{Practical Planning} DIY Round Up - Lovely Projects for Your Wedding

DIY projects are an ESSENTIAL part of practical wedding planning for any couple. They help you save money, illuminate your crafty, thrifty side, fill your celebration with personal touches. From invitations and programs to favors and flowers, DIY is all about putting a little extra special love into the details.

So here is my DIY Round-Up - my favorites from around the web, picked just for you. I love these projects and I know you will too.

Plantable Flower Favors 
I found this post on Emmaline Bride but you can find the full tutorial HERE.

Super sweet and super easy project for creating plantable flowers. Bundle a few together for as an eco-conscious, earth friendly gift to your guests or combine with a handwritten craft tag for place holders. You will be surprised at how simple the project is; gather your maids and get yet craft on!

Photo Source: Emmaline Bride

Wine Label Menus
I found this project over at The Wedding Chicks...LOVE them!

This is one of those projects that makes you say...DUH, why didn't think of that? It is fresh and clean and can do double duty as a floral centerpiece. Perfect for an outdoor or backyard wedding. I love simple...it just makes the whole world nicer.

Photo Credit: Hilton Pittman Photograpy

Anthropologie Inspired Garland

I found this post on The Sweetest Occasion from Chelsea of lovely indeed! 

For you practical brides, here is a great NO fee or low fee idea for creating garland, perfect for decorating your reception or cocktail hour.  Make it your own with ribbon in your wedding colors, bits of hoarded fabric, yarn, anything artsy crafty that you need to get rid of in your house! Again, another great project to bring in the help. 

Photo Credit: lovely indeed

So there you have it, the de Loveliest projects of the week! I hope you enjoy creating, crafting, imagining and discovering all the wonderful things you can for your wedding. This really is all about you, so put some YOU into it! And if you *THINK* you are aren't crafty, I bet you know someone who is, so don't be afraid to reach out!

What are some other great DIY wedding ideas to share with our thrifty brides? Give us the GOOD STUFF and leave a comment below! 

Enjoy the sun, have some fun!

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{Thrifty Thursday} Your Good Fortune

Here is a Thrifty favor idea to help stretch a dollar for those who have only a few but want their wedding to feel like a million bucks.  Fortune cookies - yes I know, they get a bad rap; the stale, cardboardish, plastic wrapped, questionably edible "cookie" you get from take out Chinese places.  Truth is, they are a sweet, affordable, and personal ending to your already fabulous wedding.

There are a number of different routes you can choose for your cookies. You can go slightly more expensive and purchase personalized fortune cookies OR go thrifty and gather your ladies for a favor making party.   So we’ll go thrifty, since this is Thursday and the thrifty way, in my humble opinion, is just a lot more fun and memorable; the idea of lovingly assembling your own wedding favors with a gaggle of giggling bridesmaids, makes me smile. So let's get to it.

  

What do you need?  Cookies, dipping sauces/frosting, sprinkles if you choose, boxes and ribbons, and if you go the totally self made way, paper, printer, scissors.  

Cookies - There are a number places on the internet to purchase regular fortune cookies, with fortunes already inside.  The Oriental Trading Company offers a great deal with 50 for $6.99.  Another option is making them yourself – hence the need for a girl party. Here is a great tutorial/recipe for personalized cookies. I love the idea however as a stressed out bride,  you may not have to time since the cookies should be relatively fresh.

Delicious Dipping – For an extra touch of class and decadence, how about serving up cookies partially dipped in all sorts of yummy flavors?   Here is a super easy recipe for Chocolate Dipped Fortune Cookies using semi-sweet chocolate chips that just about anyone can master.  You can do the same with white chocolate, peanut butter or caramel chips. You can even add color or festive sprinkles to match your wedding color scheme.

Final Touch - Remember, presentation goes a long way in pulling off thrift. Head over to your local crafts store or online crafts vendor  for some favor or jewelry boxes, appropriately colored tissue paper and satin or grosgrain ribbon.  You might want to tuck in a sweet note of thanks or even a small love poem before your tie up your favor treat.   A label with your names and wedding date attached to the box or tied on the ribbon is nice but not necessary....they did get the invite after all

So there you have it, {Thrifty Thrusday} Your Good Fortune, a smart, delicious way to say thank you to your guests.  Enjoy!

Photo credits: 

Top and Middle: Exclusively Wedding www.exclusivelyweddings.com

Bottom: Sophia's Favors www.sophiesfavors.com