map of Europe, Caribbean islands, an individual state or country, or any place else you would like. This seating chart is completely customizable when it comes to locations, cities to highlight, colors, fonts, etc. Can be printed on paper or canvas.

See more at Carrie’s Minnesota-based store called Here & There . 

Travel Themed Table Centerpieces

While many couples go for a classic floral arrangement in the center of their dining tables, this is your chance to let your imagination have some fun. Perhaps you want to showcase the different parts of the world that you and your partner have enjoyed (or plan to!) together.

In addition to the dining tables, you may also need a centerpiece for the guest book table, gift table, dessert table, or another area at your reception.

We’ve seen all sorts of travel-inspired centerpieces, but the below are some favorites, ranging from globes to hot air balloons and suitcases, to get you thinking!

Hot Air Balloon Centerpiece Decoration

If you are a long-time reader of our travel blog you will know that Laurence and I often attend hot air balloon festivals! So needless to say we are huge fans of this sweet hot air balloon centerpiece . It measures 12″ in diameter and can be handpainted in any colors you choose.

This whimsical touch will leave your guests breathless as they come to celebrate your special day. There is plenty of room in the basket to decorate with flowers and each balloon can be customized specifically for you.

Find more hot air balloon centerpieces in Maninder’s Texas-based crafts store Posh Soiree .

Map Flowers

Flowers are a traditional table centerpiece. You can add a bit of the travel theme by using map flowers in the vases instead of (or in addition to) real flowers. These roses are made of used paper maps with recyclable aluminum stems. They come in sets of 12 and the maps used can be customized to a particular state or country.

You can see more eco-friendly flower ideas at the Maryland-based Mabel Lane Boutique .

Hand-painted Globe

If you love globes, this wedding globe is hand-painted and personalized with any text, quotes, dates, etc of your choice. There are loads of colors to choose from for the sea space but if you have a custom color, you can leave a note with your order and they will work with you to find a match.

These globes can also be used as guestbooks if you prefer, and guests can write their names and short messages with metallic markers directly onto the globe.

If you love the idea of globes for your travel themed wedding, Christina has lots of them in her store here .

Decorative Map Candle Holder

If you are planning to have candles on the tables, consider a travel themed candle holder such as this one . It is made of steel and has a cutout world map design. Available in several finishes and fits both pillar candles and LED candles.

Custom cable holders are also possible, just contact the artist. See more decorative candle holders in Bela’s shop here .

Nautical Themed Candle Holders

These glass candle holders are adorned with twisted cotton rope and burlap rope. Perfect for a rustic nautical themed or beach wedding. They are 7.5 inches tall.

Rope color and decoration can be customized. See more beach related decorations in Sukanya’s store here .

Map Themed Wedding Prints

Consider having quotes as part of your table centerpiece such as these quotes on these map themed wooden signs on easels . The wood board is 1/4 inch in thickness and measures 8″ by 10″ inches. It also comes with a natural finish wooden easel included, so you can prop it up for everyone to admire.

Mira has a huge selection of travel themed wedding decorations and vintage map wood signs, take a look here .

Miniature Vintage World Globes

Scatter these small vintage looking globes around the room for a wanderlust-inducing wedding party! M ade of high impact polystyrene and a wooden base, they measure 6 inches in diameter and 8.5 inches in height. They also come with a small magnifying glass too, which adds a nice touch for your guests to search for their next vacation destination!

You can find more vintage looking globes for decoration here .

Modern Map Wedding Globe

This is a standing modern globe with twine wrapped base and a set of pearls used to join together two (or more) locations on the globe. Pearls can be customized to join together any two or more destinations. Could make a great statement centerpiece or table decoration, and be used as a keepsake after the wedding. 

You can find more travel-themed wedding decorations at Kelly’s store Woodlands Weddings .

Travel Themed Cake Toppers

Let’s talk cake! A travel themed cake topper might seem like a small detail, but it makes a big impact when it becomes the center of attention during the cake cutting. The most traditional cake toppers are of the wedding couple, but there are lots of options.

The cake topper is the perfect place to show your love of travel. This is your chance to get as creative and personalized as you like, with elegant, traditional, adventurous, and humorous options available.

Around the Globe Wedding Cake Topper

This elegant sparkly wedding cake topper will add a touch of sparkle and personality to your cake! It is made of high-quality plywood and is personalized for each couple and is available in several metallic and glittery colors. It is approximately 6 inches in width.

Take a look at the full Happy Party Decor store for more options here .

Our Adventure Continues cake topper

For the adventurous souls out there who love the outdoors, this beautiful rustic cake topper that says “Our adventure continues” is even better than the icing on top of the cake! Laser-cut from a selection of different wood options in various shades and is approximately 8 inches in width.

It can also be personalized with a hand-painted covering or glitter spray. See Nikolay’s full store here .

Custom Couple Wedding Cake Topper

Looking for a traditional wedding couple on top of the cake, but want it to actually look like you and your sweetie? Check out these great travel-themed custom cake toppers . Photos supplied by the couple are used to get the details correct for the wedding couple. Many couples also choose to add details indicating the place of their wedding, profession, pets, religion, family, and/or hobbies. 

The customizable handmade cake toppers are made of polymer clay and acrylic paint. The details on the cake toppers are made from a variety of materials such as glass beads and wire. Lots of different designs possible. Definitely a keepsake for the wedding couple!

I love Cecilia’s custom cake toppers and I am amazed at the level of customization available! See hundreds of cake topper designs in Cecilia’s store A Little Relic .

Travel Themed Name Cake Topper

Globetrotters will love these cute and customizable cake toppers , made of quality acrylic or polished plywood. You can customize your last name and date of your wedding to celebrate the moment when two travel loving partners unite. Available in a variety of colors.

You can check out Nick’s full store here .

Custom Couple Travel Cake Topper

These unique and adorable custom clay cake toppers are made with polymer clay and stand at approx. 5.9 inches tall. If you are looking to really personalize them, you can add your hometown names, favorite destinations to the direction signs, or even add in your furry friends for extra fun.

It also makes for a beautiful keepsake to cherish after the wedding day. Anna has a whole host of mini clay cake topper designs to choose from in her shop Fairy Tales Handmade .

Travel Themed Wedding Candles

Wedding candles are a way of symbolizing the uniting of two families. Often the bride and groom will light separate candles with their families, and bring them together to light a new candle as they start their next big adventure together. They are also often used to light churches and reception halls and as table centerpieces and decorations.

It is easy to add a sense of wanderlust to your candle choices, whether it is through the way the candle looks, its holder, or its scent. For scented candles, you may want to choose a specific scent for candles on the tables that fits a specific destination for a themed wedding.

If planning to burn them, look for non-toxic natural wax (paraffin free) candles. Just note that not all guests love scented candles as some people are very sensitive or allergic to them. So if you have them at the guest tables, you may want to have someone ask guests at each table before lighting and have some LED backups.

Choose Your Own Wanderlust Scent

Why not choose a specific scent for your special day? Then all of your wedding memories will come flooding back to you every time you light the candle. These wanderlust inspired candles are made with U.S farm-grown soy, phthalate-free fragrance blend, and natural wood wicks. 

There are 18 different complex scents to choose from including ones inspired by Havana Cuba, Waimea Falls, Brooklyn, San Gimignano, Japan, São Paulo, and the Rocky Mountains. The 4.5oz Woodwick Candles are hand-poured into recycled glass jars and burn for up to 40 hours.

You can choose one scent or choose several to complement different table themes. Check out Drew’s full store of unisex candles and scents here .

Antique Map Pillar Candle

How sweet are these wonderfully unique travel themed antique map wedding candles ! They are high-quality wax vanilla scented ivory pillar candles with an antique map image.

The image is transferred onto the candle via a unique heat transfer technique which results in the image becoming fused to the candle under a layer of wax. The candle can be burned and the image will last as long as the candle does. They are available in your choice of 3 inches x 4 inches or 3 inches x 6 inches.

This specific piece features an image of an antique map of the city of London, but you can also select other designs including maps of other cities such as Paris, Berlin, Rome, New York City, Chicago and more. Custom maps are also possible for other locations, just contact the seller.

Note the listed candles are currently not made of a natural wax, but Terri can do transfers onto other pillar candles that fit your specific criteria. Just ask her for a custom order. See more candles and handmade decorations in Terri’s store .

