‘Its always a bit of a risk when someone asks to guest blog on LMW as I’m never quite sure what its going to turn out like (I don’t always post them!), there was no need to worry here though as Mary, a London based wedding planner, has sent through some really fantastic DIY Styling ideas for your wedding….’
Hiya, Little Miss Weddingistas! I am a wedding planner and owner of Forever and Ever Events, a boutique wedding planning firm based in Primrose Hill, London. I was so thrilled when I was asked to guest blog about my favourite two topics: DIY and Styling.
As a wedding planner and event design consultant, I know how daunting DIY can seem to people, especially to those who don’t have much time to put it together! Never fear: here are some easy DIY tips that will most certainly inject your personalities and charm into your celebration. (Just don’t leave ordering some of these items to the last minute! Always factor in how long shipping/handling will take… just FYI!).
Photography by Alicia Pollett
10. Frame old photographs of you and your fiancé (individually, from toddler to adult, and as a couple), as well as photographs of your grandparents, siblings and, most importantly, your parents on their wedding day. Try and use pretty antique-style or gilt-edged frames. Set these framed photos around your reception venue or in the hotel lobby if you have exclusive use. It will instantly create a sense of an intimate party that celebrates your lives.
9. Remember chalkboards from school? Well, they don’t have to be associated with your ol’ school marm. Chalkboards can be extremely cute signage at a modern wedding reception and are also eco-friendly. All you need are large pieces of wood, plastic or metal and “chalkboard paint” from your local hardware store. Definitely apply multiple coats, but make sure the prior coats dry completely before adding the next layer. Use these babies as a welcome sign, to write out the evening’s menu, a dessert table sign, etc., and then reuse them after your wedding!
8. For a guestbook, find an old/antique typewriter on eBay or at a flea market/car boot sale. Set it on its own table with blank sheets of high-quality paper. Feed one paper through for guests to start on – and type your first message, such as, “This is our guestbook! Share a message with us! Love, M + D.” After the wedding, punch two holes in the left hand margin of each page, stack them up and feed a pretty ribbon through all the pages (front through back, twice to secure), double knot and tie a big bow. Now you’ve got a guest book with pretty binding.
7. If you can’t afford one of those amazing photo booths, why not create your own? Put together a Polaroid camera station! Ask an attendant or friend to take Polaroids of your guests and paste the instant photo into a book. Your guests can then leave a cute handwritten message next to their photo. Before the wedding, take a sample Polaroid and, using it as a guide, paste photo corners onto each page, so that it is super easy for your “photographer” to slide the instant photos onto each page.
6. Are you a music buff and picky about your DJ or band’s play list? Create your own wedding soundtrack and provide personalized CDs as wedding favours. All you have to do is burn the play list onto CDs and order personalized CD labels in your wedding colours. Make sure to get square envelopes that match your colour palette for the CDs and tie a ribbon around the entire packet so that it looks like a mini present.
5. Escort cards can be such a creative DIY platform. If you’re planning a destination wedding, get brown luggage tags for your escort cards. Use a typewriter to type up each guest’s name with their table assignment (e.g., “Mary Herrington | Table 4”) and line the tags up alphabetically in a large antique suitcase that’s displayed lying open on a table, propped against a wall. Type up a sign that says “Find your dinner destination!” or something cute like that so that your guests know to pick up their escort cards.
4. For instant charm, hang up bunting and fairy lights! It’s so easy to do – and fairy light don’t even require assembly! For the bunting, cut out triangles on patterned paper and sew the top of the triangles onto thin white ribbon with few inches of space in between each triangle. Then hang away!
3. Do you have a friend or family member who is awesome at baking? Put together a dessert table with their homemade treats! Mix up your mom’s famous pecan squares with your BFF’s cupcakes and your granny’s melt-in-mouth cookies. Set them out on a long table in your reception area on cake stands and pretty platters. Yum!
Photos by Berna V Photography
2. Flowers & centerpieces. For an outdoorsy or vintage reception, collect glass milk jugs, pickles jars and honey jars and arrange them in three’s in the center of a round table. Make sure you use fresh flowers and arrange different, yet thematically cohesive, flowers into each of the three vases, creating a vibrant centerpiece. For example, baby’s breath mixed with daisies and roses in the same colour palette. {Tip: it’s beautiful to mix ‘rough’ edged flowers and succulents with the traditional, like roses}.
1. And the easiest DIY styling idea? Candles candles candles! This is so cheap and so easy, you really don’t have an excuse. Candlelight instantly creates warmth and a romantic glow – and makes your evening reception look stunning in photos. You can get tea lights in bags of 100 at any local shop for less than £5. Order super cheap clear glass tea light holders from IKEA and set out loads of tea lights all over your tables. Gorgeous.
Most importantly – make sure you have FUN and inject YOUR personality into any DIY project for your big day. For more tips on event styling, DIY and wedding planning, visit Forever and Ever Events or visit my blog.
‘What do you think guys? Fab ideas? Do you have any other DIY ideas to add?‘
