CasaSugar

Open House: Wedding Décor DIYs

CasaSugar — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:04:35 -0700

As we skirt through wedding season, I've given you some DIY suggestions like wine glass candle lampshades and a DIY wedding book, but of course, I know there's plenty more to offer in that department. So for this Open House, I'd love to hear about any types of wedding décor you've seen DIY'd or that you've handmade for your own weddings.

Have you been to an entirely DIY wedding? Received any homemade goodie baskets? Did your friends arrange their own flowers at their weddings? Sew the tablecloths or napkins? Make their own candles? How about the invites? Were they handmade? I bet you've encountered some DIY wedding décor somewhere along the line. Tell me by commenting below! As always, check out IDoSugar for all of our wedding coverage.
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Home Library: The DIY Wedding

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:15:54 -0700

If, like me, you're a somewhat nontraditional bride who's looking for creative and budget-friendly ways to individualize her wedding, then I highly recommend checking out The DIY Wedding. Written by Kelly Bare, who intersperses tips, stories, and details from her own DIY wedding throughout the book, this is a great resource for any bride who wants to plan her nuptials on her own.

To find out more about this brilliant wedding planning resource, just read more.

I read this book shortly after I got engaged, and it really streamlined my planning process, giving me hints on everything from how to save money on flowers to how to get your friend legally recognized as an officiant. Kelly (shown here at her Nebraska nuptials) recommends starting the process with a realistic budget that also takes into consideration other resources at your disposal. Having friends or family with land you might use for a ceremony site, or an aunt who's a state fair award-winning cake baker, can help to shave money off of your budget while also involving your loved ones in the wedding in a significant and meaningful way. However, be advised that the book will help you more with planning your wedding yourself - while there are a number of DIY projects scattered throughout the book, the real DIY part of the title refers to planning, budgeting, and managing your wedding yourself. I definitely feel like this is the real battle when getting a wedding pulled together. There are definitely other DIY project resources online or in print to help you jump those hurdles.

Natalie Zee Drieu, who wrote the book's introduction (and who's also the senior editor for the fabulous magazine Craft), says that she wishes that she'd had this book while planning her 2006 wedding, and that having access to such a resource would've saved her months of planning difficulties. I'm just happy that my upcoming wedding planning has coincided with the release of The DIY Wedding - it's saved me time, money, and planning quandaries. I hope that it will do the same for you as well!

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DIY: Build Your Own Wedding Bouquet

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:15:17 -0700

If you love to make your own bouquets for your home, you can easily make one for your own wedding, or for that of a friend or family member. Not only will you help to save money, you'll also create a unique, personalized bouquet that will help to make the day more special. Remember to try to go with simple, fresh flowers that are grown locally - if you can buy from a flower grower or farm and cut the flowers yourself the day before the wedding, you're guaranteed to have gorgeous, fresh blooms.

What You'll Need

Floral Wire
Stem Wrap Tape
Hot Glue
Long Stemmed Fresh Flowers
Preservative Solution
Small Bucket
Fabric or Ribbon that matches or contrasts well with bridesmaids' dresses
Knife

To find out how to "build" your bouquet, read more.

To maximize your flowers' freshness, soak flowers in a preservative solution in the small bucket overnight.
Gather the flowers together, and wrap (not too tightly) the wire around the stems, until the stems are covered.
Trim the stems, using the knife.
Wrap floral tape around the wires.
Spread the stems until the flowers are arranged as you would like.
Wrap the ribbon or fabric around the base and stems of the flowers. You can use hot glue to secure it, or you can simply wrap it tightly.
Enjoy the gorgeous bridal bouquet!

DIY: Wine Glass Candle Lampshades

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:00:22 -0700

In your blog travels, you may have come across the Dekoop Gorgeous Helen Wine Shades ($20), which tops off your wine glasses to make easy votive lamps for your parties. I couldn't get them off my mind for months when I first saw them; I thought they were so clever. Then, lucky me, I came across a DIY to make them. The project is fairly simple, and allows a lot of room for creativity. You can leave yours as plain vellum, or punch decorative holes in them, screen-print them, or even paint them! It's up to you, but regardless, this project is fabulous, inexpensive, and perfect for that wedding you're planning! And for all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

Supplies:

8-1/2" x 11" sheets of vellum (one per lamp)
Scissors
Decorative bladed scissors
Decorative paper punch
Glue pen
Wine glasses
Tealights or a LED battery-operated tealight
Candle putty (floral clay)

Here's how, from Save On Crafts:

Download and print out this lampshade pattern.
Trace the pattern onto your vellum sheet. Cut out the shape with your regular scissors. If you want, you can use decorative bladed scissors along the bottom edge to add another element to the shade.
If you like, use a paper punch to punch holes evenly or haphazardly throughout the shade, as shown in the PDF.
Using the glue pen, apply a thin line of glue to one straight end. Wrap the other end over the glued end, and adhere together, forming the shade.
Secure the tealight with the candle putty, and set the lampshade on top of your glass. Fini!

