The Best Striped Wedding Ideas for Every Type of Celebration

There's no shortage of themes and patterns that you can use throughout your wedding, but when you stop and think about it, you'll realize that there's one motif that works for just about every style of celebration: stripes. The pattern may seem inherently classic or preppy, but because you can alternate any color combinations you like, stripes are truly amenable to any wedding's vibe. What's more, there are so many different ways you can use stripes throughout your ceremony and reception—and even in advance of the big day—meaning that you can go as subtle or as bold with the pattern as you like. Start by introducing them in your wedding stationery, then, on the big day itself, you can wear stripes, decorate with them, drink with them, or even eat them (you'll see!).

Striped accents also play nicely together. Need proof? Just look at this couple's reception tent, designed by Calder Clark. The planner introduced a variety of different striped elements—including a rug, a cabana, and a one-of-a-kind dance floor—in the print without the space becoming too busy. If you're not crazy about mixing striped elements, know that you don't have to. Make a statement with a striped runner on your reception tables or introduce a striped motif on your day-of paper goods, like your ceremony program, escort cards, and dinner menus.

Last but not least, it's important to call out the fact that there are several different types of stripes, including the pin stripe, the bengal stripe, the candy stripe, the ticking stripe, and more. That means that whether you're preppy, modern, traditional, or bold, you can choose the pattern that feels most like an extension of your personal style. To prove it, we've rounded up a number of our favorite ways to add the linear pattern to your wedding day. Here, you'll find everything from an all-over print to just a few lines at nuptials.

Add some visual interest to a simple table with striped linens. These napkins were custom, but you can check out the rental options or consider buying napkins in bulk—and then you can split them up between your family or wedding party and have sets for future dinner parties in the years to come.

Cheree Berry Paper took an awning stripe and incorporated it into this classic invitation suite, shifting the orientation and scale on the various pieces.

If you love stripes, make them a key part of your big-day décor. This wedding featured a rented bar with a green-and-white striped front, but if you're not finding a rental you like, you can upgrade a classic white bar with painters tape or artists' tape.

You can find striped paper straws in just about every color—Bio and Chic offers a large selection, meaning you can choose a combination that works with your signature cocktail, just as this couple did here.

For these menus, stripes were turned on a 45-degree angle and printed next to an outline of the meal by LA Lovely Ink. This couple gets bonus points for pairing them with a matching table runner.

Frosted Affair flanked a traditional wedding cake with a pair of smaller striped desserts. The combo provided a nice mix of feminine and masculine style to the table.

If you love stripes, wear them on the big day. This bride chose to wear striped shoes instead of a patterned wedding dress, but you can really introduce them in any way you'd like.

A striped aisle runner was the perfect way for this couple to showcase their favorite pattern on the big day.

The groom (and even his groomsmen) can get in on the theme by wearing a patterned bow tie, just like this well-dressed groom did.

Muted arrangements by Kickstand Events were a fun juxtaposition to the tasseled table runners at this poolside celebration. If you're going bold with your striped accents, keeping everything else subtle ensures your space doesn't become too busy.

Striped linens don't have to be bold. Ashton Events dressed these tables with banded tablecloths from Kate Ryan Linens that featured stripes only on the very bottom.

Give your guests a cool spot to hang during a sunny cocktail hour (or over a lounge area at the reception) with striped patio umbrellas. This couple and their parents actually hand-painted stripes on to theirs.

If you love to wear stripes in your daily life, why not wear them on your wedding day, too? This bride donned a banded wedding dress with a subtle white-on-white striped pattern.

To keep this reception table clean and elevated, just one color additional color was used beside a striped pattern. Greenery served as an accent on the black-and-white runners while complementary striped ribbons were used around the napkins, favor boxes, and even some of the centerpiece vases.

This bride and groom traded in basic white napkins for striped ones with a hint of gold-foil. The result was a personalized cocktail hour without too much effort.

Stripes can feature more than just two colors, as this invitation by Hip Ink Paper Co. goes to show. Here, the stationer used a gradient of teals to plums in a watercolor style, but any hues you like would work.

On an otherwise neutral tablescape, small striped details can have a big impact. Here, it came in the form of a neatly striped napkin on each plate.

Fill the room with stripes without overdoing it by renting chair cushions in the signature print, just as this couple did.

Stripes fit right in at a nautical celebration, which is why these bags of anchor-stamped cookies were tied off with navy-and-white striped ribbons.

Hot pink peonies look great in just about any type of vase or vessel. But why not give them an equally impactful container, like striped cylinders?

At this event, Calder Clark used stripes on the tables and above them. Neatly-folded striped napkins were set on each plate, while patterned lampshades were suspended over the head table.

Stripes can help transform your lounge areas. Traditional furniture was customized for this event with striped cushions, pillows, and drapery. 

Wow Factor Cakes upgraded this otherwise classic white wedding cake with a mix of both thin and thick black stripes. The striped pattern on the bow was the perfect finishing touch.

Adding this linear pattern in small doses can have a big effect. Here, Events by I Candy used striped sashes to mark just the bride and groom's chairs at the reception.