Wedding season has officially begun! Generally considered to be May through October because that’s when the weather is the “nicest” for outdoor weddings (in Texas we usually just think of those months as hurricane season). You’ve probably seen advertisements and store displays filled with such phrases as “I Do Crew” or “Bride Tribe” emblazoned on everything from hats to koozies to socks; I can smell the tulips and taffeta just thinking about it. All that to say, if you’re in the middle of planning your nuptials and are either:
- On a budget
- Really crafty and love the DIY wedding vibe
- Not actually planning a wedding but love crafts
Then you have come to the right place! Here are just a few suggestions to knock out some of those to-dos/want to-try-to-dos.
Invitations/Programs/Menu Cards/Thank-Yous
When it comes right down to it, in a strictly traditional sense, weddings require so. Much. Paper. And if you have shopped around at all you’ll know that ordering all of those for each guest or table can add up very quickly. An alternative to this is to edit and create it all yourself! Canva is a free website (there’s also a premium version with some fancier graphics and templates) with templates. Here’s a sampling of their wedding invitations, for instance:
Plus, if you go the e-route and send your invites virtually instead of printing them out, there is the added bonus of saving on postage as well! If this makes you wary, here’s a quick plug that we at Harris County Public Library offer computer classes, and classes on Canva show up in the rotation. Check them out here.
Wedding Party Gifts
What’s the easiest DIY that will add a meaningful touch? The wedding party gift! Not everyone goes this route, but these days it’s customary (and just plain nice!) to give a gift to the people who were there for you during the whole planning journey and day-of stresses. These gifts range from extravagant to simple and sweet. My easy suggestion? Personalized tumblers! Almost everyone uses them these days, so they can be made any and every member of your party regardless of age/rank/side.
Craft stores now sell blank hot or cold drink tumblers thanks to machines like the Cricut mug press. Iced ones are usually double-walled and clear, meaning you can open them up, decorate the inner wall and then put it back together, protecting the paint or bedazzled gems, or what your heart told you to decorate them with!
Sometimes you can buy them in bulk, like this item I got from a quick Google search:
If that doesn’t seem creative enough, and if you’ll indulge me in more advertising, we also offer plenty of free craft programs for adults. You’ll be able to attend, learn something new, and then steal and re-create the idea en masse. Find more about those programs and how to register here.
Flowers
This next idea is going to be a bit controversial but instead of the chaos of using fresh flowers for your bouquets and centerpieces, fold paper flowers using pages from books.
*GASP*
I know. I know. A librarian suggesting you cut-up books for a craft? YIKES. But they’re actually very beautiful, especially if you mix in colored paper, and based off the assumption that if you’re reading this blog you’re a fan of books at least the littlest eensy bit, it’s a great homage to something you’re fond of. Just look at this bride holding a bouquet of the exact flowers I’m going to teach you how to make in a picture I found on Pinterest:
Imagine that’s you, wearing your desired wedding finery, holding a beautiful bouquet with colors and words of your choice. I’m tearing up just thinking of how magical you’ll look.
Ahem.
Anyway, here’s the deets you need:
You’ll need multiple sheets of paper cut into 3”x” squares.
- Fold the paper over diagonally so that you have a triangle.
- Now fold the left and right corners up towards the top corner. You will have a diamond shape.
- Take those folds you just made and fold them halfway down. It’ll create a sort of half-star shape.
- Flatten out your last fold and fold those corners down.
- Now close the fold again with the corners down so you’re back to the diamond.
- Roll the whole thing up.
If that’s hard to visualize, here it is in picture form:
And voila, you have a petal. Repeat the process four more times and that’s one flower. Glue them altogether using hot glue, and then glue them to flower stems, which are also easily acquired at craft stores.
If these ideas still aren’t your jam, don’t worry. Here are some people who have written whole books on the subject:
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