19 Library Wedding Ideas
Your significant other shares your excitement about collecting first editions, and now you want to incorporate that into your wedding. What better way than getting married in a library full of stories about love, adventure, and devotion that have been cherished for years to come?
A library wedding will provide you with tall bookcases, rich wood tones, and a serene vibe your guests will never forget.
Advice on seating guests in vintage card catalogues and library-themed centerpieces are just the start. Whether you plan to host your wedding ceremony and reception in a library or simply want to use literary inspirations for decorations, we have curated library wedding inspiration that will have your guests reading between the lines about how dreamy your wedding was.
Book Themed Guest Book
Instead of having guests signing a dull guest book, use old books as a stack decor. The books have all been painted white on the spine so guests can write their names and well wishes.
Some bookish couples will go as far as painting the inside of each spine to depict scenes from their love story while others will keep it simple with gold paint to write “Chapter One” or “Happily Ever After.”
This library themed guest book is one that you can take home and add to your bookshelf afterwards.
Literary Quotes Centerpieces
Books are not only meant to be read. You can easily grab some of your favorite novels to use as centerpieces.
You could even personalize this library wedding idea even more by using love quotes for your centerpieces allowing guests to read your book collection as they mingle and make conversation with each other during dinner. Not only is this a great way to use some of your extra books but you could even use quotes that are special to you as a couple or even just to you.
Best for: Intimate and medium-sized library wedding venues or couples who would like to use literary quotes as a base for decorations.
Stacked Book Wedding Cake
This beautiful cake is crafted to emulate vintage books that have been stacked on top of each other. There is gold detailing on the edges of each “book” to make it appear elegant.
Guests at your library wedding would think this is just a decoration before they realize it is actually edible.
The cake tells your story without you having to utter a single word. Way better than a plain white cake with buttercream flowers.
And you do not need a library card to read this book.
Bookshelf Photo Backdrop
Take your library wedding up a notch and wow your guests with a photo backdrop they will flock to by providing a bookshelf for your guests to take photos in front of.
You can really use bookshelves for any area of your library wedding. They can be used as a backdrop for where you will stand during your ceremony, be hung as a decoration on your walls, or used as an accent wall behind your head table.
Best for: Couples getting a library wedding or using books for decorations. Small weddings because you definitely want your guests cramming in to take pictures in front of this gorgeous bookshelf.
Literary Cocktail Menu
Wedding guests will be impressed by how creative you were with your cocktail menu as you name them after famous novels.
They will spend the whole night debating whether or not Ernest Hemingway would like the cocktail named after him.
Not only will this be a conversation starter but it will not take over the whole room. Little details such as this are what will make your library wedding stand out.
Book Themed Wedding Favors
You know those brown paper packages tied up with strings? They’re every book lovers favorite thing —now wedding favors!
Amy and Brad decided to make their bookshelves into a mysterious gift to have their guests wonder what could possibly be inside. Not only does wrapping the books like this create a fun book-inspired blind date vibe, but only showing the authors name adds more mystery to it. Amy and Brad included a sweet handwritten sign that allowed guests to take home a piece of their loved books.
The best part about these book-themed wedding favors is that they will leave your guests thinking about your wedding months down the road. Someone will grab their book to read and suddenly remember how they got it from your very own library.
Book Page Bouquets
There is no reason why your bridal bouquet should only be filled with flowers. Give guests another thing to ooh and ah over with bouquets made of paper book pages.
REAL flowers die, but this bouquet can be preserved forever.
Vintage Book Decor
Look at how rustic these old vintage books look with hints of greenery tied in between them. ITIs THE perfect library wedding idea.
There is nothing like fairy lights wrapped in between books that shine when the evening comes.
My best friend did this for her wedding last winter and it was GORGEOUS. She went through her grandparents book collection to find old books that had significant meaning to her and her husband’s relationship.
Book Table Numbers
Whow books makes the perfect table numbers because it is not only super thoughtful and themed, but it is extremely inexpensive. All you have to do is grab some old books and lean them on each table while attaching a card with the table number on it to the side or in between the pages.
It works perfectly for library themed weddings because the books are already vertical, standing up on a bookshelf. Not only will they not look out of place being used as table numbers, but they will look super natural. Books also typically use smaller fonts so that the books are not too thick. This will allow your guests to actually read the table numbers.
