Visit Martha Stewart Weddings Weddings Wedding Ceremony & Reception Wedding Décor & Details Wedding Centerpieces Unexpected Ways to Use Succulents as Part of Your Wedding Décor By Lauren Pardee Lauren Pardee Lauren is a former associate digital editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 24, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Custock Photography Although succulents aren't traditional wedding plants, they have been a favorite amongst brides and grooms for some time now. We can see why this greenery trend is still around—succulents are durable, colorful, and low maintenance—which is why they are a no-brainer accent for your big day. After all, if they can thrive in an arid desert, they can definitely make it through your wedding. Ultimately, they're the perfect choice for any event's locale (but they'll look especially at-home if your venue is located in a dry-weather climate). Another reason why this plant is so loved by soon-to-be newlyweds? Their sturdy make-up. Feel free to use them as escort cards (they're the perfect base for calligraphy!), place card holders, and napkin rings—however you integrate them into your design landscape, you don't have to worry about this flora falling apart. They also make cute and reliable cake toppers (as evidenced by this B.R. Sweets treat) and confection decorations; their sturdy weight ensures they won't blow away in a breeze. A succulent's bold structure can also define the shape of a bouquet or centerpiece, making it the ideal statement plant. Succulents come in a plethora of shapes and colors—viper's bowstring hemp features tall leaves with a dark green hue, while echeveria elegans showcase shorter, rounder mint shoots. You can even opt for burro's tail, a lime cascading iteration, or spiral aloe that grows in circular form. As you'll note from the images ahead, any succulent you choose will bring earthy texture and a touch of modernity to your event. 01 of 26 Escort Card Favors B.Willow Thanks to their long lifespan, potted succulent escort cards can double as plant wedding favors that'll remind guests of your celebration for years to come. These thoughtful gifts were created by Lemon & Lime Event Design. 25 Ideas for the Prettiest Calligraphed Escort Cards 02 of 26 Warm-Weather Altar Birds of a Feather Use warm-weather plants like succulents and cacti to lend earthy flair to your desert altar, like this one by Ro & Co. Trending Now: Cactus Wedding Ideas 03 of 26 Ring Box Leslie D. Photography Place a succulent inside a glass terrarium to create a ring box that nods to your big-day vegetation. The bloom's structured leaves will hold your bauble in place. Ring Boxes to Have and to Hold Your Wedding Bands 04 of 26 Napkin Rings JoPhoto Succulent napkin rings can help tie your simple place settings into your greenery-centric centerpieces, as evidenced by this LB Floral and The Quarry Venue design. The Prettiest Place Settings from Real Celebrations 05 of 26 Green Tablescape Joshua Aull Photography Make like Francine Ribeau Events and Isari Flower Studio and enhance your earthy green tablescape with succulent centerpieces. 50 Wedding Centerpiece Ideas We Love 06 of 26 Statement Blooms Elena Wolfe If you're looking for a bouquet plant that won't get lost in a sea of statement blooms, opt for succulents—they are structured enough to stand out amongst bold flora. Flowers by the River's clutch is proof. 64 White Wedding Bouquets 07 of 26 Place Card Holders Anna Roussos Nod to your garden wedding theme by using tiny succulents as unique place card holders. White Ribbon Boutique Events chose the bud to display Michaela McBride name tags. 20 Unique Place Card Holders to Elevate Your Reception Tables 08 of 26 Greenery Wall Jessie Schultz Photography Add an organic touch to your industrial venue with a greenery wall that features different succulents. Ruffle Effect created this design. A Wedding Trend We're Loving: Living Walls 09 of 26 Sturdy Plants Melissa Jill Photography Make plant escort cards out of succulents so they'll stay intact as guests handle them. Gold Leaf Event Design & Production's iterations are proof that the sturdy vegetation will last—these held up weighted pieces of plexiglass, cut to look like hot air balloons. Outdoor Escort Cards That Won't Fly Away 10 of 26 Desert Treat The Nichols Celebrate your desert wedding venue with a cake that's decorated with greenery native to the area. Coco Paloma Desserts did just that by finishing off this confection with succulents. The Prettiest Ombré Wedding Cakes for Couples Who Love Color 11 of 26 Calligraphed Cards Blush Wedding Photography Succulents make great paper escort card holders because their grooved leaves ensure calligraphed assignments won't blow away. Just take these Balconi Floral Design Studio and Fox & Flourish ones, for example; they also doubled as favors. 