World Map Decorative Metal Candle Holder

These stunning world map steel tube holders are perfect for incorporating your love for travel into your wedding day. They are made from various thicknesses of steel tubing and are available in four different finishes including rustic, black, copper, and silver. They have no bottoms and can slide over LED flameless candles, votive candles, or wine bottles.

For more decorative candle holders, see the full Tube Torcher store here .

Archipelago Candles

Archipelago is a California-based luxury fragrance company that makes natural soy wax candles .  They have a destination collection with scents inspired by places around the world including Kashmir, Charleston, Stonehenge, Havana, Dubai, Positano, Black Forest, and Lanai. They come in a variety of sizes and come in glass jars, as pillar candles, and in metal travel tins.

You can see more fragrance products by Archipelago here .

Luminary Bags

These handmade paper luminaries (also commonly known as candle bags and paper lanterns) are made from old maps and atlases with punched shaped holes that glow when a LED candle is placed inside.

These would look so beautiful for an outdoor evening wedding or wedding reception or to light a darkened church aisle! Just be careful since these are not made of flame resistant materials that you’ll want to be sure to only use battery-operated LED candles.

See more at Suzie’s Store here at Olden Designs

Destination Candle Collection

Surround yourself with the sweet smell of Costa Rica or Punta Cana on your wedding day with this travel inspired soy candle collection .  Candles are made with 100% American-grown soy wax, a lead/zinc free eco-cotton wick, and phthalate-free fragrance oils for a clean-burning experience.

They come in 8 oz amber colored glass jars with a specially designed parchment map label. These scented candles will bring your wedding guests on a journey to another land, while they dance the night away.

These candles were actually inspired by the beautiful places that Judith and her fiance have traveled. Take a look at Judith’s full range of candles and fragrances here .

Travel Themed Wedding Decorations

We’ve already included a number of decoration ideas, but there are some more simple ways that you can add some more travel-themed touches to your wedding day.

Vintage Map Triangle Garland

This triangle garland is made of vintage map paper (hand-cut from a vintage atlas) sewn together with white thread into a lovely piece of bunting in your choice of 6, 8, 10, 15 or 30 feet. Each triangle is 2.5″ across and the paper is double sided. There are also loops of white hand-cut ribbon sewn into the ends to use for easy hanging.

The Path Less Traveled have so many cute travel themed wedding decorations, and you can check them all out right here .

Vintage Inspired Travel Postcards

Can you picture this set of vintage inspired travel postcards scattered across your wedding tables or hanging on the walls? Why not even use them as your wedding cards, and allow your guests to write on them and leave you messages?

Simple and affordable, they make for the perfect travel themed wedding decorations. See more unique travel postcards on Amazon here .

Vintage Map Heart Confetti

Why not scatter these vintage map heart confetti on your party tables or along the aisle on your wedding day! These hearts are cut from vintage map paper (which matches perfectly with the bunting we mentioned above!). Each heart is 1 1/2″ across and the paper is double sided.

Check out more travel-themed confetti and other party decorations from The Path Less Traveled here .

Modern Map Love Handwritten Sign

With a white frame and pearl and twine embellishments, we love how the quote “Love makes the world go round” , combines both love and travel, two of our favorite things! This item is a great budget-friendly way to subtly add an element of travel to a bridal shower or wedding and also makes a great gift or keepsake. It can also be customized if you have something in mind for your big day.

Kelly carries a wide selection of travel inspired wedding products, and also regularly does custom items! See more in Kelly’s UK-based store here . 

Wedding Chair Signs

Looking for a special way to decorate the chairs for the wedding couple? These cute bride and groom chair signs are made of wood and handpainted to say “His World” and “Her Adventure” but the text can be customized.

Size and color can also be customized by contacting the seller. See more products at Red Heart Creations .

Travel Themed DIY Decoration Ideas

What better way to express your love for adventure than crafting up your own DIY travel themed decorations. Below are some fantastic fabrics, stamps, ribbons, and stickers that you can use to create just about anything! The world is your oyster, so let your imagination run wild.

Not only will your wedding day celebrations look amazing, but you’re also guaranteed that no one else will have the same decorations as you!

Custom Passport Wedding Stamp

As a travel lover, you probably love to collect stamps in your passport from around the world. What about creating your own stamp for your wedding? This custom made wedding stamp can come in the form of a handle mounted, pre-inked, or self-inking stamp, depending on your requirements. Customize the design with your names, wedding date, location, etc.

Use it on wedding invitations, stationery, wedding favor notes, menus, thank you cards, etc. Measuring at 1.6×1.6 inches (4 x 4 cm), the stamp is made from high quality resin polymer and should create thousands of impressions

Ludmila has many different stamp designs to choose from, take a look .

Vintage Map Cupcake Wrappers

Add a touch of travel to your wedding desserts with these scalloped cupcake wrappers , made from vintage map and atlas pages. The wraps are made by hand and each one fits a standard size cupcake or muffin perfectly. You can choose from 12, 50, or 100 pieces.

You can also contact the designer if you are looking for custom amounts or colors! Take a look at some of the other travel-themed wedding decorations from The Path Less Traveled store .

These cute map tags really come in handy at weddings, as place cards, decorations, wedding favors, or for your scrapbook afterwards. They are made from map printed card on one side and cream card on the opposite side. The holes are also reinforced with Kraft cardstock to add an extra layer of quality and durability.

See More at Catch Some Rae’s Store here . 

Vintage Suitcases

We’ve already mentioned these vintage suitcases above as an option for a wedding card box, but they can also be used as beautiful decorations for your travel themed wedding. Use them as decorations, props, centerpieces, etc. Consider decorating them with retro luggage stickers or ribbon.

They come in stacks of 3, 4, 5 or 6 and can be used for in a number of different ways on your special day and beyond—we’ve seen some amazing photos of them being used as coffee tables long after the wedding day.

Anthia has a beautiful collection of vintage style products if you wish to continue the theme across your entire wedding day! See more in their shop Anthi Leoni .

Map Print Ribbon

We mentioned this printed fabric ribbon as a perfect addition to your wedding bouquet, but there is so much more you can do with this DIY wedding decoration!

You can also use it as decoration on the table centerpieces, tied around the ceremony chairs or pews, around the base of the wedding cake, around the toasting glasses, or a hundred other places. Your imagination can really put this to good use!

Lalle Craft Supplies have loads of other ribbon designs and craft supplies, which you can explore here .

Travel Themed Fabrics

The DIY possibilities are endless with travel themed fabrics! These wanderlust-inducing designs can be used as a colorful centerpiece for the dining tables, as a backdrop at your ceremony or table, wrapped around the flower bouquets or chairs, hanging like bunting from the ceiling – the list goes on and on.

You have a lot of options. Some of our favorite designs to get you started include this European travel fabric , this world map fabric , this vintage airship illustration fabric , and this passport stamp design .

Vintage Luggage Label Stickers

I am a bit obsessed with vintage luggage and luggage stickers so I of course was drawn to these stickers immediately. This set of 30 vintage stickers have been professionally retouched and printed on high gloss, water-resistant self-adhesive paper.

See more stickers and other retro decorations at Ben’s store .

Travel Themed Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are becoming more and more popular, with newlyweds treating their guests to a little treat to leave with after the wedding or something to welcome them (such as for a destination wedding).

Whether you’re planning a destination wedding or celebrating your favorite destinations at home, here are some great travel themed wedding favors to gift to your guests.

Mini Travel Soaps

These adorable mini adventure soaps are inspired by different places around the world. They are 100% vegan-friendly and are free from sulfates and harsh detergents creating a soap fit for any adventuress. Scents include Reykjavik, Hong Kong, Taipei, Napa Valley, New York, Paris, and Cartagena.

These soaps would make a lovely reminder of your wedding. Discover more of Julie’s travel-inspired soaps and fragrances here .

Wedding Favors Luggage Tags

Give your guests something they can use on their next adventure with these amazing luggage tag favors ! Luggage tags say “And so the Adventure begins” on one side and an identification tag shows through a clear window on the other side. Tags are made in the USA from recycled leather and you can choose from a number of tag colors.

This is a bulk order item so although you can’t personalize the tags, you’ve got all your guests covered in one go, with no fuss. But if you are looking for a custom order, get in touch with the store owner and they will make something that fits your style!

See Melanie and Scotty’s store here .

Destination Wedding Sunscreen and Lip Balm Clip

What’s the one thing we need at a destination wedding or outdoor wedding, but often forget? This suncreen and lip balm combo is perfect for a destination or outdoor wedding.