Best for: Small library wedding with natural settings. Fill the books with flowers and candles to make it look less like a classroom.
Reading Nook Lounge Area
Create a fun reading lounge for your guests to lounge in when they need a break from socializing. Fill it with vintage arm chairs, benches, and other seating suites.
Author Table Themes
Name your tables after your favorite authors in literature. Use their books to create centerpieces filled with beautiful calligraphy next to the stack of books.
Not only will your guests have a conversation starter, but they will also be decorating your library wedding with some of your favorite authors novels.
Your guests will not only remember your pretty décor but the story behind why you chose each book to display. It is almost as if you are telling your guests who you are as a couple without having to say a word or give a speech.
Pro Tip: Hit up your local used bookstores. You do not want to spend extra money on these books. Some books with older worn-out covers are even better because of all the character it shows. Just make sure you purchase books that are the same width.
Wedding Confetti Made Out Of Books
Who doesn’t love the sound of book confetti falling from above as you walk down the aisle? Not only will this library-theme detail be so whimsical, but you are also using recycled products that your guests will treasure forever.
All you have to do is find old books that you no longer want or go to your local thrift store and find books that you can cut up. Just make sure these aren’t anyone’s favorites books 😉
We recommend doing this with a group of friends before the wedding. Grab some cones and little books and turn it into a night of drinking wine and hanging out before your big day. Let’s be real, Its a lot less stressful then talking about wedding stuff.
Wedding Seating Chart Fit For A Library
Grab a bunch of old hardcover books (the ones with old ripped spines look coolest). Stack them upon some old rustic bookshelves then insert bookmarks with each guests name on it. Add some flowers around the books to make it less boring and add your special photo together somewhere close by.
No more having guests crowd around your small seating chart just to find their name. Little details like this allow your guests to explore your wedding like they’re on a treasure hunt. When they find their names bookmark it will be like “ theres me!” way more fun than a basic seating chart.
Not only will this wow your guests but it goes perfect with your library theme.
Library Themed Invitation
Talk about detail, this wedding invitation looks like a library card right out of the library.
The couples name is displayed as if it were a title on the book. While the wedding date is labeled as due date. SO CUTE.
These “ library cards” are being propped up by old vintage books. Maybe even some books that are your favorite classics. Then they added a cute touch of baby’s breath and small roses to make it feel more romantic but not tooover the top.
Say bye to boring wedding invitations and replace it with this creative library-theme alternative.
Writing your Guest Well Wishes On A Typewriter
Your guests are going to love the uniqueness of using an antique typewriter to type their well wishes to you and your new spouse. Not only will this detail be super special but it goes perfect with your library-themed wedding.
Typical guest books go untouched and are forgotten about. BUT when your guests receive a typed letter on actual paper they are more likely to save it and read it. Its the little things.
PRO TIP: Buy small cards that have your wedding date printed on the top. All you have to do is roll the paper in and type away! Not only will this be super cute, but you’ll have uniformed mini notebooks for guests to write on.
Book Mark Wedding Favor
Bookmarks make the perfect wedding favor for a library themed wedding or for a couple that enjoys reading. Not only are they practical but guests will love to use them when your favorite novels.
Your guests will go crazy over these book marks because they are personalized with your names, wedding date, and even maybe a quote from your favorite book.
Let your guests know how much your enjoyed having them in your library by allowing them to remember your special day every time they open up that new book they are reading.
Reading The Vows From a Book
Imagine a bride standing among tall book shelves as her lace gown glistens from the soft lighting of a library. She’s even wearing vintage lace gloves!
Not only is she blending in with her beautiful book shelf, but she is reading her vows from inside of an old book. We love how she wrote her vows on her own and decided to read them from a Jane Austin novel or maybe even a romantic poetry book.
Building your wedding around things you enjoy shows your guests that you enjoyed spending your day around things you love.
Display First Editions
Not only will this library wedding idea make your wedding look like a movie, but it will allow you to showcase your favorite first editions.
All you have to do is display some of your favorite books on top of a wooden crate. Add some soft candle light and small flower decor.
Don’t be afraid to stack books of different heights. Add candles that are different sizes as well. EVERYTHING just works together and thats what you want your wedding to do.
