Weddings can get expensive fast, but one area where you can save some money is on your wedding decorations. Bear in mind that what you save in money you will end up spending in time, so make sure you budget your time as well and make sure you can really commit to creating your own wedding decor.
Once you’re sure DIY is the way you want to go, it’s time to start brainstorming wedding decoration ideas. This handy list can help, with step-by-step instructions on how to make some of the most adorable accessories, centerpieces, and rustic decor for your big day.
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1. DIY “Something Old” Veil
This do-it-yourself veil is the ideal way to incorporate your “something old into your wedding and make sure you and all your sisters get the chance to have a piece of your mother’s dress with you on your wedding day. That’s right, you can make your own veil out of white fabric from your mom’s wedding dress. The only catch: you need to get the okay from your mom to cut up her dress. Some people want to preserve their dress forever, but if your mother is happy to see her dress used to make your day that much more special, then you can get started on this simple but touching accessory.
Truly, anyone can create this veil. Start by cutting off the largest swathe of fabric possible with only one seam. Then, staying as close to the seam as possible, make two cuts into the fabric, starting relatively close together (maybe 12 inches) and gradually gliding farther apart (approximately 24 inches). Once you have the fabric for the veil, all you need is a stylish hair comb and a thread and needle. Using fine, white thread, sew the fabric to the comb nice and tight in a pleated pattern so it’s slightly bunched at the comb. Once you’re done, simply tie it off with a knot and your veil is complete.
Every guest is sure to absolutely love this creative “something old” for your wedding and it only takes about an hour to make (though it could take longer if you’re not exactly a savvy sewer).
2. DIY Floral Fairy Light Wine Bottle Centerpieces
You may have seen cute wine bottle decoration ideas for your wedding reception, only to discover that they require complicated glass cutting techniques that you simply don’t feel prepared to attempt. Well, never fear. This classy floral centerpiece can be created with absolutely no glass cutting.
You’ll have to start by collecting empty wine bottles. Next, you’ll need to remove the labels. The best way to do this is with very hot water and dish soap. Allow the bottles to soak until the water goes cold, then take a scrubbing brush or sponge and scrub away the label. Some labels will peel away easily and others will require some serious elbow grease. Just be sure you get rid of all the excess glue as well, since that doesn’t look very pretty.
Once your wine bottles are ready, you just need to gather a few supplies: fairy lights that are powered by small battery packs, flowers and greenery (fake or real), and wide sparkly ribbon (optional). If you want to apply ribbon as pictured above, all you need to do is measure the circumference of the bottle, cut a length of ribbon just slightly longer, and apply a small amount of hot glue to each edge of the ribbon and a little extra in the middle. Gentle press the ribbon to the bottle and add a little extra hot glue to keep the seam closed.
As for the fairy lights, insert the string of lights into the bottle and leave the battery pack at the top of the bottle (odds are it won’t fit inside anyway). Then add the flowers and greenery to the bottle and strategically place them to hide the battery pack. Ta-da! Wedding centerpieces made from fairy lights in a wine bottle with no glass cutting required!
3. DIY Lit Backdrop for the Head Table
This DIY wedding decoration requires a little more structural engineering, but we guarantee that it will take any reception from a 6 to a 10. To make it, you’ll need PVC pipe, industrial glue, string lights, and several panels of sheer white fabric.
Start by measuring the length of your head table and the height of the reception hall. You’ll want to make the backdrop slightly longer than the table and slightly shorter than the ceiling. Then build a base out of PVC pipe with a “T” shape at each end, and be sure to glue each joint with industrial glue. Before you cap the ends of each “T,” fill the base pipes with sand. This will help keep the backdrop balanced and prevent it from falling over and wreaking havoc at your reception. Once this is finished. start building upward, but don’t glue the top pieces. You want to make sure you can remove them so you can add the fabric.
Speaking of fabric, the best way to hang it is to simply take the top of the fabric, fold it over about three inches, and sew a straight line. This will create a tube that you can slide the PVC pipe through to hold it up nice and neat. Then all you have to do is attach the string lights using zip ties.
The only downside to this amazing backdrop is that some of it has to be put together on-site the day before the wedding. If you’re a bride, with 8 million other things to do the day before your wedding, this may not be desirable. But if your family and friends are willing to build it for you, it is one of the most beautiful decoration ideas for wedding reception perfection.
4. DIY Literary Paper Flowers
Perfect for the bookworm bride, these paper flowers are rustic and beautiful. Whether you make a bouquet of them with greenery or add them to your guest book table at the reception, they’re sure to stand out. To get started, you need books you don’t mind tearing pages out of, scissors, a toothpick, a hot glue gun, cloth stem wire, and floral tape.
Each flower requires four 4″ by 4″ squares. Start by folding each square along the diagonal, then fold the resulting triangle in half, then fold that triangle in half. Next, pick a corner and cut off the tip. Then cut out an arc starting at and returning to the cut tip, and unfold. You should have a flower with 8 petals and a hole in the middle. Now repeat the process on the other three squares.
Once you have 4 flowers, it’s time to start cutting out petals. Take one flower and cut out one petal, so that you have a 7 petal piece and a 1 petal piece. With the next flower, create a 6 petal piece and a 2 petal piece. For the next, make it 3 petals and 5 petals. Finally, cut the last flower in half to make it 4 and 4.
Next, glue each petal piece together so they make a sort of cone, gluing the last petal on top of the first, and layer each piece on top of one another. Curl the outside of each petal with a toothpick, then hot glue your stem to the bottom and use floral tape to cover up the wire. Voila! You have beautiful paper flowers.
A Few Last DIY Wedding Decor Ideas
Want to make your wedding ceremony and reception really stand out as a DIY wedding? There are several other small wedding decorations ideas you can add. One easy project is creating your own sign to tell guests where to sit. Another great idea is making a cute heart craft to give out as a wedding favor. You can also send out a do-it-yourself wedding video thank you email to show your guests that you love them and appreciated their presence at your wedding. Or for your guest book, you can collect each person’s email to send them a cute photo at your one year anniversary to show that your love is still going strong.
If you’re a creative person who loves crafting, that’s a sure sign that you should incorporate your own DIY wedding decorations. As long as you plan out your time well, there’s no reason you can’t make your dream DIY wedding happen, regardless of artistic ability. As this post demonstrates, there are plenty of do-it-yourself projects that are incredibly creative, classy, and easy to create. We hope this post can make your ideas, wedding decorations, and creativity come together to make your wedding a special event you will look back on with so much love.
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