The PABA-free SPF 30 sunscreen is available in 1 oz or 2 oz sizes and the lip balm is SPF 15 and vanilla scented. Both are made in the USA. The customized labels allow you to choose the color and text and are also made of high quality, peel and stick waterproof vinyl and eco-solvent inks.

See more personalized special events items in the Event Gal Decals store here .

Vintage World Map Coasters

A useful addition to everyone’s home! These travel inspired coasters are a great option for wedding favors for your guests. Each set comes with 30 4″ X 4″ coasters, 30 map hang tags, and 30 pieces of jute string. The coasters are made natural authentic cork. 

You can find more travel themed coasters here .

If you are looking for personalized coasters for your wedding, check out Brenda’s shop Hand to Home Concepts for lots of great options!

Destination Candle

Give your guests a scent they will never forget with these gorgeous mini personalized candles . You get to personalize the color and font of the candle labels, and choose the scent. Candles are made from soy wax, cotton wicks, and phthalate-free fragrance oils.

Scent options include rose petals, French lavender, wedding cake, pine & cypress, vanilla sandalwood, white tea & berries, and more!

You can also completely customize your own label if you wish. Check out more options in Arianna’s store here .

Airplane Bottle Opener

For anyone who likes to enjoy their travel planning over a cold brew, these airplane bottle openers are such a wonderful idea to pop inside the wedding favor bags! It is something they can use and enjoy for years to come. This pack of 24 gold plated, metal bottle opener favors   also comes with a gift box for each one.

You can find more travel-themed bottle openers here .

Globe Chocolates

These foil-wrapped globe candies are made of milk chocolate and are wrapped in a blue, green, and yellow earth patterned foil wrappers. Perfect for tossing into your wedding favor for a sweet and travel themed treat.

If you’d rather choose your own candy, consider adding personalized candy stickers or wrappers to it, such as these ones .

Travel Themed Spice Favors

Wanna spice up your wedding favors? Consider choosing 2 to 4 different spices to send home with each of your guests to remind them of your special day. Spices come in labeled tubes and orders come with burlap favor bags and personalized travel labels.

You can choose ones to go with your travel theme or match a specific destination whether it is India, the American South, the Caribbean, Ireland, Lebanon, China, Brazil, or Tuscany. For instance, if you want spices associated with India you might choose cumin, cardamon, turmeric, fenugreek, and/or curry powder.

See lots more spice favors as well as other food-related wedding favor ideas such as BBQ sauces, coffees, meat rubs, teas, and salts in the Noona’s Kitchen shop .

Travel Theme Lip Balm Favors

Lip balms make great favors and these ones come with travel-themed labels. The lip balms come in packs of 12 and are offered in 5 different flavors. They are made from natural ingredients and have a SPF of 15.

Heather has a lot of other party and wedding favor items including soaps, lotions, and bath bombs. See more in her store here .

Travel Themed Wedding Favor Boxes & Bags

Once you’ve chosen the perfect wedding favors, it is time to figure out how you want to present them to your guests. Just be sure that the size and weight of the chosen wedding favor will work well with the chosen gift bag, box, or container!

World Map Favor Bags

Treating your loved ones to something special on your wedding day? Send them home with one of these amazing map favor bags ! They are made of vintage maps and the bottom of the bags are reinforced for extra durability.

They come in a pack of 10 medium size bags, each bag standing at 8 inches tall and 5 1/2 inches wide by 3 inches deep. Each bag also includes a personalized tag with a clear sticker.

Smaller and larger map favor bag sizes are available. Nadia has some really unique decorations at her store, which you can find here .

Suitcase Favor Boxes

Almost too cute to give away! You can fill up these tiny suitcase favor boxes with candy favors, use them to hold the confetti for your guests to throw at the end of your ceremony, or simply use them as decorations for the table centerpieces.

One pack includes 50 suitcase favor boxes and 50 paper tags for you to write a note to your guests. They measure at 3 x 1.1 x 2inch / 7.8 x 3 x 5cm, and can holds candy or sweets (approximately 5 or 6 Hershey kisses or 2 pieces of Ferrero – just for reference!), an item of jewelry, or any small object.

You can find many more suitcase-style favor boxes here .

World Map Fabric Favor Bags

We absolutely love this adorable fabric favor bags ! These hand-sewn bags come in packs of 15, each bag measuring approximately 4 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches when laid flat. Each bag also includes a 14 inch long jute tie and a “thank you” tag, perfect for writing a sweet message to your family and friends.

They are ideal for filling with sweet treats to send your guests home with at the end of the night or to leave on their beds if they are staying with you. Take a look at Nadia’s store VOC Crafted for more gift favor bag ideas.

Personalized Heart Map Favor Bags

These lovely reusable cotton heart map favor bags really stand out from the crowd! You can customize them with your choice of 2 locations anywhere in the world, along with your name, date and/or personalized message. The bags are hand sewn from organic cotton muslin and available to order in 5×7″, 6×8″, 7×9″, or 7×11″ sizes.

Samantha has a range of personalized gift bags in her store .

Suitcase Snap Fit Gift Box

This roomy ready to assemble suitcase shaped gift box is made of pre-cut and pre-creased durable brown craft paper. It looks like a suitcase with straps and a luggage tag that can be used to write a message. Ships flat and easy to assemble. Finished box size is 7 inches x 5 inches x 2.5 inches (18 x 13 x 6.5 cm).

See more gift box ideas at SkyGoodies including DIY printable files for suitcase favor boxes.

Special Travel Themed Gifts for the Wedding Party

Looking for something special to give your bridesmaids or groomsmen for their participation and support during the wedding? There’s also the officiant, greeters, flower girl, ring bearer, etc. You may be looking for a gift that will show them your appreciation.

Here are some gift ideas that also have a travel theme and will serve as a reminder of your special day. Whether your budget is $15 or $150, we have some options for you!

If you don’t see what you are looking for, check out our guides to gift for travelers and gifts for photographers for lots more ideas.

Travel Wallet

Help your family and friends keep their travel documents and money organized and in one convenient place when traveling. This faux leather passport wallet can hold your passport, IDs, credit cards, boarding tickets, cash, keys, and coins. It comes in a rainbow of colors.

Looking for a personalized passport wallet option? Check out these handmade leather travel wallets which you can have personalized with a name, short phrase, or initials. They are available in over 60 colors!

Personalized Luggage Tags

These personalized leather luggage tags make for great thoughtful gifts. Each is made of engrained leather and is personalized with the gift recipient’s initials. Handmade in the USA.

See more great handmade leather items from the Lifetime Leather Co .

If you are looking for vegan-friendly options, check out these tags made of faux leather by Love and Luxe Homemade. These tags can also be personalized with initials.

Personalized Flask

Giving a gift to someone who likes their liquor? Consider getting them a suave looking personalized stainless steel flask . You can personalize the outside with their name, initials, your wedding date, etc.

The shop has a variety of flask options including faux leather, powder-coated stainless, or wood flask finishes. They can also be purchased in gift sets which can also include funnels and mini stainless steel shot glasses.

See more options at Brittany’s store EcoEngrave .

Going to a warm-weather destination? Consider getting your wedding party some hats they can wear to the beach, such as Panama hats, floppy sun hats, or sun visors. Check out these options . You can get plain hats or have them personalized with their names, initials, or a short phrase.

See more wedding items in Gloria’s shop Life with Beauty .

Most people love to receive jewelry as gifts! Why not choose a piece that shows off your (and hopefully also their) wanderlust and which will be something they’ll love to wear. How about this popular pendant necklace that features two pendants, one of a globe and one of a compass rose. Available in sterling silver, yellow gold, or rose gold.

See our full article on travel themed jewelry for all kinds of travel themed jewelry options, including necklaces, pins, earrings, watches, bracelets, cufflinks, and more.

Personalized Toiletry Bag

Travelers need a good toiletry bag or dopp kit to store all their toiletry and shaving gear. Consider getting your most special guests a personalized toiletry bag or cosmetics bag . These ones are handmade in the USA, personalized with embroidered initials, and have an internal nylon liner.

I have bought Laurence a personalized toiletry bag from here and he loves it! See lots of options for personalized leather toiletry bags and cosmetic bags from Felix Street Leather .

Wrap, Eye Mask & Pillow Travel Set

Want to give your guests something to keep them warm and snuggly on their next flight, road trip, long train ride, or hostel stay? Consider putting together your own matching Happyluxe travel set, which could include a matching HappyLuxe Wayfarer travel wrap , an eye mask , a face cover , and/or a travel pillow . All are made in the USA of microfiber and are available in several matching colors.

