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All photos and ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings.

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Escort-Card Posies: All you need are fabric flowers, map pins, and glue to bring your seating assignments into bloom. Would look great with little multicolored fall leaves, too!  Click here for the  How-To!

Blossoming Backdrop: A string of white lights, vellum and card stock, hole punches, and glue!  Click here for the How-To!

Paper Links:Vellum and double sided tape make paper chains chic! Mix-n-match colors to get the perfect look. Click here for the How-To (as if you really need it!)

Wooden Seating Cards: Paper-thin wood veneer, craft punches, and calligraphy pens make these distintive place cards! Get the How-To Here!

Flower Girl Cardigan: Sequins and fabric glue make it fun!  Works wonders for all sorts of other things too, including shoes, sashes, bouquets, headbands, and favors.

Poster Guest Book: Instead of having your loved ones write messages in a book, put out a poster on which they can sign their names. You can download the editable (and free!) clip art here, send the file to a printer, and it’s done! Or put together your own poster using stencils, paint, ribbon, and anything else you fancy! Get the How-To here!

Seasonal Fruit Favor: You’ll need fruit, tissue paper, and rubber stamps for this one! For personalized stamps, have an office-supply store make a rubber stamp with your names, wedding date, and  illustration. Get the How-To here!

Harvest Wedding Centerpieces: The beauty of these is that they can be made weeks in advance!  Wheat, grains, and other dried grasses (available at crafts stores), tied with a luxurious satin bow. Get the how-to here!

Mini Candied Apples: For these dainty nibbles, embellish candied apples with a paper leaf. You’ll need a leaf-shaped craft punch, glue, and short skewers. You can hand-write, stamp, or print “Enjoy” on each leaf. Get the Candy Apple recipe here!

Flower Girl Basket: For this charming look, get yourself a pretty basket, some cotton fabric, silk ribbon, and leaves. You can order pressed leaves if you don’t have any real ones in your area! Get the how-to here!

Fall Wedding Boutonnieres: Incorporate the shades and symbols of autumn into festive boutonnieres. Get the How-to here!

feature photo credit: Mark Lenoce Photography

So how cute would it be if you had this awesome Phone Booth prop for your guests to pose with… in… in front of… etc…? I don’t know how much this costs to actually buy, but with some imagination I bet you could replicate it with some cardboard boxes and red paint.

I also love this glamorous Crescent-Moon and Star Photo Booth from Martha Stewart! I think it would be great, not only for the bride and groom, but for your guests to get their pose on, too! You can make it out of foam board cut into a crescent shape, sprayed with glue, blanketed with glitter, and hung with fishing wire.

Another pretty option is this pop-up alter, which you can use for your vows, if you like, and then transfer to your photo booth location! Martha Stewart recommends creating this type of fluttering canopy out of these honeycomb leaf garlands. If you want to DIY, click: Get the How-To.

 

Pretty much anything can be used as a photo booth prop. If your wedding is outdoors, you could put the “Photo booth here” sign pointing to the vehicle of your choice, such as classic car, a rented Rolls, or a vintage pickup truck. And going back to the foam board, you could make your own life-sized car, complete with cut-out windows, for guests to have fun with! (Photo by Steve C. via photo.net.

Pipe your own Roses

Frozen Delights

All you’ll need to create these delightful sorbet bombes is a mixer to soften the sorbet and a metal container (such as cake molds or a vase). Once the sorbet is smooth in consistency, spoon it into the containers (for visual flair, layer different flavors), and freeze overnight. At your wedding, just slice and serve! Lemon, peach, coconut, and pink-grapefruit sorbets are showcased here. You can easily substitute ice cream!

Lemon Icebox Wedding Cake

Isn’t this pretty? It’s made out of scalloped lemon cookies and honey mascarpone cream. Just build it from the bottom up and top with candied lemon slices for a tangy-sweet cookie-cake treat! (These cookies were made from scratch, but store-bought ones work just as well; try Moravian Meyer lemon cookies, Salem Baking Co.)

