DIY Weddings

When it comes to a wedding figuring out how to do things yourself can be the only way to make it affordable. From making your own food, to making your own dress or your decorations. Its all in the details and by doing it yourself you can make sure you get all of the details you want along with the price that you can afford.

You don't have to use real flowers for your wedding boutonnieres -- here are three cute alternatives to a freshly picked bloom -- all using buttons!

To create the yellow boutonniere:
• 1. Collect silver and yellow buttons of all sizes and shapes.
• 2. Arrange them one on top of the other to form mini arrangements resembling flowers. Use a green wire (fishing wire or those carried at craft stores works well) to thread through the buttons, holding them all together.
• 3. Gather all of the "stems" of your new little button flowers and wrap the green wire around it over and over to create volume.
• 4. Attach a safety pin to the back and you've got a little bouquet of buttons!

(See how nice this one looks against the light suit? It's a great summer pick but works well year round. Choose brighter buttons to contrast against the more subtle ones you're using.)

For the blue and white boutonnieres:
• 1. Gather fabric covered buttons with similar colors in a variety of patterns.
• 2. Cut out a little leaf shape out of a neutral color fabric (which should be the same for all of the boutonnieres).
• 3. Thread together the back of the buttons, attaching them to the leaf.
• 4. Take thin green ribbon and cover a short stick or bundle of toothpicks to create the stem.
• 5. Sew or tie the bundle of buttons to the top of the stick, creating the buds.
• 6. Attach a safety pin to the back and you're all set!

For the stem-less flower:

• 1. Cut eight pieces of ribbon, 5 inches long. Pick a cute pattern as this will be the “petals” and the main focus of the boutonniere.
• 2. Loop over the ribbon, gathering all of the ends in the middle. (A tip: it helps if you glue or sew the ends down to a small piece of cardboard so they stay together.)
• 3. Glue a similar colored button to the center of the ribbon so the ends are hidden.
• 4. Glue the safety pin to the back of the cardboard.
• 5. For reinforcement, go back and sew all of the parts together right through the middle.

Check out http://mydiyweddingday.com/ for some really great ideas besides just these ones!

Make your own invitations really cheap! If you want ones that are still high class and you just don't think you are the crafty type check out this fool proof way to make invitations inexpensive and easy!

Embossed Invitation

• 1. Get blank invitations of your choice from a craft store. Buy an embossing ink and color of your choice and choose a stamp or several that you like.
• 2. Print invitation location and names on invitations from your home computer. You can find wording and examples all over online and in any bridal magazine.
  
• 3. Stamp with embossing ink, cover with loose powder, and tap off excess powder onto paper so it can still be reused.
  
• 4. Blow dry with hair dryer and they are ready to go!

This is a great way because you still get expensive looking invitations for literally penny's on the dollar! Other easy ideas for making your own invitations include adding on ribbon or bows, buttons, or even just pictures as your background. You can even do them on old post cards or as movie tickets depending on your theme.





















One idea that I love and am seriously considering doing for my own wedding is a I-Spy picture game for on the table. Have disposable cameras on each table along with a wedding I-Spy list of pictures that you want to have taken. You can have anything on the list and you might even get your favorite photos from these.

Your list could include some of the following:

• A sweet kiss
• Big white dress
• Someone you love
• A white cake
• Twirling around
• Some fancy flowers
• A bubbly drink
• A great big hug
• A sparkly diamond
• Two people holding hands
• Some advice or thoughts from your own mouth (this can be made from wood or styrofoam and chalkboard paint to look like a comic strips voice)

There are so many things you can do and I look forward to sharing more and more ideas with all of you! Let me know if there are any questions you have or things you want me to look up. This is what I love to do!