All products can be purchased separately so you can put together you own travel set. See more travel products from Happyluxe  on Amazon .

Travel Gift Certificate

If you are not really sure what the traveler on your gift list may want, you might consider getting them a travel related gift card or gift voucher. This allows them to spend it on travel related things like tours, activities, concerts, and hotels around the world.

You may have a specific idea in mind, such as a gift certificate to a local spot. But some other ideas include a GetYourGuide certificate (redeemable on over 30,000+ tours and activities worldwide),  a Tinggly gift certificate (redeemable on hundreds of different experiences), and Honeyfund gift cards (redeemable for things like hotels, cruises, golf, sportswear, and Amazon purchases).

Weekender Bag

Consider a personalized weekend bag or duffel bag for your groomsmen and bridesmaids that will have them thinking about you every time they head off for the weekend. These canvas weekend bags are roomy and can be personalized with a name or initials of the recipient.

You can see a lot more personalized bag options in Coleen’s store Heritage Wedding .

Action Camera

If you are looking for a gift for some adventurous guys and gals of your wedding party and have a bit of a bigger budget, consider gifting an action camera. They can take photos at the wedding destination and on their future travels.

For best performance and value, we recommend checking out those by GoPro or AKASO. Currently, our top pick for best value is the AKASO V50 Elite .

For tips for choosing an action camera and more options, see our guide to the best action cameras .

Cashmere Travel Wrap

Wanting to give a wedding gift to impress? Consider a cashmere travel wrap like these ones by Ovcio . These can be used as a travel wrap, shawl, blanket, or oversized scarf. Made of 100% Mongolian cashmere, they are available in a wide range of colors.

See more cashmere items, including men and women’s scarfs, in their online store .

So those are our ideas for a travel themed wedding! Hopefully we have helped you find some wonderful ideas about how to incorporate your love of travel into your wedding day.

If you think you’ll be doing more wedding planning in the future? Just PIN this article to Pinterest to save it so you can come back and read it again later:

What do you think of these travel themed wedding items, did they inspire some ideas of your own? Did you incorporate travel into your wedding day or do you plan to include some element of travel into your wedding? If you have any questions about any of these items, just ask us and we’re happy to share our honest thoughts!

**Disclosure: As noted earlier in this post, we received several complimentary items in order to review them for this post and some we received and then returned to the artists. Others were purchased by us or given to us for our own wedding. This article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. Check out our Ethical Code for more information about how we work. **

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BTI Post author

January 27, 2023 at 9:21 pm

Wow, I love the idea of incorporating your love of travel into your special day. Your article is filled with so many creative and unique ideas for a travel themed wedding. I especially loved your focus on handmade and customizable items, it really adds a personal touch to the wedding. Your research and physical reviews of the items on your list is also very helpful and informative. Thanks for sharing and providing such valuable resources for other couples planning a travel or destination wedding. I will definitely be referring back to this article for inspiration for my own wedding.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

February 1, 2023 at 5:28 am

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment I am so happy you found some inspiration from our ideas, our wedding, and our reviews here. Wishing you a very wonderful wedding!

Best, Jessica

Jeff Carbine Post author

December 29, 2021 at 4:09 am

I never knew that the goal of this article is to provide inspiration for couples planning a travel-inspired wedding or destination wedding. Now for my future wedding, I have an idea of what to do. Thank you for the information about wedding decorations.

December 29, 2021 at 8:14 am

Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know that you enjoyed our article about tips for travel themed wedding. Congrats on your upcoming wedding and do let us know if you have any questions about decorating for your own travel-inspired wedding!

DP Post author

October 12, 2021 at 1:34 am

Thanks for sharing such an amazing and informative blog. I really like those ideas for arranging a destination wedding. As a wedding planner, I really like it.

October 12, 2021 at 5:55 am

So glad you are finding our travel themed wedding post helpful and yes, these kinds of things must be great for giving couples ideas for decorating for arranging a destination wedding.

Janet Morgan Post author

May 16, 2021 at 8:20 pm

Hi, Thanks for sharing such an amazing post on Destination Wedding planning. Above all of these, I was looking was something like this and find this very helpful. Thanks again for sharing such an amazing post! Best Regards.

May 17, 2021 at 3:55 am

Glad you enjoyed it and hope you found some things you like for decorating for your own travel-themed wedding or destination wedding!

Lady from Boston Post author

December 14, 2018 at 3:22 am

Hi, Thanks for sharing such a interesting blog about travel themed wedding – very much enjoyed this post and reading the rest of your blog!

December 14, 2018 at 6:09 am

Thanks very much for taking the time to comment, glad you enjoyed our travel themed wedding post!! Best, Jessica

N Parekh Post author

August 20, 2018 at 10:59 pm

Themed weddings are greatly in vogue nowadays. People want their wedding to be one big thing that is remembered by others too. You have shared some very interesting ideas for themed weddings out here. I really liked the post you shared here as well as the pictures.

August 21, 2018 at 4:25 am

Hi There, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and glad you enjoyed our post on travel themed weddings! Best, Jessica

stacey jones Post author

October 3, 2017 at 5:50 am

My dream is to have a ceremony on the beach at sunset. Is this a good idea? It’s important to give myself a few days to relax prior to the wedding.

October 3, 2017 at 2:03 pm

Hi Stacey, I think that it is your dream, then you should do it as long as your spouse-to-be is also on board with the idea. It can be tricky to have an outdoor wedding but I would just have it somewhere where the weather is normally warm and predictable and have a plan if the weather is less than ideal (an alternative indoor venue). If you are working with a wedding planner, they should be able to help get everything worked out for you. Giving yourself a few days to relax in advance sounds like a great plan! Wishing you a wonderful beach wedding, Jessica

October 11, 2017 at 3:36 am

@Jessica thanks for your attention. The beach wedding idea sounds very exciting.

John Marc Ramirez Post author

July 5, 2017 at 6:45 pm

Hi Cathy, I agree with you that weddings are stressful specifically the preparation part, but everything is worth it once the wedding is done. The marriage has to be prioritized all the more for couples because it is where the exciting part begins. Thank you for this article because this is helpful for everyone who is planning to get married. 🙂

Cathy Post author

May 15, 2017 at 3:38 am

Weddings can be stressful too. But it should not be. Being fun and happy on your wedding day is what it should be and thanks for this article. Helps a lot in planning a travel themed wedding!

May 16, 2017 at 2:05 pm

Hi Cathy, Yes, wedding can certainly be stressful for many couples, but certainly do not have to be! Glad you found our article useful and I wish you the best in planning your own travel themed wedding. Just let us know if you have any questions! Best, Jessica

Laurel Santos Post author

May 11, 2017 at 1:01 am

Truly fascinating! This article didn’t just made me want to get married but also travel. Will definitely save this one for future use! Looking forward to more inspiring posts.

May 11, 2017 at 1:07 am

Hi Laurel, Glad you found some inspiration from our travel themed wedding items! Hope you keep following along for more travel posts. Best, Jessica

McKenzie Post author

April 20, 2017 at 8:14 am

These are some awesome items for a travel themed wedding. Thank you for sharing! I really love the map bow tie!

April 20, 2017 at 9:24 am

Thanks McKenzie, Laurence really loves his map bow tie 😉

Samaira Post author

April 18, 2017 at 1:43 am

Very incredible Travel Themed Wedding and thoroughly read your article and the items really inspired me. Thanks to you for sharing this article and hope so you alway post this type of articles related to marriage and travel.

Adil Shezad Post author

March 15, 2017 at 12:07 pm

This is a perfect article for a travel theme wedding. I am surely going to pick it up for my wedding. Thank you for such great ideas on a unique and extraordinary occasion.

March 15, 2017 at 3:23 pm

Hi Adil, I am happy that you found this helpful and are going to use some of the ideas for your own wedding! Best wishes, Jessica

Esther Diaz Post author

December 5, 2016 at 12:16 am

Hi there, This article about travel-themed wedding ideas is so unique, fun and inspirational. This is such a great wedding ideas for me and my fiance.. Everything about this is just awesome!

travelcats Post author

December 5, 2016 at 1:02 am

Hi Esther, Glad you enjoyed the article and good luck planning your own travel themed wedding! ~ Jessica

Darlene R. Rivera Post author

November 11, 2016 at 10:17 pm

Hi Jessica,

Great post, this article is just awesome! The travel theme for a wedding is very unique and I personally like it a lot. It seems that you have visited a large number of places and have so many stunning photographs. It would be so interesting to marry at a place that is completely different. I love destination weddings a lot because I am so fond of traveling. These are some great travel themed wedding ideas!