Some topics of interest to the DIY bride may be:

Catering Display: How to Design the Perfect Buffet: Find out how you can create a buffet line that will be appetizing but will also dazzle the eye.

Decorating Your Own Wedding Reception Hall: Whether you are holding your wedding reception in your own house, an outdoor tent or a reception hall, learn how you can save money by decorating your own wedding reception.

Wedding Menu Ideas & Tips: Most couples want their wedding reception to be memorable. Learn how to develop a unique wedding menu that both the wedding party and the guests will love.

What You Need to Make & Decorate a Wedding Cake: Find out what tools you need to make and decorate a wedding cake, as well as steps detailing the entire process.

Off-Site Catering Menu: Choosing Foods that Hold & Travel Well: Some menu items will transport well while others will become stale, overcooked, soggy or dry. Here is a list of what works and what doesn’t, as well as some tips on how to transport tricky foods.

Designing a Wedding Table Centerpiece: Whether you are a caterer or a do-it-yourself newlywed, you can benefit financially from designing your own wedding centerpieces.

Chocolate Fountain Recipes: Find step-by-step instructions for how to make your own fondue chocolate that will flow smoothly in a chocolate fountain.

Do you have experience in catering a large event? Let us know what you think is crucial to success!

• Swarovski crystals
• ribbons & trims
• laces
• appliques
• buttons
• buckles
• handbag handles
• cords
• jacquards
• nailheads
• sequins & rhinestones
• beads
• flower pins
• & lots more!

Their blog has some great ideas and photos to inspire you! Here are some projects to take a look at… and let the creative juices flow!

• Magnetic Save The Date Cards!
• Bridal Wedding Veil
• Wedding Cake Embellishment
  
• Unity Candles
• Bridal Shoe Clips
• Velvet Ribbon Wedding Corsage
• Bridesmaid Organza Beaded Necklace
• Dog-of-Honor Ribbon Collars
• Ring Bearer Pillow
• Bride’s Garter Belt
• Toasting Flutes

This photo is of Gossip Girl’s Serena van der Woodsen, who wore a silver ribbon as a headband to the white party.  One way to get this look yourself is by using a metallic silver mesh ribbon. Visit M&J Trimming for more info!

Easy Ribbon Headbands

Click here for the tutorial at Altered Cloth.

All you need is some ribbon and ponytail elastics!

Elaborate Bridesmaid Headbands

Click here for the tutorial from Once Wed. For these headbands, you’ll need ribbon, 2 types of trims, elastic, needle & thread, and a hot glue gun.

Double Leather Cord Headbands

The headband in the photo below, from Anthropology, grabbed the attention of Forever Chic, and she decided to make one herself, using some leather cords she cut off a vintage dress, and a couple ponytail bands! See how she did it here!

Embellishing a Colored Headband

The instruction from a headband class at M&J Trimming led participants like the neon tea party and friends to create all sorts of headbands, from glamorous to funky. You start with a store-bought headband, then use your imagination and a glue gun to add ribbons, flowers, and other any other embellishments you fancy. Viola!

1950′s Polka Dot Hairband

Here’s a super cute headband made by Rascal Kosher on the Crafster community board. You can make your own using ribbon with an elastic band and a button in the back. She used the Crafster Book tutorial, but looks simple enough that you can figure out how to DIY!

DIY Marc Jabobs Headbands

Here’s a gorgeous, glimmering headband fashioned after the  headbands at Marc Jacobs. You’ll need some netted metallic fabric, flat-backed rhinestones, and super glue. Take a look at the tutorial here at Fashionista!

photo here via Your Best Wedding

Enter the photo booth!! It’s a little station you set up to entice your guests to pose for their very own photo session! You can put your photographer in charge, ask a friend to man the booth, or just hand out disposable cameras and ask everyone to be sure to stop by the booth and snap a few shots.  You can get as fun and creative as you like with backdrops, props, and costumes, and leave the smiling and posing to your friends!

