“The Perfect Catch” — Your Fishing Theme Wedding

Some brides know exactly what they want — a fishing theme wedding — but when they try to share their vision with friends and family, they get a bunch of skeptical or disbelieving looks in return.

The fact is, there doesn't have to be anything cheesy, embarrassing or overblown about a fishing wedding — it can be a beautiful testament to your love of the outdoors, combining rusticity and elegance with equal ease.

Here's some key ideas for turning your fishing theme reception into reality.

fishing wedding

Adirondack Chairs Personalized Mints
"Purse Valet" Stainless-Steel Handbag Holder
Holiday Box Favor Kits (Set of 10)
Pack of 25 Nautical Bitty Bags

Create a real focal point at one end of the room by propping up a wooden canoe or kayak (rent, or ask around for a friend who'll lend one). Fill with an elegant assortment of cattails, rushes and tall grasses. Place a "water feature" near the canoe — but instead of a classical-style Greek fountain, try an easy-to-make fountain of your own design using anything from stacked stones to copper bowls and trays ... and an inexpensive submersible pump.

Spice up your tables with centerpieces of cattails, pussy willows, driftwood or hurricane lamps. Surround each centerpiece with a scattering of sea glass or polished pebbles. Place decoy ducks here and there throughout — stick to restrained colors or old, vintage carvings for maximal elegance. A few decoy swans or blue herons placed where you want to draw the eye will also lend some drama with their willowy forms and extra height.

fishing wedding

Adirondack chair Use large fishing nets to frame a strategic space (like the cake table or the wedding arch you'll migrate to the reception), but don't just leave them plain. Instead, you're going to decorate them with an eye-catching collection of flyfishing lures and bobbers.

Choose a striking variety of feathers, brass bodies, shimmering crankbaits and other appealing designs — buy the lures whole, or order just the parts from a specialty supplier. If you're starting with whole lures, take a pair of wire cutters and carefully dispose of the barbs, using needle-nose pliers to turn the tips back. After all, you don't want your favorite nephew getting hooked on the nose as you're about to exchange "I Dos."

Now, using the remaining wire and some extra helper wire you've got on hand (grab from any craft store), secure your lures to the fishing net for a one-of-a-kind screen.

You can use the same treatment to create dramatic, bare-branch centerpieces — arrange a collection of branches in quick-drying cement (for sturdiness), place in a reed or grapevine basket, and decorate likewise with your lures and wire. Use some of that extra wire to create dramatic, silver loops and swoops around the branches, too.

And before the reception even starts, set the tone by having the flower girl walk down the aisle holding flower petals in a hand net ... or ending your recessional beneath a ceremonial arch of fishing poles (or wooden paddles) held aloft by the groomsmen.

Decorating Cheat Sheet

Here's a few more ways to add some fun fresh-water touches to your wedding:

Adirondack Glamor. • Borrow a few adirondack chairs to tuck in your venue's corners, then tart them up with wicker baskets or creel boxes (or even rubber waders!) filled with garden flowers. Plus, bypass the usual boring guestbook. Instead, ask your guests to pen their best wishes on a bridal-white adirondack chair with a black sharpie. After the festivities wind up, cover with a topcoat of polyurethane, and let this sweet reminder grace your porch or garden.

Extra-Oardinary Decor. • Use rustic wooden signs or painted paddles to direct your guests to the reception area, gift table and other important spots. You can also suspend oars from the ceiling with clear monofilament, then hang nets from the paddles for a dramatic and memorable space divider.

Gifting Guests. • On the lookout for clever favors? On the simple side, tuck a few chocolate guppies, gummy worms or Swedish fish into "fish net" (tulle circles). Or, if you're feeling crafty, treat your guests to some one-of-a-kind wine charms or wind chimes you've designed with pretty beads and lures.

Out-of-town guests are sure to appreciate a little pick-me-up in the form of a creel basket filled with smoked salmon and crackers, a personalized Koozie or cup cooler, and a savory snack mix of cereal, pretzels and fish crackers.

Bottoms Up! • Ask your favorite bartender to design a signature drink with graduated colors, and call it a Rainbow Trout. Serve in a Collins glass with fresh springs of mint.

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17 Comments

  1. Elizabeth C Says:

    Does anyone know where I can find some nice fishing nets to add to the tables as decoration? I have looked everywhere and everything I find looks cheap. I want something of good quality and strong and sturdy. Help! Thanks.

