Here’s something you notice when you’ve been to enough weddings: the ones people can’t stop talking about afterward? They almost always have some kind of major structural focal point. Not just pretty flowers on tables (though those matter too), but an actual architectural moment that makes you stop and think, “Wow, this is different.”
We’re talking about mandaps, trusses, and arches. The big stuff. The structures that appear in literally every ceremony photo, that frame the most important moments of your day, and that honestly do more to transform a venue than just about any other design element.
At 2Create Designs, these structural pieces are central to how we approach wedding design throughout Southern California. Whether we’re creating a custom mandap for a multi-day Indian celebration or designing an arch for an intimate garden ceremony in Orange County, these elements aren’t afterthoughts. They’re the foundation everything else builds from.
Why Structure Actually Matters
Look, you can decorate a space. That’s one thing. You put up some draping, add florals, get your lighting right, and yeah, it looks nice. But transforming a space? That requires architecture.
Think about it from your guests’ perspective. They walk into your ceremony. Where do their eyes go? Straight to wherever you’re standing. And what’s behind you becomes the visual anchor for the entire event. That backdrop appears in every single ceremony photo, every candid shot during vows, every moment when someone pulls out their phone to capture the occasion.
Structural elements do something decorative pieces can’t. They create actual spatial definition. They tell your guests “this is where the important thing is happening.” There’s a psychological weight to having a dedicated structure that just doesn’t exist when you’re standing against a blank wall or open space, no matter how prettily you’ve dressed it up.
Plus, and this matters more than people realize, these structures give you something to design around. Florals look more intentional when they’re integrated into an architectural framework. Lighting becomes dramatically more effective when you have structure to highlight. Even your color story reads clearer when there’s a defined backdrop pulling everything together.
Mandaps: Where Culture and Design Collide
If you’re not familiar with South Asian weddings, a mandap might seem like just another ceremony structure. But here’s what you need to understand: the mandap is the sacred space where the actual wedding ceremony happens. It’s not decorative. It’s foundational to the entire celebration.
Traditionally, mandaps are four-pillared structures (though contemporary designs play with this) that create a defined ceremonial space. They’re typically adorned with flowers, fabric, sometimes both. And the design possibilities? Honestly endless.
We’ve created mandaps using traditional marigold garlands that cascade down in these incredible golden curtains. We’ve designed contemporary circular mandaps with suspended floral installations. We’ve built structures that lean heavily into classic Indian aesthetics and others that feel decidedly modern while still honoring the cultural significance.
But here’s something interesting that’s been happening in the past few years: couples outside the South Asian community are seeing these structures and recognizing their potential. A mandap, stripped of its specific cultural context, is really just a four-post pergola structure. And that versatility means it works beautifully for any ceremony style that wants a defined, elegant focal point.
The practical side matters too. Mandaps are substantial structures. You need to think about venue ceiling heights, floor load capacity if you’re doing an elaborate installation, sight lines for guests, and how it photographs from multiple angles. We typically need 12-16 hours for installation on complex mandap designs, which means coordinating carefully with your venue.
From our Anaheim location, we can create fully custom mandap designs as part of comprehensive wedding packages, or we offer rental options for couples working with their own planners or taking a more DIY approach to their celebration.
Trusses: The Structure Nobody Talks About
Okay, real talk. Most couples have no idea what a truss is until we show them one. Then suddenly they’re seeing them everywhere.
Trusses are essentially structural frameworks, usually made of metal, that create the skeleton for ceremony backdrops, entrance installations, reception focal points… basically anywhere you need to build architecture where none exists. They’re workhorses.
The beauty of trusses is their flexibility. Need a 20-foot-wide ceremony backdrop in a hotel ballroom with zero architectural interest? Truss structure draped in fabric with integrated uplighting. Want a dramatic entrance installation that announces to guests they’re entering something special? Truss framework with florals and strategic lighting. Planning an outdoor ceremony on a lawn that’s just… a lawn? Truss system creates the architectural moment that defines your ceremony space.
And here’s the thing about trusses that makes them invaluable for event design: they’re built to handle weight and integrate technology. You can hang substantial floral installations from them. You can run lighting throughout the structure. You can drape them in ways that would collapse a standard pipe-and-drape system.
We use truss structures extensively for Orange County weddings because so many beautiful venues here have amazing outdoor spaces or ballrooms that are perfect blank canvases. But blank canvases need something to anchor them. Trusses give us that foundation to build from.
The design versatility is pretty remarkable. A truss structure can feel romantic and soft when you drape it in flowing fabric and integrate garden roses. It can feel modern and architectural when you leave parts exposed and use geometric floral installations. It can feel absolutely opulent when you cover it in orchids and crystal elements.
Arches: Classic for a Reason
Wedding arches have been around forever. And they’re still here because, well, they work.