20 Elegant Ways to Decorate Your Wedding with Calligraphy 12 of 26 Boutonnière Bundle Emily Delamater Photography Looking for a more masculine take on a floral boutonnière? Substitute traditional blooms for a tiny bundle of succulents to lend a unique accent to your groom's look. 64 Boutonnières You Both Will Love 13 of 26 Reflective Favors Jessica Bordner Photography Succulent favors will help remind guests of all the amazing memories from your soirée long after it's over. This couple gifted purple-and-green Shop Succulents plants, which nodded to their colorful, earthy celebration. The gold vessels also represented the event's metallic color scheme. 23 Seasonal Summer Wedding Favors 14 of 26 Tiny Treat Eddie Judd Handing out mini single-serving confections that match your larger big-day cake? Decorate your tiny treats with small florals that also complement your life-size dessert. Cakes by Krishanthi used petite succulents to do just that. 52 Small Wedding Cakes with a Big Presence 15 of 26 Colorful Clutch Carlie Statsky Photography Opt for two shades of green in your bouquet—Seascape Flowers created this arrangement—by rounding out kelly-green succulents with darker filler plants for a dynamic display. 34 Romantic Red Wedding Bouquets 16 of 26 Masculine Accent Chris Barber Photography If your cake is as modern and masculine as this concrete-inspired Cakes by Krishanthi confection, a colorful floral topper might look out of place (too feminine!). The solution? Add structural succulents (either fresh or sugar iterations will do!), instead. 21 Slate and Stone Décor Ideas That Will Modernize Your Wedding 17 of 26 Centerpiece Focal Point Erin McGinn Photography Thanks to their bold look, succulents can anchor your centerpieces. Flowers by Semia framed a massive echeveria violet queen—which served as the focal point of this arrangement—with greenery and thistle. 20 Beautiful Ways to Add a Pop of Green to Your Wedding 18 of 26 Springy Palette Jana Dillon Photography Remake Bella Bloom's arrangement for a floral decoration that's perfect for spring. The mix of white hydrangeas, blush garden roses, and pale blue succulents created the perfect pastel color palette. The Prettiest Spring Wedding Centerpieces 19 of 26 Cake Topper Lavender and Twine If you've already chosen to forgo a traditional wedding cake, why not opt for a unique topper, too? We love how The Scoota Baker finished off this fondant confection with succulents and garden roses by Twig & Twine. 36 of the Best Wedding Cake Toppers 20 of 26 Contrasting Buds Jen Jinkens Recreate this Bloom & Blueprint bouquet by contrasting soft white garden roses and hydrangeas with structured green succulents for a refined, but still organic clutch. 52 Gorgeous Winter Wedding Bouquets 21 of 26 Father of the Bride Jen Huang Photography Help your father stand out in a unique way by gifting him a succulent accessory for his lapel. 74 Emotional Father-Daughter Wedding Photos 22 of 26 Silver-Painted Antlers and Succulents Jessica Lorren Photography Add earthy and metallic accents to your tablescape to complement your bohemian wedding theme. Bluebird Productions incorporated silver-painted antlers into this succulent, peony, and dahlia centerpiece by Bare Root Flora. Boho-Chic Wedding Ideas for Free-Spirited Brides and Grooms 23 of 26 Aisle Decoration Bryce Covey Photography Enhance your wedding aisle with blooms that reference your big-day design. This desert ceremony featured succulents, coral peonies, and ranunculus from Mindy Rice Floral and Event Design; they matched the event's peach-and-green color palette. 35 Altar and Aisle Decorations We Love 24 of 26 Winter Accessory Shannon Von Eschen These Bare Root Flora boutonnières, made from brunia, seeded eucalyptus, thistle, dusty miller, spray roses, privet berries, and dry pods, would lend a wintry feel to the groomsmen's big-day ensembles. How to Put on a Boutonnière 25 of 26 Short Buds Bryce Covey Photography When designing your centerpieces, opt for shorter flora so guests can see (and speak with) one another across the table. Mindy Rice Floral & Event Design did just that with bright arrangements of coral amaryllis, succulents, orange parrot tulips, roses, white freesia, tangerine ranunculus, and blush grevillea. 28 of the Prettiest Rustic Wedding Centerpieces 26 of 26 Potted Centerpieces Vienna Glenn Photography Add unexpected, earthy textures to your floral centerpieces by featuring terra-cotta-potted succulents with clusters of hydrangeas and pink roses. Trending Now: Terra-Cotta Wedding Décor Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit