As promised, here's my first post on valentines themed weddings. For this post, I decided to work on a DIY Valentines Wedding.
When you were a kid, you've probably surprised your parents with a valentines day card made from ordinary white paper with a squiggly crayon drawings or imperfectly cut out hearts with glitters and what not. That card may never make it on the shelves if it were submitted to Hallmark and yet your folks would still proudly stick it to your fridge door for everyone to see. Like they say, "it's the thought that counts" The effort and thought that went behind those imperfect little cards definitely trumps that of those cookie cutter store bought cards.
In the same way, DIY weddings are like that. They are not always perfectly polished yet they have this peculiar charm to them. They are unique because unlike those weddings assembled by a team of planners, florists, and stylists, they are made with the sweat, blood (the sewing, pinning, and hot glue gunning can be brutal), and sometimes tears (happy tears, that is) of the couple and their closest allies. So even if you use the most cliche valentines elements, they can still turn out to be uniquely your own.
With that in mind, I've put together some project ideas that you can do for a DIY valentines themed wedding.
When you were a kid, you've probably surprised your parents with a valentines day card made from ordinary white paper with a squiggly crayon drawings or imperfectly cut out hearts with glitters and what not. That card may never make it on the shelves if it were submitted to Hallmark and yet your folks would still proudly stick it to your fridge door for everyone to see. Like they say, "it's the thought that counts" The effort and thought that went behind those imperfect little cards definitely trumps that of those cookie cutter store bought cards.
In the same way, DIY weddings are like that. They are not always perfectly polished yet they have this peculiar charm to them. They are unique because unlike those weddings assembled by a team of planners, florists, and stylists, they are made with the sweat, blood (the sewing, pinning, and hot glue gunning can be brutal), and sometimes tears (happy tears, that is) of the couple and their closest allies. So even if you use the most cliche valentines elements, they can still turn out to be uniquely your own.
With that in mind, I've put together some project ideas that you can do for a DIY valentines themed wedding.
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1. These paper heart garlands are a great way to spruce up your wedding venue. I love the use of recycled paper because it adds a certain charm to the entire thing. To avoid drowning in red hearts, try doing it the way it is in on the photo. String one red heart among a row of plain (or newspaper printed like these). The paper heart garlands in this photo can be found on Etsy but, this being a DIY post, here's the how to's on the blog the whole ENchelleADA.
2. For a little glitter and glitz, try out these glittery mason jars from tater tots & jello. Add a lighted candle inside to get a glittery glow. These would be a dazzling centerpiece if you group two or three different sizes of jar together. Or you can also group them with other valentine designed and plain mason jars or bottles.
3. Instead of using ordinary place cards as your table numbers, why not make your own unique table labels instead. This project from shelterness uses picture frames, colored paper, and some loose buttons to make this cute and simple table labels. You can shape the buttons into numbers or make up names for each table such as love, kiss, heart, and so on.
4. If you do decide to break up your glittery mason jars instead of grouping them together, this simple bottle ornament from paper and cake would be a nice balance to the glitter of those mason jars. You can either slip a single long stemmed flower in it or leave it be and it will work either way.
5. If you will be labeling your guest tables, then who says you can't label the couple's table too, right? A cute way to do so is using these fabric covered block letters as seen in the Knotty Bride (while you're at it, check out the wedding featured with these block letters. Beautiful!). Unfortunately I could not find the DIY instructions for these. But from what I can tell, these are fairly simple to do. Find some letter shaped wood blocks in craft stores. Cardboard letter blocks or styro foam ones would probably work too just make sure to secure them properly as the lighter material would not be as stable as wood when mounted. Once you have the letters done, just cover them with glue and wrap them with some pretty colored fabric of your choice.
6 & 7. Valentines day would not be complete without chocolates. Chocolates can also make a great wedding favor that your guests would definitely love. Instead of giving the usual boxed chocolates, why not tweak it a little. Sprouted Kitchen shares a recipe for chocolate and puffed grain morsels. The great thing about this is that, you can change up the recipes to suit your taste. Another option is to buy a bunch of red and pink Kisses chocolates and personalize them with these printable sticker circles from Etsy. Throw in a handful of these morsels or kisses in some jars, and cover them with some doily or cute fabric and you have a charming wedding favor that your guests will really enjoy.
8. If you can DIY your decor and favors, who's to say that you cannot DIY your wedding shoes? Glittery DIY shoes seem to be fad over the internet in 2011. In fact, it was on of the top Googled DIY projects for the year. These red glittery shoes from Living with Bob are perfect for a valentines wedding. As a plus, this can be your something old AND something new at the same time.
9. In some weddings I've been to, the entourage and/or the VIP guests (parents, principal sponsors, etc.) are usually seated in special tables and are given special gifts by the couple. One clever way to do both is with DIY mini wine bottles like the ones featured in b*spoke. Simply get a batch of your favorite wine and transfer them into mini bottles. Print out personalized labels with the names of your special guests and stick them on the bottles. Place the bottles on the guests' respective seats. Not only do you now have special gifts for your special guests but you also have unique escort cards.
10. Dessert is a must for a valentines themed wedding. But instead of going the usual route of sweet and decadent chocolates or cakes, why not go for something different like these chocolate covered pretzels by love from the oven. The combination of salty and sweet gives a light treat after a scrumptious meal. Plus they're easy to make too!
11. A lot of couples now are veering away from the traditional garter and bouquet toss and are incorporating games into the mix instead. One game to try out is a bouquet and garter hunt but instead of the actual bouquet or garter, the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes can look for the words "bouquet" and "garter" hidden in chocolate covered fortune cookies like those featured in the Offbeat Bride. The basic fortune cookie is available in allrecipes.com. You can also watch the tutorial on Good Housekeeping's Youtube channel. When the cookies are ready, simply dip them in melted chocolate and roll them in sprinkles.
12. If you feel that your centerpieces are still a bit lacking with only 2 kinds of mason jars/bottles, add a third one to the mix. Try these crafty mason jars decked with doily and hearts from Crescendoh. Throw in some wild flowers in them and group them together with the glittery jars, and the tall white bottles and you'll have a truly DIY centerpiece.
13. Last but definitely not the least, if you're DIY-ing your shoes, then might as well DIY your bouquet too. Elsie from A Beautiful Mess shares how she DIY-ed her own wedding bouquet. And to relieve yourself of pre-wedding jitters, have a mini slumber bridal shower with your bridesmaids and have them DIY their own bouquets too. Not only will you have beautiful bouquets that are reflective of you and your bridesmaids' personalities but you also get to bond with your girls for the last time as a single lady.
Phew! That was a long list!
See what I mean about the DIY charm? Although these ideas still have that valentines vibe, they have their own unique charm to them which make them different from the cliches of valentines day.
Check back in next week. I'll be posting a different valentines themed wedding. For now, enjoy the rest of the week!
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