I appreciate your efforts for sharing such a post. Thank You!!

November 12, 2016 at 11:48 am

Hi Darlene, Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, we do travel a lot as travel writers but do have a home base which makes life manageable and gives us time to relax and work. This article was fun to write as I love the idea of travel themed weddings, bridal showers, or parties and there are so many unique homemade items out there! ~ Jessica

Elena Tungsten Post author

November 11, 2016 at 1:45 am

Wow! I loved those travel themed engagements wedding rings. My husband and I loves to travel and these rings are perfect for us.

November 11, 2016 at 5:04 am

Hi Elena, We love our travel themed wedding rings and we recommend these to anyone looking for using them as engagement rings or for just general travel rings. They also make great travel replacement rings for those who do not want to risk losing, scratching, or getting their expensive wedding rings stolen while traveling. Best, Jessica

August 2, 2016 at 12:43 am

Great coverage of items that would be great for a destination wedding or travel themed wedding. Something that could definitely help wedding planners like us plan the next perfect travel themed wedding with ease. Great job!

August 3, 2016 at 4:50 pm

Hi Cathy, Glad you found it useful and hope some of these items work for planning the next destination wedding! ~ Jessica

Chiang Mai Global Tour Post author

August 1, 2016 at 4:40 am

So many brilliant ideas for travel related gifts, love this post! We have taken note of for the next road trip we go on Thank you 🙂

August 1, 2016 at 5:56 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad that you found some good idea for travel related gifts! Yes, many of these items can definitely be used for everyday use, not just for a travel themed wedding. Enjoy your next road trip! ~ Jessica

larissa Post author

June 29, 2016 at 10:44 am

Wow! I want all of this for my wedding. Every piece is wonderful and I think it is so special to have a travel themed wedding with authentic and handmade pieces to make you feel like you are actually traveling! Thanks for all of the information and for including pictures and product links, really wonderful article!

April Yap Post author

June 22, 2016 at 11:09 pm

Thanks for this inspirational travel wedding theme. 🙂 It is true that if you are travelling you can gain more ideas about your wedding. Haha

June 23, 2016 at 2:34 am

Hi April, You’re welcome. I do think that you can think of some interesting wedding and honeymoon ideas while traveling:) It can definitely be fun to plan a travel themed wedding! ~ Jessica

June S. Post author

June 9, 2016 at 8:25 pm

I love all of these neat ideas for planning wedding travels, my third oldest son is getting married in 2017 so these would be great to pass on to him and my future daughter-in-law. Thanks for sharing them.

Terri Irvin Post author

June 9, 2016 at 2:21 pm

My son and his fiance met while they were traveling and I am been thinking of what theme I could use for their wedding!!! This is perfect. Even if I don’t win this giveaway…many thanks for the great ideas. :.)))

June 13, 2016 at 7:27 am

Hi Terri, you are very welcome:) Yes, Laurence and I met while in Italy so this is a perfect fit for us as well! Best of luck helping to plan your son’s wedding! Just let us know if you have any questions about any of the items! ~ Jessica

Alison Post author

June 9, 2016 at 2:19 pm

This is perfect for our travel themed wedding!

Leigh Anne Borders Post author

June 9, 2016 at 2:08 pm

I absolutely love this idea! I am actually planning a wedding right now and came across this! So perfect what I am thinking!

lissa crane Post author

June 9, 2016 at 1:19 pm

I love the idea! It seems like it would take almost less planning then a typical booked venue in your home town, which in my area is booked for years in advance!

June 13, 2016 at 6:59 am

Hi Lissa, Yes, when we got married on the Queen Mary 2 ( https://independenttravelcats.com/2015/12/22/wedding-at-sea-married-cunard-queen-mary-2-wedding/ ), we did very little planning as your options are obviously more limited and you have a wedding coordinator who helps you out and does the work of setting things up. We just had to come up with readings and music and make some selections regarding vows, flowers, food, etc. Very easy which was perfect for us! ~ Jesica

Gricelda Castro Post author

June 9, 2016 at 9:58 am

I would love to have this kind of wedding. Sounds like fun!

beth Post author

June 9, 2016 at 8:42 am

I think this is a really cleaver idea and you gave us so many neat things to try.

Annmarie W. Post author

June 9, 2016 at 6:43 am

I love the travel theme for a wedding! Especially before a fun honeymoon…and to keep the love & memories alive during future travelling throughout the married years! It’s unique…have never seen it done before.

LeAnn Harbert Post author

June 7, 2016 at 4:21 pm

I like the idea for my sons wedding.

Pamela Post author

June 7, 2016 at 3:11 pm

What a great way to start your married life together – planning adventures! I love this theme, and I especially love to travel!

KateS Post author

June 7, 2016 at 12:09 pm

I LOOOOVE traveling, but I gotta be honest, I’ve never even thought of a travel themed wedding. Good thing I’m not married yet, because I would have felt bad for not thinking of this first 😀 I’m in love with all this!! WOW! I definitely want passport wedding invitations *heart eyes*! The bow is adorable! And I want those luminary bags so bad! Thank you so much for posting this, it gave me so many ideas ^_^

June 13, 2016 at 7:29 am

Hi Kate, Glad this post gave you some great ideas for your future wedding. Yes, Laurence just wore the bow tie at a travel conference this past week and got lots of compliments 🙂 The luminary bags are very cool and unique! ~ Jessica

andrea v Post author

June 7, 2016 at 7:13 am

Very cute, and different! I like this idea!!

Jennifer Finn Post author

June 5, 2016 at 8:40 pm

i love the little touches

Marija Post author

June 3, 2016 at 7:16 pm

I love the idea of a travel themed wedding. It’s a great way to get inspired for future trips.

June 2, 2016 at 1:50 pm

I think it’s a wonderful idea – we could also use the theme for a wedding shower, twice the fun!

Latanya Post author

June 2, 2016 at 5:29 am

I like the idea of a travel-themed wedding. It is very different and you can do so many more things with it.

Angela Saver Post author

June 1, 2016 at 9:21 pm

I think a travel-themed wedding is a great idea & it would be a ton of fun! I love the handmade leather luggage tags, the Map Flower Wedding Bouquet, & the Map Pre-Tied Bow Tie! They are all awesome ideas!

Tina Harris Post author

June 1, 2016 at 8:38 pm

So many great idea, I’m especially fond of the tie!!

Stephanie Davis Post author

June 1, 2016 at 8:30 pm

We are having a destination wedding so these are all absolutely perfect products! I especially love the wedding rings!

June 13, 2016 at 7:32 am

Hi Stephanie, We absolutely love our rings, highly recommend Boone Rings, we had great service and the rings are super durable and unique! Best of luck with your wedding planning! ~ Jessica

Debra Jensen Post author

June 1, 2016 at 8:28 pm

OMG I LOVE IT!!!! I so want to do it when I get married!!!! I love traveling so it is so me!!

victoria Post author

May 27, 2016 at 8:33 pm

Lots of nice products (and lots of research to put it all together!). I myself organized a travel themed barmitzva for my son a couple of years ago – lots of work went into travel video making (about all countries he visited) and decorations (every table was themed with a different country) but it was a lot of fun and quite unusual for a barmitsva! Needless to say- our wedding happened while travelling too (in Eastern Europe some 20+yrs ago).. while not too many people got to witness it, I would not do it any other way. It makes the day so special!

May 29, 2016 at 8:00 am

Hi Victoria, Haha, yes, it was a lot of research but so fun to find out about so many interesting products and such talented independent artists and small businesses! Sounds like a very special barmitzva for your son! My friend did something similar with her wedding although it was more wildlife themed (her and her husband worked at a nature preserve) and each table represented animals from different parts of the world. A fun way to decorate and make each table unique. Best, Jessica

Alexandra Oller Post author

May 26, 2016 at 12:20 pm

I think a travel themed wedding sounds amazing and very unique!

May 26, 2016 at 4:23 pm

Glad the past gave you some new wedding ideas! ~ Jessica

Heather h Post author

May 25, 2016 at 8:58 am

I love these unique ideas! Finally some inspiration that isn’t so cookie cutter. Love it!

