Guide To Wedding Columns and Colonnades

Having trouble choosing the right wedding columns or colonnades for your special day? You are not alone. Many an event planner or bride has faced that problem. The best place to look for guidance is to the people who made columns popular in the first place, the ancient Greeks! In ancient Greece, three styles or orders of columns emerged over the centuries. Those three styles are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Well, that helps a lot doesn’t it? Okay, not really. But it may help to look at some samples of Greek architecture and consider what the Greeks wanted to convey with each style.

Doric Columns

Doric style columns speak of simplicity. They aren’t heavily ornamented or decorated. They are simple. There are no curves to convey femininity, but rather convey strength and solidarity. An example of a Greek building with Doric style columns is the Parthenon. The Parthenon was a Greek temple in which the goddess of Athena was worshipped. Athena (known as Minerva to the Romans) was a goddess of strength, power, and protection. She was also the goddess of wisdom, courage, civilization, and war. However, although not as revered for sexuality as the goddess Aphrodite, Athena is still portrayed as graceful. It may also be important to note that she was worshipped as the patron goddess of Athens, Greece and represented sexual modesty. The ancient Athenians believed that she watched over her city and were concerned with keeping Athena happy! Most buildings that use this style are larger, more prominent buildings.

At EventsWholesale.com, we have many Doric style columns if you choose to go that route. Most of the columns in our Classic Columns and our Tuscan Columns are in the Doric style. Here is where you have another decision to make. Do you like straight lines that represent strength? If so, then our Classic Series is for you. The Classic Series columns are fluted. Fluted columns either have straight lines that run from top to bottom or are spiraled from top to bottom. Or you may prefer a smoother look. In that case our Tuscan series will be more suited to your style, as they are not fluted.

Ionic Columns

While the Doric columns are majestic, Ionic columns convey a more feminine look. Ionic columns stand out because of the scroll shape at the top (also known as the capital). It is this curvy look that gives it its feminine charm. Unlike, Doric columns, Ionic columns were used for smaller, more graceful buildings. The temple of Aphrodite at Aphrodisias used Ionic Columns. Aphrodite, (Venus in Roman mythology) was the worshipped as the goddess of love. She was also known as the goddess of beauty, fertility, and sensuality.

It is also important to note that the Temple of Artemis in Corinth also used Ionic columns. Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and the wilderness. The Romans called her Diana. When you think of Artemis, think of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. Artemis is not like the goddess of War, Athena, though. She was more associated with nature than Athena and not as strong. However, she was still not one to be messed with. It was said that Orion the Hunter was the only one that she ever loved, but she accidentally killed him in a hunting accident. Many tried to win her heart after that, but she always remained loyal to Orion. In another legend, Adonis bragged about being a better hunter than Artemis who in return sent a wild boar to kill him! So, this style of columns works well for both women who are sensual like Aphrodite or a little more untamable like Artemis or a little of both.

If this sounds more like your style than the Athenian Doric style, you should take a look at our Empire Columns. All of the columns in our Empire Series are in the Doric styles. Brides who want to convey more elegance than strength prefer these columns.

Corinthian Style Columns

We won’t go into Corinthian columns in as much detail because they have never been as popular as the other two styles and for good reason. But for those of you who want to know, Corinthian columns are defined by their very ornate and leafy capital at the top. They style is just a little too much for a wedding and just isn’t in demand at this time.

What Do You Want Your Wedding Columns to Say?

So when choosing a wedding column or colonnade you need think about your style. What do you want to convey the most? What do you want to say about yourself? What do you want to convey about your marriage?

Do you want to convey that your marriage is going to go the distance? Are you a strong and successful woman? Do you want to convey a “until death do we part” mentality? Do you have that Athena-style personality? If so, we recommend the Doric columns.

Do you prefer grace, elegance, and/or a more feminine look? Is your focus that day looking beautiful for your groom? Do you relate more to Aphrodite? In that case, we recommend the Ionic columns.

Maybe neither Athena nor Aphrodite describes you. Are your more playful like the youthful huntress, Artemis? Maybe you are more versatile or complicated than Athena or Aphrodite? If that describes you, was still recommend the Ionic columns for you as well.

Or maybe you are stronger than Artemis but way too graceful for Athena? Then, take look at our Tuscan wedding columns. While they have that strong Doric style, they are still smooth and elegant!