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Casa Verde: Advice From a DIY Bride

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:45:21 -0700

As many of you know, I got married in August, and took it upon myself to throw a wedding that was as DIY and green as possible. To see some of my tips for throwing your own green or DIY wedding (or big party, for that matter), check out the slideshow.

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Cool Idea: String Theories

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:30:15 -0700

I'm always keeping an eye out for unexpected centerpieces for your next party. This pretty alternative to flowers, which was created by New York event designer David Stark, was fashioned by first shaping wire into floral shapes. Then, biodegradable sisal twine was carefully wound around the wire forms. The unexpected effect is equal parts modern art and kindergarten craft project - definitely an effect I love. I think this would look great on tables at an Autumn wedding, and it looks so easy to make that if you were going to be DIYing your wedding, you could involve a number of friends and relatives in the process of making these.
If you're interested in seeing more of Stark's ideas for centerpieces, check out the slideshow at The New York Times.

Marilyn K. Yee for The New York Times

Cool Idea: Hanging Wedding Flowers

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:45:03 -0700

Miss Cherry Pie recently posted photos of her hanging wedding flowers. She's still perfecting the idea, but I think they look great already. She writes that she "spent some time this weekend with my shepherd’s hooks and cache of jars working out how to attach one to the other. First, I picked out 20 jars of a similar smallish size, and set them aside. Then, I went a-crafting. I took a trip down to Michael’s to pick up some wraphia (aka raffia), a natural-looking, grassy ribbon that’s strong enough to use as a hanger."

Then, she tied the wraphia around the mouth of each jar, fashioning a handle out of it, and hung them from the shepherd's hook. This is such a lovely, simple idea for displaying large flowers. It's a beautiful, easy arrangement for any couple planning a DIY wedding.

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Have You Helped Make a Ribbon Bouquet?

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:00:27 -0700

If you've ever been to a bridal shower, you may have been responsible for helping to DIY the ribbon bouquet. At bridal showers, it's traditional to gather all of the ribbons together from the gifts and construct a bouquet, which will then be used at the wedding rehearsal.
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Open House: What Was Your Most Successful DIY?

CasaSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:30:31 -0800

For crafters and DIYers, a few failures are par for the course. That's part of the reason why successful DIY projects are such a coup. I've had my share of successes and failures, and I'm currently in the middle of one of my more ambitious projects ever. I find myself fretting over it, since I'm not sure if it's going to completely work out yet, and there are still several steps to complete.

One of my favorite DIY projects was refurbishing a wood and canvas canoe with my father. It was a project that took a long time to complete, but the end result was absolutely amazing. I loved paddling around the lake in the canoe, knowing that we'd made that moment possible thanks to our hard work.

This table, shown above, was also a collaboration between a parent and grown child. You can read more about it here. But before you do, tell me a little about your most successful DIY project. Was it quick and easy? Or did it take lots of love, elbow grease, and patience?

Source: Flickr User Sporkist

DIY: Paper Wedding Table Settings

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Preston Bailey is one of the world's premiere event designers, known for his elaborate tablescapes, whose theatric designs have festooned the events of Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, and Donald Trump. You can catch a glimpse of some of those looks in his latest book, Celebrations ($37). But thanks to a new project by Bailey, his table settings needn't be something you can only read about in his book - or on Page Six. The Wedding Bell, one of the table settings in his book, which is also one of the most cost-effective, is made entirely out of paper. The look proves that you don't need an extravagant flower budget or a wedding planner to have stunning décor. Of course, you have to be crafty and prepared for a DIY. If you're up for the challenge, Bailey has put together a complete how-to guide and resource manual for you to create "the Wedding Bell." You can email Bailey to order a copy for yourself at a modest cost. But hurry, there are only 1,000 copies! Head here for more information, and check out more photos below.

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