May 25, 2016 at 10:05 am

Hi Heather, Glad you enjoyed these ideas! I think maybe it feels less cookie cutter since some of these products are not wedding-specific. Best, Jessica

Erin Klema | The Epicurean Traveler Post author

May 22, 2016 at 7:03 am

This post is so full of inspiration for wanderlust-full celebrations. I love the passport and boarding pass save-the-dates and invitations.

May 22, 2016 at 10:57 am

Hi Erin, Yes, I think since most people now send Save the Dates as well as invites, it is nice to establish a theme if one is going to have one before the actual wedding day. But I think these invites are great even alone without having a travel themed wedding or destination wedding. The passports can provide a lot more information than a normal paper invite, including all the travel, pre-ceremony, venue, ceremony, and registry details as you can add as many pages as you need. ~ Jessica

budget jan Post author

May 21, 2016 at 7:07 pm

What an excellent idea for a post. My wedding was sooo long ago but I still enjoyed reading the options you’ve put together, my very favourite being your wedding rings – such a great idea. I do love the cake toppers too. I’ve read about your wedding on the ship before and love that idea as well.

May 22, 2016 at 10:54 am

Hi Jan, Thanks, yes we love our rings very much. They are perfect for a travel blogging couple like us! ~ Jessica

Grey World Nomads Post author

May 21, 2016 at 9:02 am

Beautiful travel related articles for weddings! Never thought of something like this.

May 21, 2016 at 10:52 am

Thanks! What I love is that more than half these items are not wedding specific, but can be used for regular home decor, parties, entertaining, or to wear. ~ Jessica

terra phipps Post author

May 21, 2016 at 8:32 am

These ideas are simply amazing me and my fiancé would love them! I am planning a wedding for next fall and would love this plus a vacation to Hawaii.

May 21, 2016 at 10:50 am

Hi Terra, Glad you liked this ideas and congrats on your upcoming wedding. Best of luck in winning the map bouquet. I love Hawaii, a beautiful place for a honeymoon:) ~ Jessica

Corinne Post author

May 21, 2016 at 8:23 am

You’ve thought of it all. All the younger gens in our family love destination weddings, so I’ll be sure to send them to your site. I pinned…so cute those toppers.

May 21, 2016 at 10:48 am

Thanks so much for pinning Corinne! I love those cake toppers too 🙂

Tanja (the Red phone box travels) Post author

May 21, 2016 at 8:21 am

Some pretty cool ideas! We didn’t really do theme weddings in Croatia – mine was simple and traditional:) I spent more time on planning our honeymoon:)

May 21, 2016 at 10:47 am

Hi Tanja, yes, the honeymoon is important to spend time on planning as well! Since we were nomadic and traveling at the time, Laurence tells me we had a 6 month honeymoon, haha. ~ Jessica

Michelle Post author

May 21, 2016 at 4:35 am

This is a super timely article as I’m actually getting married next year! I love the map flowers bouquet idea because I’m not really fond of fresh cut flowers (found a bug in a bouquet once, ugh) and I think it’s a bit of a waste when they die so quickly after. Thanks for the inspiration!

May 21, 2016 at 5:19 am

Congrats on your upcoming wedding. Yes that map flowers bouquet is a great idea and I think paper flowers are becoming more popular for the reasons you are said, cleaner and can keep forever, but also because one can buy them ahead, travel with them, and store them just about anywhere. I also love the fact that you can customize these so much. Glad you found this post inspirational for your wedding! ~ Jessica

Anda Post author

May 20, 2016 at 8:13 pm

Your post made me so jealous! I got married almost 4o years ago, when there was no such thing as a ‘themed wedding.” In my country of origin people were married in a very traditional way, so this is how I got married to, but I would have loved to have a wedding like yours. Recently I attended a themed wedding for my niece though, in Florence. It was very beautiful, but nothing like yours. You’ve exceeded everything I’ve ever seen or heard so far. Wow!

May 21, 2016 at 4:48 am

Hi Anda, Yes, I think weddings, particularly for Americans, have become much more for the couple and what they would like to do and less about the family. I think it has to do partly with the fact that wedding couples are much more likely to pay for at least part, if not all, of their own wedding rather than the bride’s parents paying for most of it (many can’t afford to do this). Our wedding on the boat was private and fairly simple, and our wedding in Venice looks fabulous in photos, which it was of course, but it was also very small and informal. It was great for us as it was pretty stress-free! ~ Jessica

Lyn - A Hole in my Shoe Post author

May 20, 2016 at 5:21 pm

Jessica, we got our travel inspiration from our honeymoon, but if I could turn back time and have a travel inspired wedding I would chose some of these items. I love the bow tie, cufflinks, bouquet, cake topper and invitations, but adored your luggage. I first noticed your luggage in your wonderful Orient Express post. The rings are also a great idea for replacing expensive, sentimental rings when travelling which is something that is a need for many., but something I have never thought of doing. Finally I love that final photo of your dress and luggage on the bed in your beautiful Venetian hotel. Great post and thank you for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard

May 20, 2016 at 5:49 pm

Hi Lyn, Yes, I know, these make me want to get married again and I just got married! You have a good eye, yes, this is the same luggage we took on both the Queen Mary 2 and Orient Express. After the wedding the cosmetic case (because our wedding party didn’t have room to take it back) ended up traveling with us through Italy, Morocco, and Egypt…probably not the best choice of luggage for desert travel but it survived. Laurence is thinking about wearing his map bow tie and cufflinks when he gives a speech at an upcoming travel conference which I think will be perfect:) We love our rings, and if you are looking for unique travel rings, I can highly recommend Bruce. We got fabulous service, communication, and products from him! He has some amazing ready-to-buy designs and I love you can also customize. ~ Jessica

Anisa Post author

May 20, 2016 at 1:42 pm

So many great ideas here! And those cake toppers are too cute!

May 20, 2016 at 5:44 pm

I know, I love those cake toppers too! I can’t believe how detailed they are and it is no surprise Cecilia is in great demand for these. Each one is very unique and I love looking at all her examples in her Etsy store. ~ Jessica

Lindsay Post author

May 20, 2016 at 1:22 pm

I am getting married in March and we are looking to travel to a destination wedding somewhere! I love your ideas and your blog gives me so much inspiration!

May 20, 2016 at 5:41 pm

Hi Lindsay, a destination wedding can be a lot of fun! But even if you decide not to do a destination wedding, there are still a lot of great ways to incorporate travel. Best of luck with your upcoming wedding and in the giveaway! Jessica

Nicole Post author

May 19, 2016 at 8:11 pm

Such a cool idea for a wedding theme. We love to travel and I think thus is a really fun way to incorporate that. Thank you for the great ideas!!!

May 20, 2016 at 5:40 pm

Glad you got some ideas for your wedding! ~ Jessica

jenny stratton Post author

May 19, 2016 at 6:16 pm

I love the idea of a travel themed wedding. I’ll have to bring it up when my son decides to get married.

May 20, 2016 at 5:39 pm

Yes, if you son (and his bride-to-be) loves to travel, it can be a great theme. But even if not a theme per se, it can be great to include some travel elements:) ~ Jessica

Kristen Post author

May 19, 2016 at 2:07 pm

I love what you guys are up to with this post about incorporating wedding and travel! Clever work and exposure for the most popular travel blogging couple out there! Keep up the awesome works guys and I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll!

May 19, 2016 at 3:58 pm

Hi Kristen, Thanks so much for your kind words and thanks for including our travel blog on your website’s blogroll! Best, Jessica

Felicitas Post author

May 19, 2016 at 12:07 pm

I simply love Love LOVE all of the ideas! Nice work on collecting these and it’s a great article! Thank you for so much lovely inspiration!

May 19, 2016 at 3:56 pm

Hi Felicitas, Glad you enjoyed the ideas for a travel themed wedding and best of luck in the giveaway! Best, Jessica

Laura Post author

May 19, 2016 at 8:46 am

I think a travel themed wedding sounds awesome. I’ve never heard of this theme before. It’s very unique and different. I’m sure it will impress the guests!

May 19, 2016 at 11:24 am

Hi Laura, Glad that this post gave you a new idea for a wedding theme! Best of luck in winning the paper map wedding bouquet! Best, Jessica

Morgan Post author

May 18, 2016 at 12:33 pm

What a beautiful and unique theme! Everything from the rings to the paper bouquet are marvelous! The travel theme leaves so much room for creativity and gives everyone an opportunity to make it their own! This is absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing!