There’s something about the arch shape that just reads as “ceremony.” Maybe it’s the symbolism of passing through to a new chapter, maybe it’s just that humans have been using arched doorways as significant thresholds for thousands of years. Whatever the reason, couples keep coming back to arches for good reason.
But Lord, can they vary wildly in execution.
You’ve got your classic rounded arches. Your geometric hexagon and square arches that lean more contemporary. Organic, asymmetrical arches that feel like they grew naturally. Minimalist structural arches with just a touch of floral accent versus completely lush arches where you can barely see the structure underneath all the blooms.
The material choices matter enormously here. A metal arch has a different aesthetic weight than wood. An arch that’s meant to disappear under florals requires different construction than one where the structure itself is part of the design statement.
For Southern California venues specifically, we think a lot about whether arches are going indoor or outdoor. Outdoor arches in our climate need to account for wind (more than you’d think), sun exposure on delicate flowers, and how they’ll photograph against natural backgrounds versus being the primary focal point. Indoor arches often need to be more dramatic in scale to register properly in larger ballroom spaces.
We’ve designed arches for ceremonies at beach venues where the structure needed to complement (not compete with) the ocean backdrop. We’ve created arches for indoor hotel ballrooms where the goal was to completely transform the space into something unrecognizable. Each situation demands different decisions about scale, material, floral density, and overall design approach.
Making the Right Choice for Your Wedding
So how do you decide which structural element makes sense for your celebration?
Start with your venue. What does the space actually need? Hotel ballroom with blank walls and no architectural interest? You probably need something substantial like a truss system or mandap to create any focal point at all. Gorgeous garden venue with natural beauty? Maybe a more delicate arch that enhances without overwhelming. Historic estate with existing architectural features? Your structure should complement what’s already there rather than fighting for attention.
Your wedding style and theme play a role too. South Asian celebration? Obviously you’re looking at mandap design. Contemporary minimalist aesthetic? Maybe a geometric truss structure with strategic floral accents. Romantic garden party vibe? Probably leaning toward a lush floral arch. But these aren’t hard rules. We’ve designed ultra-contemporary mandaps and incredibly romantic truss structures. The style emerges from how you approach the structure, not from the structure itself.
Budget considerations are real. Custom structural designs with elaborate floral integration represent substantial investment. These pieces appear in every ceremony photo, they’re the backdrop for your most important moments, and they genuinely transform spaces in ways other design elements can’t match. That said, rental options exist for couples who want the impact without the full custom design package. From our Orange County location, we can provide rental structures for couples working with their own planners or handling their own design.
Timeline matters more than people expect. Major structural elements require planning. If you’re doing a custom mandap or elaborate truss design, we typically need to start conversations 6-12 months out. Rental structures offer more flexibility but still need to be reserved well in advance, especially during peak wedding season.
Real Impact Across Venue Types
We’ve installed structural elements at probably every venue type Southern California offers. And the transformation potential varies dramatically based on what you’re starting with.
Hotel ballrooms might need these structures most desperately. They’re often beautiful spaces but completely neutral aesthetically. A substantial truss installation or custom mandap doesn’t just add visual interest, it completely redefines the space. Suddenly that generic ballroom reads as “their wedding” instead of “any wedding that happened to be booked that weekend.”
Outdoor estates and gardens already have built-in beauty, but they still benefit from structural focal points. An elegant arch or mandap creates the ceremony location and gives your photographer something to frame around. Without that defined structure, outdoor spaces can feel a bit… scattered, for lack of a better word. The structure anchors everything.
Industrial or warehouse spaces are blank canvases that absolutely require structural elements to function as wedding venues. You’re literally creating the ceremony space from nothing. These venues let you go more dramatic with your structural choices because there’s no existing aesthetic to work around.
Beach and coastal venues in Orange County present interesting challenges. You’re competing with the ocean (in a good way), but you still need something to focus attention on the ceremony itself. Structures for beach venues typically lean more delicate and organic so they enhance without overwhelming the natural setting.
Working with 2Create Designs
Whether you’re planning a comprehensive wedding design package or specifically need rental structures for your celebration, we approach these elements with the same philosophy: they’re not just backdrops, they’re foundational to your entire ceremony aesthetic.
Our custom design process includes detailed renderings so you can visualize exactly what the structure will look like in your specific venue. We handle all logistics around installation and breakdown. We coordinate with your other vendors to ensure lighting, florals, and all other elements integrate seamlessly with the structural design.
For couples who are working with their own wedding planner or handling design elements independently, our rental inventory includes various structural options that can transform your ceremony space without requiring full custom design services.
The structures that frame your ceremony aren’t details. They’re the foundation. And getting them right makes everything else fall into place more easily than you’d expect.
Ready to discuss structural elements for your Southern California wedding? Contact 2Create Designs to explore custom design options or rental availability. Check out our wedding gallery to see how we’ve used mandaps, trusses, and arches to transform venues throughout Orange County and beyond.