  2. eric r Says:

    i am looking for personalized lures for a wedding gift

  3. kyang Says:

    Hi I am looking for miniature fishing rod hanging into a centerpiece of water with gold fishes. Any places or websites that might sell these small fishing rods?

  4. Sarah Says:

    What did you do for a bouquets- the brides and the bridesmaids?

  5. Sherry Says:

    :d this idea is awesome..any other similiar ideas?

  6. Melinda Says:

    Nancy,

    How are they listed on Ebay. I’ve tried finding them there but am having trouble locating them.

    Thanks,
    Melinda

  7. Nancy Says:

    Leslie,

    Ebay. That is where I found mine. Exactly 6 inches :)

  8. Melinda Says:

    Hey Leslie….I don’t know what state you live in, but here in Washington a lot of people seem to have bamboo in their yards. The house next to us does so we are using some of their bamboo to make small old fashioned cane poles to be used on the tables. I am going to take fishing line and a fake hook to hang our table signs on. The signs will have names of different rivers in WA and the guests will locate their tables by what river they are assigned to.

    The bamboo we use will not be large or too thick, just heavy enough to hold the signs. You could use smaller bamboo to make cane poles. Just a thought.

  9. bobett Says:

    i need some ideas for a centerpiece at school with the theme of fishing and camping can u post pics of them if u have them:d:">

  10. Lesley Says:

    Does anyone know where we might be able to fing mini fishing rods. Lie about 6″ in length. We would love if they were mde of wood. We have been searching and searching and cant find a thing

  11. Melinda Says:

    Hey Debbie…not married yet…May 24TH is our date.
    I don’t know if this would work or not, but could you use those large bobbers or even large sinkers that have the slit on the side? We aren’t doing individual place cards so that hasn’t been
    something we’ve thought of. Our table signs will have the names of local rivers so our guest will know where they are sitting though.
    As far as for the favors…glad you brought that up because I forgot all about that one…How about something like…”Catch of the Day”
    Melinda and Mark (I’ll use our names) May 24, 2008… We are using a candy company out of Indiana that specialize in fish candies. We will put them in individual bags and set them on the tables. They even have little bags in the shape of fish available as well as the clear celephane bags. Not sure which ones we will use yet.
    I just put together our STD’s which I designed and am thrilled with how those turned out. They will go out next week.
    Hope these ideas are some help. Take care and Happy New Year!

  12. Debbie Says:

    Thanks for the ideas..Wondering????
    Do you have any idea on place card holders? and a “catchy” phrase to print for the favors?
    Did Melinda or Kristi have their wedding yet?

  13. Blake@FavorIdeas Says:

    Hi all, I just wanted to post some really interesting fishing theme groom’s cakes I ran across. Enjoy!

  14. Melinda Says:

    Thanks BrooklynBride those are very nice. I will show them to my fiance. I spoke with my florist and told her of my idea to add a simple fly to the boutonniere and she really liked that idea as well. I have also decided to have my maids carry lanterns instead of a traditional bouquet since night fishing is done by lantern light. I found lanterns at IKEA for around $4 a piece and we may add some ivy or other decoration to them as well. They can then be placed on the head table as center pieces. We also liked all the underlying meanings to the Maids carrying the lanterns.
    Thanks again, and please keep those suggestions coming!!!

  15. Blake@FavorIdeas Says:

    How cute is this? BrooklynBride just posted about Fishing Lure Boutonnieres by Jack Spade. Very cool find!

  16. Melinda Says:

    :d Like KristiSays I too was thrilled to find this site! My fiance and I are avid fishermen and wanted to have this as our theme as well but weren’t quite sure how to pull it off. We are planning to decorate the isle with rods and reals to form a gothic archway for us to walk under. We will tie the line and reel them in taunt to form an arch effect and we will purchase rod holders that will attach to the isle chairs where they will be kept secure.
    I would love to hear from anyone who has additional ideas that they will be using or would just like to offer.
    Now I am even more excited!!! Thanks!!!\:d/

  17. Kristi Says:

    I can’t even tell you how awesome it was to find this website!! My fiance and I decided on this theme because it was how he proposed to me; out on a boat in Canada! Unfortunately, I was at a loss as to how to make this look elegant instead of tacky. Now I can’t wait to try these ideas out!! THANK YOU!!

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