May 19, 2016 at 11:22 am

Hi Morgan, Thanks for commenting! Yes, we love this theme and were surprised how many ways you can find handmade items to fit it. We are so in love with our map rings and also are excited to give this beautiful map bridal bouquet to someone special for an upcoming wedding! ~ Jessica

Seana Turner Post author

May 17, 2016 at 5:07 am

So many great ideas here, Jessica! I am getting closer to this stage with my daughters (not quite yet!), but I know one of them has talked about a destination wedding. I actually bought the cuff links for my husband with our hometown on them, just for fun. The cake toppers are really cute – that would be so special. There are so many creative alternatives to the “standard issue” things I did back in the day. Helps you get excited for something very special:)

May 17, 2016 at 6:43 am

Hi Seana, That is very cool about the cufflinks. Yes, it is amazing how much customization is available to wedding couples these days and it doesn’t have to be super expensive! Sounds like you may be busy with wedding planning in the near future:) Best, Jessica

Diane Post author

May 15, 2016 at 12:43 pm

Wow, such a fantastic post! I am already long married but I love so many of the travel themed wedding ideas, especially the map bow ties, the passport invites, that beautiful orange luggage set, and the globe with the pearls. Also I had never thought of paper flowers, great idea to have after the wedding as a beautiful keepsake of the Big Day! I also love the map pin board and I am contemplating getting one for my niece and nephew. Saving this post for when I have relatives get married!

May 15, 2016 at 6:01 pm

Thanks Diane for taking the time to leave a comment! Yes, so many wonderful travel themed wedding items and it is amazing how many great and unique products and talented artists there are on Etsy. Yes, and as you noted many of these items like the luggage and map pin board are not wedding specificmand make great gifts for anyone who loves travel. Thanks for bookmarking our post! Best, Jessica

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30 Affordable Centerpieces for Any Wedding Style

Find designs for your tablescape within your budget.

PHOTO BY  INMA FIUZA

From lush florals to simple candlelight , wedding centerpieces are perhaps one of the more important elements of your wedding day. Determining how much you’re actually planning to spend sets things in motion in terms of incorporating your personal taste throughout the design—even more specifically, the tables at your reception.

Florist and event designer Kiara Hancock shares that there are a handful of things you can focus on when trying to stretch your dollars when it comes to wedding centerpieces: budget, seasonality, and creativity. “Your budget is the biggest deciding factor in centerpieces for your wedding,” she says. “If you have a budget in mind for your flowers, make your wish list of what you have in mind for your wedding and reach out to a few florists to see how far you can get on the budget you have set.”

Charleston-based destination wedding planner Augusta Cole believes the conversation starts with what actually makes something affordable. “Maybe something feels more affordable if it is also sustainable and reusable,” she says. “Even something that easily translates into your home life after the event, something that can have a second life makes what is perhaps an upfront investment feel like it has a longer shelf life and value.”

Meet the Expert

• Kiara Hancock is a wedding designer, floral designer, day-of coordinator, and the founder of K. Hancock Events based in Seattle, WA.
• Augusta Cole is a wedding planner and the founder of Augusta Cole Weddings & Events based in Charleston, SC.

Whether you decide to rent or purchase the elements that come together as centerpieces , when it comes to affordability, you can make it cost-effective. You want every table to feel like they’ve been treated with a similar touch of thoughtfulness. Read on to discover 34 centerpiece ideas that make a big impact on the design, but not on your wallet, no matter your wedding style.

Use Colorful Taper Candles

Photo by Michelle Scott Photography

The presence of colorful taper candles will bring fun and vibrancy to your wedding design. This modern wedding chose a variety of colors to create a unique look for the reception.

Pick Potted Plants

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Lisa Poggi ; PLANNING BY: Exclusive Italy Weddings ; FLORAL DESIGN BY La Rosa Canina  

“One of my favorite ways to decorate is potted plants,” says Cole. “Blooming florals, citrus trees, potted ferns in pretty containers, you truly can keep these and pop them in your garden, pot them at home—you can even donate them to the church or synagogue you were married in for them to plant on the property!” Your selection could include your personal favorites, or perhaps even something that’s prolific within the area. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Carmen Santorelli ; PLANNING BY All Who Wander Events ; FLORAL DESIGN BY Days of May Florals  

“I love mixing things up at a reception to create visual interest and add texture. It is also a strategy you can use to help bring your floral costs down,” says Hancock. “Instead of having centerpieces at every table, you can have 2-3 designated designs for your reception. For example, some tables can have floral centerpieces, others can have loose greenery on them, while the rest can have sets of bud vases with singles of your favorite blooms and votives.” This vintage-inspired garden wedding in the Bronx incorporated towering vases on some tables and smaller compote arrangements at others, dispersing the florals in a number of ways.

Entertain Beyond the Day

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Patricia Lyons Photography ; PLANNING BY Easton Events ; FLORAL DESIGN BY The Vine

Consider the focal point and pick and choose exactly what you’d want to live longer than the wedding day and become a part of your entertaining arsenal. A great way to do that is with centerpiece vessels.  “The more intimate the wedding, the easier it is to do this,” shares Cole. “If you’re doing a table for 50, or even a party for 100, there could be some value in investing in entertaining pieces that you’ll use again at home.” When the party’s over, share the wealth! “Give some of the pieces to your parents or in-laws. You get something really special, and then the investment lives on.”

Let the Family Heirlooms Shine

Photo by Peony Park Photography

If sustainability is on your mind, Cole encourages a dialogue with your creative partners early on in the process. One way this could come to life is by using pre-existing family heirlooms as part of the design of the centerpieces . This opens up a layer of affordability by making do with what you already have, and the sentimental value can’t be beat! Showcasing a family collection of silver or other vases adds a touching element and your guests will love the story.

Single-Stem Standouts

PHOTOGRAPHY Branco Prata ; PLANNER Jeannette Tavares of Evoke Design & Creative ; FLORAL DESIGN Areias do Sexio RENTALS Aqueduto Events ; Rise Portugal  

Perfect for the minimalist couple, a scattering of vases with single stems can cut down on the cost of flowers significantly. In this instance, choosing more exotic or unique florals that make a big impact just on their own can elevate a reception focused on the details. Each vase essentially becomes a piece of art, like this table at this couple’s destination wedding in Portugal .

Accessorize With Fruit

PHOTO BY  A BITTER ORANGE PHOTOGRAPHY

A design element we hope never goes away, Cole shares that fruit as an added element of color and elegance can make a large impact even for a smaller budget. “Fruit immediately elevates! Cut citrus or bowls of cherries add color, seasonality, personality, without a lot the requirement of a lot of arranging or prepping.”

Use Pampas Grass

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH WELLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Pampas grass is a super popular pick for bohemian weddings and it doesn't come at too high of a cost. Since they take up more space, you can easily fill up tables with this fluffy dried grass.

Find Statement-Making Solo Blooms

PHOTO by Ryon Lockhart Photography ; WEDDING PLANNing by Two Kindred Event Planners ; FLORAL DESIGN by Buds of Brooklyn  

A design that highlights a handful of statement-making single blooms within one tablescape will make things more affordable based on the sheer quantity alone. This fall wedding incorporated large dahlias and roses, a true showing of “less is more.” In doing so, it becomes more about the flower having its moment to express itself more than multiple different flowers would do in one singular arrangement.

Pick Out Perfect Pottery

Photo by Kaylee Chelsea Photography

Cole suggests the design idea of beautiful white pottery or ceramics from a local artisan. It’s an element of design that will last long past the big day. “Wherever we can, we’d love to incorporate a ‘second life’ scenario for plants, floral, etc.” That can be an upfront conversation rather than reacting. There are more and more companies coming up with ways to support that—having the actual plan in place that will make that more achievable.

Embrace Pattern Play

PHOTO by Olivia Leigh Photographie  

Is it possible that the most affordable centerpiece is… possibly no centerpiece? This couple’s lakefront Illinois wedding was heavy on the pattern and light on the centerpieces. The mixture of texture and color that a combination of floral printed napkins and tablecloths bring to the table might eliminate the need for a centerpiece completely, but be full of life and vibrant design. “If you go more heavily patterned on the tablecloth, you could go more simple on the floral,” Cole says. Regardless, “every guest should sit down amongst a similar level of design layering and intrigue.”

Use Candles Only

PHOTO by Sara Lobla ; WEDDING PLANNing by Majorca Weddings  

The dream-like quality of a design featuring only candles of varying shapes and sizes, like this stunning wedding reception in Mallorca , is a design that Cole can absolutely advocate for and embrace fully, no matter the wedding style! “That’s always a great solution; you can even rent racks of votives very inexpensively. If you time the reception right, you can begin just as the light is fading for a major wow factor.”