More ideas and inspiration for your Photo Booth:

To ensure that they would have unique keepsake photographs of their guests, the couple set up an outdoor portrait studio made up of lengths of bright floral fabric draped over a clothesline. The photographer chose the background best suited to each subject’s outfit, mixing unlike but complementary patterns to create a jubilant, richly textured collection of pictures. (Martha Stewart Weddings)

Create your own photo booth with an oversize canvas backdrop. You can dowload the design below and take it to a copy center (like FedEx) that can print the large file. Then hang it up at your reception and have your photographer or friends capture candid moments that you can add to your guest book.  Get the Photo Booth Backdrop Clip Art

You can rent an actual photobooth and have invite your guests to use it. The added privacy may help encouraged spontaneity!

If renting one is beyond your budget, try this makeshift DIY photo booth tutorial from the things we think but do not say via Manolo. You’ll get awesome shots like these (via cosentino):

Take your photo booth to the next level with an interactive family photo wall (via Manolo) featuring snapshots of family members and family members’ weddings. Guests can pose in empty frames, becoming “part of the family history.”

More creative backdrops… a wood pile sculpture (photo credit here via Green Wedding Shoes):

… and some more fun fabric backdrops from Green Wedding Shoes:

The poses are only as fun as your guests choose make them… here are a few people having a grand old time! Photographer Dennis Drenner set up this mini photo studio against the wall of the beautiful old Tuscan villa where the guests were staying. Sometimes Dennis took the photos, sometimes the wedding guests took the photos themselves using a cable release.

A couch, some hats, and sunglasses make for great pictures too! (Poof Photobooth on flickr)

Sometimes, you don’t need much of a background or props to get people to act goofy… (MugShots photo booth from wdphoto)

Here are some of my favorite ideas…

Just Married Signs

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  This is perfect for your reception decor or getaway car (or carriage)! Definitely classier than smearing “Just Married” on your windshield  with lipstick!

  Get the Template

Lace Backdrop

Create your own photo booth with an oversize canvas backdrop. Download this design and take it to a copy center that can print the large file (like FedEx)

Get the Template

Paper Magnolia Centerpieces

You can create these stunning centerpieces all by yourself! Download the petal template to make the perfect crepe-paper magnolias.

Get the Template

Luminaria Centerpieces

To make these sweet luminarias, inspired by a cake-decorating stencil, download the template and print onto 11-by-17 paper. Fold the paper like an accordion or wrap around a glass cylinder.

Get the Templates

Cupcake Towers

This project is a piece of cake to construct, and also incredibly budget-friendly. Print the clip-art borders (use text-weight paper) and cut them to fit an assortment of round boxes and lids.

Get the Templates

Flower Girl Parasols

Pile on even more cuteness! Instead of having scattering blossoms as they amble down the aisle, your flower girls can be the blossoms by carrying these petal-topped rice-paper umbrellas!

Get the Template

Floral Paper Fans

Keep your guests comfortable at outdoor weddings with these lovely handmade fans. They features a floral motif on one side and a quote from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on the other. After you download the template, you can have a calligrapher add a monogram, then print onto medium-weight paper and cut out. Glue a wooden ice cream spoon between the two sides, and tie on a pretty ribbon.

Download the Template

Click here for more Martha Stewart Do-it-Yourself inspiration!

Paper Source

This website deals in fine, handmade papers from around the world. Their spectacular selection is sold in a wide range of forms – large sheets, pre-cut and packaged letter sized sheets, envelopes and accessories. The palette includes colors developed by and exclusively manufactured for Paper Source.

Red Bumble Bee

For the bride who’s searched high and low for the perfect invitation, this site provide exquisite stationary design, high quality service, and great prices. You can choose from existing formats, or have something customized to truly celebrate you and your unique wedding style!

Printable Invitation Kits

These invitation kits are both luxurious and economical. You will find beautiful styles that range from classic to ultra trendy. You can order thee invitation kits and print them yourself!  You’ll get professional results even on a tight budget.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com has a selection of printable invitations from a variety of sellers.

Style on a Budget

As the name of the website suggests, Style on a Budget offers an enormous selection of materials and tools, tailored to your budget.  You can creat a custom DIY package, or schedlue a consultation with their custom design studio.

