DIY Aisle Flowers

   Nothing but a simple DIY flower aisle vase to get the ideas flowing about how to save on your wedding day decorations.  This fabric cover flower vase by Ashley Meaders  is so simple to put together.

Supplies Needed:

Bygel IKEA container

Spray Mount

Fabric 

Twine and/or ribbon

Scissors

Flowers 

   1. Cut fabric 14"x19"

   2. Spray outside the container & rim

   3. Tightly wrap fabric against the container and smooth out air bubbles. Tuck the fabric 

       around the top of the container. Cut any excess fabric in the back making a smooth line.

   4. Add twine/ribbon around the back of the container.

   5. Add your flower arrangement.

For detailed instructions, visit the  original post from OnceWed.com 

DIY Bridal Bouquet

  One great way to save some money with your wedding day plans, is to make your own bouquets. Buying wholesale flowers, and of course flowers in season help. And if you have never made a floral arrangement in your life - I found a great blog post on etsy.com. Brookelynn Morris staff writer for Craftzine offers tips to help design your own arrangement with ease.

Materials Needed:

Flowers

Large clippers

Floral Scissors

28 gauge floral wire

Wire cutters

Floral tape

Rubber bands

3-4 yards of lace and ribbon

Decorative straight pins

   For those new to the art of floral arrangements, I recommend practicing these steps & playing around with your color palette ahead of time. You can usually find little deals at your local farmers market on in-season flowers. And just think, practicing only equals lovely little arrangements around your home.
   For the detailed step-by step process, please visit etsy's original post. 

  For more money saving wedding tips:
Cost of A Wedding

Budget Saving Tip: Bridal Gown
Budget Worksheet
Wedding Budget
Money Saving Tip: Alcohol

Love Letters via Eat Drink Chic

I was exploring the wedding/art blog world and found these sweet little DIY Love Notes from Once Wed Blog via Eat Drink Chic Blog ... 

"This DIY includes styling and presentation ideas for ‘Message in a Bottle’ guest favors with a twist. Enclosed is a little scroll that not only contains a message to your guests but also some extra blank notepaper so that they can write a little message back to the bride and groom and drop it in a jar labeled “Love Letters” incorporated in the centerpiece design of each table..."

- Amy of Eat Drink Chic

I thought I would share this DIY project with my crafty wedding enthusiasts out there. For instructions: Click here! (This will redirect you to the original post on Once Wed)

For More Do-It-Yourself wedding & party projects: 

DIY Wedding Shoes

Center Piece Kits

Martha Stewart Big Bloom

Paper Umbrellas via Paper Mash

Good afternoon everyone! I am taking a few minutes to send you another little DIY project brought to you via A Field Journal by Paper Mash.  This is just a very personal touch to your event that you can make yourself. I thought these were cute and very classy so I thought I would pass the link along to you!

Click for a downloadable step-by-step direction sheet.

String Gardens!!

I came across this website recently and thought what a neat idea. I would love to see this applied to a wedding ceremony/reception. If this inspires any of you to create something cool with this idea, I would love to post the images.

Check out String Garden's Website . If you have a chance also check out the section on their site titled 'moving'. The bumble be is cute and almost in rhythm with the music.

Love Bird Themed Wedding Inspiration

Love Birds!

DIY Wedding Flower Garland / Bird Seating Cards  Love Bird Cake Topper / Peony Bouquet / Bird Salad Plate / Birds' Nest Cupcakes / Badgley Mischka Heels / Perched Necklace / Daisy Birdhouse / DIY Bird Mobile

Bird Table Settings / Edible Birds Nests /  Signature Ecru Save-the-Date / Bird Nest Place Holder / DIY Wall Hanging Bottles / Cream Gown / DIY Seating Cards / DIY Paper Bird Cages

DIY Ideas Center Piece Website

I was recently given a hot tip on a new site with some really nice Do-It-Yourself centerpiece ideas. The site is Object Spendor.  And not only do they supply the list of everything you need, you can purchase the list right there on the site. This makes it so easy to determine how much you will spend & help you stick to your budget.

And they offer helpful tips on how to reuse these same items for another project. Which is a way cool, earth-friendly approach that many brides are looking for today.

Publish Post

Thanks! Lisa from Delicious Desserts for passing this along!

And for our other DIY projects idea posts visit:

DIY on Design Sponge

Martha Stewart Center Piece on A Budget

DIY Center Pieces on Rachael Ray

DIY Seating Place Cards

DIY on Design Sponge

A cute little DIY project courtesy of Design Sponge! This is a great website with a whole bunch of interesting design ideas for you personal space.  I thought this do-it-yourself project would be a cute option for center pieces at a reception. You can customize each center piece by adding photos or other memorabilia.

Fancy Paper Lanterns on Crafty Nest

Plain paper lanterns made fancy by Craft Nest.  This is an easy do-it-yourself project to add a little pizzaz to your paper lantern decorations. Check out Crafty Nest for the instructions.

Click here for another easy DIY project for making potted seating place cards.

DIY on Martha Stewart

Found: Lovely little Do-It-Yourself center piece Big Bloom idea for small budgets on Martha Stewart.

DIY: Magnolia Blossom at Martha Stewart

  

Like this idea? Check out another easy DIY by Rachael Ray or table seating by yours truly. 

DIY Wedding Center Pieces via Rachael Ray

I was wandering around the internet today looking for some new DIY inspirations. And I found some great little ideas on the Rachael Ray website for simple little center pieces. Click the link below the mage for more instructions.

 Nature/Bird Wedding Theme

Fresh Squeezed

Bean There

Upside Down

Wedding Inspiration of the Day: DIY Seating Place Cards

Spring is bloom! And the celebrate, here is a little bit of inspiration from Mother Nature!

This is a very easy DIY project! If you are not the crafty type - no worries! This is so easy!  You will only need to following supplies:

Hot Glue Gun (with glue sticks)

A pair of Paper Edging Scissors (approx. $2 ea)

12x12"  Scrapbooking paper ($.89 to $2 per sheet)

A few sheets of heavy weight printer paper 8.5x11"(I suggest buying an off-white or textured paper)

Fresh, dried or fake flowers (depending how far in advance you want to make these)

Roll on Tape  (roughly $3)

Box of Toothpicks (at any grocery store $.89)

Spanish Moss ($1.25 - $4 depending on quantity needed)

Small 2" flower pots (found on Ebay for $.99/ bulk also available)

A printer available for printing heavier weight papers

(Note most of these supplies can be purchased at www.createforless.com)

First Step: I designed a quick spread sheet using Microsoft Excel. Each column I made 2"Wx1.25"H.  I choose a font that I liked (or in your case matches you wedding theme/stationary.)  You can take the guest list information directly from your RSVP list so you know how many you will be making.  (Don't forget to select the option for 'Border-Type'  in your formatting palette so you have a cut-guide). Print on the heavy-weight  printer paper.  Ok so the hardest part is done!

Second Step: Use the edging scissors (available in all sorts of patterns), cut on the inside of your guide line. Then measure and cut the patterned paper (3"Wx 2.25"H). Use the roll-on tape to adhere the two pieces of paper together.

Third Step: Having your hot glue gun ready, use a small dab to glue the toothpick to the back of your paper. Rotate the toothpick in a circle so that the glue blob is all around the toothpick.

Fourth Step: Loosely stuff some of your spanish moss into your pot. If you are concerned about the moss staying in the pot, you can always place a little dab of hot glue into the sides of the pot near the bottom.

Fifth Step: Place your now dry card-on-toothpick into your pot.  And Whaalaah! you are done!

You can also choose to use live plants, succulents or fresh herbs instead of fake potted plants. And then your placement card becomes a favor to your guests as well!

If you have any questions about this DIY project or have ideas of your own you would like to share, please email me at ArtfulBride@gmail.com .

Whooo Said It Weddings Weren't Fun

  Have you ever found your self on a page of the internet looking at something and wonder - how did I ever find this? I started looking for a gift for my dad- golf clubs, then I was on this page with tiger cubs and now 20 minutes later I am reading an article about circus animals?  Well I seem to have found myself on that same path today.  I, however, managed to stay on one site... etsy! Yes I have become addicted to looking at handmade crafts and such on etsy.com And lucky you - I post my favorite little finds for the week.  Today's search around landed me on a cute little invitation with a set of owls.  And 20 minutes later, I managed to collect 13 different owl inspired items for your wedding day. And you don't have to be an owl enthusiast to appreciate these little finds ...

Two Little Owls Invitation ($4) at Ello There / Owl Love U Forever Printable Circles ($10) at Paper & Pigtails / Love Owls Painting ($85) at Emily H Martinez / Green & White Owl Paper ($7) at Perty.ful.tings / Studded Silver Earrings ($45) at MarKhed / Personalized WhoWhoo Ring Dish ($12) at Wise Impressions

There are even a few finds here for the groom in there too ... 

Owl Wedding Cake Toppers ($105) at Red Light Studio / Ginger Owl Flask ($65) at Moxie & Oliver / Custom Owl Box ($20) at Gifts & Talents / Cozy Owl Save-the-Date Magnets x15 ($33) at Angel Ellie / Cuff Links $25 at Bella Moda Artist / Plum Garden Owlet Necklace ($29.95) at Rachelle D / Owls in Love personalized print ($25) at Stubborn Dog

Submissions

Did you have the most fantastic wedding that all yours friends are still talking about? Or  were you the photographer, florist, invitation designer  etc for one?  Do you have a fantastic DIY (do-it-yourself) you would like to share with others?  If so, we would love to hear about it!  Please submit your wedding or event ideas, inspirations and photos with a descriptions, (ie. vendor list & links) for the chance to be featured on the blog.  We would love to hear from you!  All your submissions can be emailed to artfulbride@gmail.com 

images provided by Laura B Scott Photography

Hair Accessories on Etsy

Today's find on Etsy.com - Hair Pieces!!

Dusty Pink Rose ($23) at MischaM / Feather & Magnolia ($20)  & Peacock set of 3 ($15) at Emilywootton / Off white Ranunculus ($38) & White Flower with Birdcage Veil ($72) at YJDesign / Gardenia ($20) at Smittenxoxo / Handmade Silk Peony ($54) & Tear-Drop Head Piece ($65) at WeddingAisle / Burnt Umber & Yellow ($35) at Alicia's Wedding / Glass Blue Vines ($35) at ChicAllure / Lovely White Feather ($20) at SweetGrassMill / Dark Red Countess ($45) & Violet ($55) at Smittenxoxo / Northern Lights ($40) at WhichGoose