Put Favors Front and Center

PHOTO by Liron Erel of Echoes & Wild Heart Of The Wedding Artist Collective ; FLORAL DESIGN by Green Factory Chania  

While some couples have more of a penchant for favors than others, incorporating gifts for your guests as part of the focal point of the design is a unique and surprising way to elevate a centerpiece. This summer wedding on the Greek island of Crete featured bottles and jars of local olive oil and salt for guests to use.

Take that a step further and adopt a similar design idea in multiples, allowing guests to take a piece of the day home with them.

Go for Greenery

Photo by Phil Chester ; Event Planning by Karen Morlet Eventos; Style & Floral Design by María Limón ;

“Have fun with greenery! It’s gorgeous and you can do that en masse,” says Cole. Greenery on rustic farm tables for a chic barn wedding is undoubtedly lush and full of life while remaining elegant in design and execution. Ask your florist what ‘filler’ greenery can be strung together as a garland, and have tables overflowing with it.

Keep It Loose

PHOTO by Tec Petaja ; WEDDING planning by Jessica Sloane ; FLORAL DESIGN by Vintage Florals  

Want greenery but prefer a more simplistic look and feel? Scattered pieces of greenery, whether mixed or just one kind, can bring cohesiveness to a tablescape centerpiece. Let the greenery serve as the element that holds the other individual pieces together, perhaps candlesticks or votives, or even other pops of green incorporated throughout the ceremony design.

Lay Down Vines

PHOTO by Erich McVey ; WEDDING PLANNING & DESIGN by Alise Taggart ; FLORAL DESIGN by Forage Botanical  

This Atlanta wedding was inspired by The Secret Garden, incorporating drapey foliage for an elegant, Old World European vision at Swan House. Layered amongst candles and a gorgeous silk runner, smilax stole the show. The waxy, dark green vines take on a life of their own, weaving effortlessly throughout long farm tables as a centerpiece that gives you more bang for your buck. A little smilax goes a long way—a perfect option for when it comes to affordability!

Show Off a Bud Vase Collection

PHOTO by Samm Blake ; FLORAL DESIGN by Doe and Jay Studio ; DAY-OF COORDINATion by The Day Of Company  

“English floral design is very en vogue right now. Traditional English weddings incorporate florals a little more sparingly, with clusterings of bud vases and the like,” says Cole. With fewer flowers needed, this simple look can translate well for a minimal wedding, true English garden design, and for weddings large and small.

Don’t Forget to Look Up

PHOTOGRAPHY: Melissa Oholendt Photography; WEDDING PLANNER: Mother of the Bride Weddings ; FLORAL DESIGN: Martha's Gardens  

This classic wedding in Minnesota was light on the table decor and overflowing when it came to elevated—literally—design! Take the design up, if the reception space is conducive to it, and have hanging greenery as the focal point ‘centerpiece.’ It’s unexpected and will cover more ground than keeping track of multiple centerpieces.

Combine Food and Decor

Photo by SoCal Standard

If you are making food the star of the show at your wedding reception, put it on display on your table. At this desert wedding , a family-style gourmet meal and a few unique pieces like pottery and small florals made for a stunning arrangement.

Ground With a Runner

PHOTO BY KAREN HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Simplicity in its purest form, if you’re planning for long tables for your guests, a runner can be understated and elegant. Gorgeous silk runners come in a variety of hues and linen or burlap styles can create a neutral base. You can accent with candles or keep it ultra-simple and just opt for the runner as the star of the show.

Display Bowls of Fruit

PHOTOGRAPHY: Christina McNeill ; WEDDING PLANNER: Ruby & Rose ; FLORAL DESIGN: Lambert Floral Studio  

Even if you utilize this trend as decor only and not for consumption, bowls of fruit as the main centerpiece, accented by votives like this rooftop wedding in San Francisco , can cut down on costs tremendously. “It’s so beautiful and natural; to add fruit to the mix, bowls of lemons or limes, tropical fruit mixed with maidenhair ferns—it’s not DIY, it’s good taste,” says Cole.

Bring the Farm to Table

We know fruit can have its moment in the wedding design, but what about vegetables? Absolutely! A plethora of cabbages or artichokes graced the tables of this wedding in Spain , and for the better. This would be perfect for a rustic, wedding or an intimate wedding in the country highlighting the bounty of harvest and the abundance of your life ahead as a married couple.

Group Small Glass Vases

PHOTOGRAPHER: D'Arcy Benincosa ; FLORAL DESIGN: Phoebe M  

Choose a statement flower that will really catch the eyes of your guests. Instead of turning them into a large arrangement, keep it simple and arrange a handful of small, inexpensive glass vases—perhaps from your florist or even as rentals—together as a centerpiece. This can be done on round or long tables alike, and keeps things crisp and clean, while still being bold and chic.

Curate Statement Vases

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sylvie Gil

WEDDING PLANNER: Jesse Tombs for Alison Events ; FLORAL DESIGN: Charlotte & Daughters ; RENTALS & DÉCOR: Frances Lane , Found Vintage Rentals , Hensley Event Resources , Got Light , La Tavola Fine Linens  

Wow your guests with pieces that make a big statement! Vases in a variety of motifs or designs can serve to carry the load. This wedding in San Francisco boasted large, ornate blue and white ginger jars at the ends of each series of long tables; the remaining centerpiece items were much smaller floral arrangements.

By investing in a handful of large pieces that serve as ‘bookends’ to the design, and keeping it simple for the in-between, you’ll definitely save.

Embrace Baby’s Breath

PHOTOGRAPHY: Cassandra Castaneda ; WEDDING PLANNER: Sarah-Allen Preston Designs ; FLORAL DESIGN: Trapp and Company  

Baby’s breath certainly has the ability to be the hero of the centerpiece—and keep you way under budget. The inexpensive flower looks best in bunches. A runner made exclusively of baby’s breath eliminates the additional cost of flowers that baby’s breath would historically serve as an accessory for and creates an ethereal, floating garden sense of design. When it comes to this flower, more is more.

Create Palm Leaf Towers

PHOTO BY  EVERENCE PHOTO

We’ve covered tropical palm leaves as table runners, but the eye-catching fronds are an incredible element of design in vases too! Their height and vibrancy mean you can probably get away with needing less than you think, which saves you money, and also brings the focus solely to the center of the table, where the design is best experienced.

Have Fun With Table Numbers

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tida Svy ; COORDINATOR: Claudia Casanova of One Darling Day ; FLOWERS: Shindig Chic

Table numbers can pull double duty on keeping things organized and easy to find, and can also be a unique alternative to a traditional centerpiece. Let each piece make a statement as the focal point and work backward from there. Even if your table markers aren’t numerical but rather a nod to something special to you as a couple, it’s possible to keep it festive and affordable.

Seasonal Florals

PHOTOGRAPHY: Amy & Stuart ; WEDDING PLANNER: Alison and Bryan ; FLORAL DESIGN: Camellia Floral Design

“ Seasonality is key when it comes to saving money on your centerpieces. If you use flowers that are in season for your wedding date, you can save big,” says Hancock. “The main reason for that is because you can find them locally. If you're hiring a florist, ask them what flowers will be in season for your big day.”

By choosing what’s in bloom in season, you get to show off the best of the season, and perhaps use the money you’ve saved by shopping seasonally to get more in quantity and quality. “Reach out to or visit your local flower farms and neighborhood wholesalers to understand what they will have available for your wedding,” encourages Hancock.

Arrange Ikebana Florals

Photo by Chellise Michael Photography

The Japanese art of floral arrangement is known as Ikebana. This style is simple, minimalistic, and absolutely exquisite. The florals for this Charleston wedding are artfully arranged in this style and serve as a tasteful elevation of wedding centerpiece design. Your florist will know which blooms will be best utilized for this style of design, where less is definitely more.

To Rent or to Own

Photo by Megan Robinson

Have a serious conversation with your planner or florist to consider what actually makes sense for your design when it comes to renting or purchasing design pieces to own. “It’s all about quantity. Rental can be more affordable in high quantities. There’s a threshold where investing in your own pieces quickly becomes something that’s more palatable in concerns to your budget and design,” says Cole. “If you do have the luxury of having a large wedding, and you do need to rent the majority of pieces, do something special at the head table only!”

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