Invite Site

Modern and eco-friendly, many of these contemporary invitations are made from tree-free papers, handmade papers, fine European papers, and 100% postconsumer recycled papers. They believe “affordable” should never look cheap or “homemade”. Your wedding invitation kit comes with everything you need to produce modern, elegant invitations!

Formal Invitations.com

Here, you can find gorgous templates, luxurious papers, embelishments, for under $1.00! (If that’s not affordable, I don’t know what is!) Order heavyweight cards available in handmade petal paper, rich solids in the latest colors, modern and vintage prints or shimmering metallics. Then add keepsake embellishments to create chic, affordable invitations without having to sacrifice quality or style. Plus, you can find high quality invitations made from 100% recycled papers and tree-free recycled cotton.

Thanks to About.com Wedding for pointing us toward all these fantastic sites!

Please check out the comment section to see more great sites our readers recommend!! And, if you have another DIY invitation website, please add it to the list!

DIY brides can now take a stab at DIY wedding favors! American Bridal has everything you need, from bags & boxes, ribbons & bows, tags & stickers, candies & other edible goodies, charms, wraps, aroma beads, and more! You can also find wedding favors for under $1.00 each!

After buying some books on the subject, she began making her own silk wedding flower creation from her home. After some time, she took a job with a local florist and fell in love with fresh flowers, and moved on to become the manager of a busy flower shop and the head florist designer…. and the rest is history.

What it all comes down to is that Louann has tons of experience she wants to share with the rest of us about flowers, from ordering them to making gorgeous wedding arrangements. I suggest you check out her site, Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas, for ideas, pictures, advice, and tutorials, to get you started on your own wedding flowers!

Here are a few of my favorite ideas. Your guests will “ooh” and “ahh” over these unique and beautiful designs, in addition to being astounded at your creative genius!

Centerpieces in a Bag!

Something as simple as a brown paper bag, adorned with a cheerful bow can hold a blooming plant as a simple, attractive (but cheap!) wedding centerpiece!

Fish Bowl Centerpieces

Create quick and elegant centerpieces using fish bowls , Oasis florist foam rings, and flowers. You can add colored water and floating candles to the fishbowl, or delight your guests with real goldfish! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)

Dainty Candle Centerpieces

These small candle centerpieces can be tucked most any where – on supper tables, near dinner reservation cards, bridal showers and more. Here we have a small candle nestled in the center of a rose, (with center petals removed) and an unusually pretty, rustic-looking candle holder made of fresh leaves, such as ficus or lemon, glued to the sides of a candle cup.

Delightful, Fruity Centerpieces

When life hands you lemons… make centerpieces! These over-the-top centerpieces are certainly out of the ordinary! (Photo courtesy of John Henry.)

Black Magic Bouquets and Centerpieces

These dramatic black magic roses create quite an impact, both in your bridal table centerpieces and in your bouquets. When using these flowers, use some bright red or hot pink for contrast.

If you are interested in designing your own flowers, be sure to check out the Easy Tutorial pages and the Supply Store, where you can find all the products you need, from bouquet holders and stands to centerpiece supplies. These products are sometime difficult to find, as they are usually only available to professional florists.

You can also find galleries of inspiration for the following wedding-related themes: Wedding hair styles, bridal bouquets, flower girl baskets, corsage and boutonnieres, wedding cakes, bridal shower ideas, church decorations, weddings by color and season, invitations, and more! Check out Wedding Flowers and Reception Ideas for hundreds of photo galleries full of wedding-inspiration!

DIY Wedding Favors, too!

Are you interested in making your own wedding favors to go along with your hand-made centerpieces? Check out American Bridal’s Wedding Favor supplies for incredibly creative, unbelievably cheap wedding favors your guests will love. Whether you’re looking for edible goodies or luxurious aroma beads, American Bridal has an impressive selection of cheap and discounted wedding supplies to create wedding favors that are fun and functional!

American Bridal also has candles and tea lights that you can use as wedding favors or as part of your centerpiece designs!