When I first started planning my wedding, DIY wasn't even a thought. Once I realized I could DIY a lot and it wouldn't look horrible, I started getting really into it. DIY has been a lot of fun for me, and I am glad I decided to do it! To anyone nervous about doing a lot of DIY, I would say go for it! It has saved a lot of money and given our wedding a more personal touch.
Things I Plan to DIY
-Tissue Paper Half Pomanders
-Aisle Runner
-Invitations
-Bachelorette Party Shirts
-Bouquets
-Boutonnieres
-Centerpieces
-Bubbles
-Bathroom Baskets
-Cake Table Letters
-Memorial Candle
-Sand Ceremony Containers
-Bridesmaids' Flip-Flops
-Card Box
-Garter
-Escort Cards
-Table Names
Everything in red is finished!
-Aisle Runner
-Invitations
-Bachelorette Party Shirts
-Bouquets
-Boutonnieres
-Centerpieces
-Bubbles
-Bathroom Baskets
-Cake Table Letters
-Memorial Candle
-Sand Ceremony Containers
-Bridesmaids' Flip-Flops
-Card Box
-Garter
-Escort Cards
-Table Names
Everything in red is finished!
Tissue Paper Pomanders
We are using half pomanders for the pew decorations in our church. There are 19 pews, so there are 10 white half poms and 9 red half poms. These were definitely a time-consuming project. I watched a lot of movies during the making of them. My biggest recommendation would be to do everything in steps: measure and cut all at once, fold and wire all at once, round the edges, and then fluff. It took me a lot less time when I started doing it this way.
Aisle Runner
This is one project I was really nervous about doing. I made our monogram on PowerPoint, printed it out, and took it to Staples. It cost me $3 to have them blow up our monogram. I followed the directions on the Road to the Aisle blog. It wasn't a hard project, and it didn't take TOO much time. I love the way it came out, and it is definitely one of my favorite wedding details!
Invitations
Our invitations are mostly DIY. I ordered the invitations and response cards on Vista Print. I made the rest of the inserts, the gate-fold jackets, and belly bands myself.
Bouquets
The red bouquet is the bride's bouquet, and the white is what the bridesmaids' bouquets will look like. Scott's sister, Alissa, and I spent an entire day getting all of the flowers done. We did them using silk roses from WalMart. They came out really well, and don't look too "fake."
Boutonnieres
The boutonnieres were a lot easier than I thought they would be. I bought a "bush" of little red roses (silk) from Joanne Fabrics. I used the leaves off the bush and some silk baby's breath to make them.
Mother's Corsages
Corsages for the MOB and MOG.
Below are ALL the flowers Alissa and I made.
Below are ALL the flowers Alissa and I made.
Cake Table Letters
I bought the letters at Joanne Fabrics, as well as the paint and rhinestones. This was a very simple project and took no time at all!
Memorial Table
Scott's father passed away in April of 2008. We wanted to think of a way to honor him that wasn't too depressing. I printed out the quote we wanted on vellum and wrapped it around a glass candle holder. I attached everything with double-sided tape (glue made everything bubble up). We got a four-picture frame to put pictures of his father in. We are also going to have a few other items on the table that were significant to his father.
Sand Ceremony
I couldn't find a set of sand ceremony containers that I liked for under $50. So, I decided to DIY them. Originally, I was going to buy etching cream and try that method, but I figured if I screwed it up I would be really mad at myself. I don't like when things don't work out. So, I printed our monogram and initials on vellum and attached it to ribbon. I attached the entire thing to the glass holders with double sided tape. I decided to use a large vase for our center container so that I can keep my bouquet in it after the wedding.
Excuse the table and chairs...we're working on moving out of our apartment!
Excuse the table and chairs...we're working on moving out of our apartment!
Garter
One of my bridesmaid's daughters made my garter for me. I can't use a sewing machine to save my life, so luckily, I have some talented friends!
Red Crinoline
I dyed my crinoline red, and unfortunately cannot use it :( I was excited about this detail, but it makes my dress too short. So, if anyone is interested in it, I am selling it for $40. It's a size 16. I only dyed the bottom half so that it wouldn't show through the dress.
Flip Flops
The girls' flip flops came out awesome! I wrapped black satin ribbon around the straps and glued on rhinestones. They were really easy. I used glue dots to attach the ribbon. Each pair has ribbon around them with the girls' names on them so our venue coordinator can make sure they get to the right seats.
