DIY Wedding Idea: Stencils

When you are planning a wedding, it is really fun to engage your creative side with some DIY projects. This is a great way to add personality and style to your wedding while keeping costs low. These are some beautiful wedding projects that can be created with stencils.

Wedding invitations are one of the easiest DIY wedding projects to undertake. With nice paper and a decent printer, you can get very professional looking results. A wonderful way to add a personal touch to your invitations is to stencil a design onto them. You can buy a stencil of a pretty floral or a modern geometric design, or create your own from a piece of plastic. If you decide to make your own stencil, a monogram would be ideal.

Wedding stencils can be used to create larger items as well. Keep in mind that you do not have to limit yourself to stenciling on paper. It can also be done on fabric or walls. A very unique and beautiful decoration for a ceremony would be a fabric hanging stenciled with a large monogram or other design. The fabric can be suspended behind the altar for a one-of-a-kind backdrop. If your wedding is in your own home, you can even think about stenciling a monogram or a large floral pattern right onto the wall. You can always plan to paint over it after the wedding, and the dramatic effect will be well worth the effort.

The wedding favors are a great place to try your hand at stenciling. Choose any type of favor that you like, and place it in a small paper bag or cardboard box. You can use your stencil to add character to the packaging and give your favors that really customized look. This same idea can be used for your bridesmaid gifts. Select pretty bridesmaid gifts, such as dainty pearl earrings, and then make them even more special by presenting them in hand-stenciled boxes. The personal touch will make your gifts even more heartfelt and thoughtful.

There is no end to the different things that you can create for your wedding using a stencil. The key is to choose one special motif that you can carry throughout the wedding. The attention to detail will make your ceremony and reception feel very unique and personal.

Stylish Ways to Use Bamboo in a Wedding

Bamboo has long been a symbol of Asia and the countries of Southeast Asia. In China, it is considered to be a symbol of longevity, which makes bamboo a very fitting motif for a wedding. Not only is bamboo culturally important and beautiful to behold, it is also one of the most sustainable and renewable plant resources, so it is an excellent choice to include in an eco-friendly wedding.

As with any wedding, one of the places to start is with the invitations. It is now possible to have your wedding stationery created on gorgeous bamboo paper. The bamboo paper is ideal for the letterpress styles that are so popular these days. Bamboo has several environmental advantages over the cotton rag paper traditionally used for fine stationery. For one thing, it can be grown without pesticides, unlike the cotton used for paper; for another, bamboo requires very little water, making it an ideal choice for brides who want beautiful paper that is also “green”.

Bamboo is not only fantastic for paper, it can also be used to create lovely fabric. The truly eco-conscious bride can consider gowns created from bamboo for herself and her bridesmaids. There are some beautiful styles available for all of the women in the wedding. Your bamboo bridal gown can be accessorized with handmade jewelry sets. Look for sets of bridal jewelry that are created from dazzling Swarovski crystals, which are a better choice for the environment than diamonds.

There are many other wonderful ways to use bamboo in a wedding. It can be highly decorative, and is a very pretty natural design element. Create Asian inspired centerpieces with elements such as tall stalks of bamboo, pebbles, and graceful floating flowers. Lucky bamboo in planted in tiny ceramic pots is also a very modern and hip idea for your wedding favors.

Bamboo is a cutting edge material that has a lot to offer your wedding. It looks great and is great for the environment, which makes it a super element to include in your festivities. Whether you want to have an eco-conscious wedding or just a chic one, bamboo is a fantastic thing to use.

Decorate Your Wedding With River Rocks

One of the hottest trends in weddings these days is to use elements that feel organic and natural. For a design element that can feel both earthy and Zen, check out river rocks. These smooth little stones can be used in a surprising number of ways to add a wonderfully natural feeling to your wedding.

The river rock unity ceremony is a perfect addition to an outdoor wedding. It will fit right in with the type of wedding where the bride is wearing a simple flowing gown and handmade jewelry. The naturally free-form style of handmade keishi pearl wedding jewelry is a wonderful complement to the earthy stones. You can also think about using a row of river rocks down each side of the aisle to define the walkway.

A very pleasing and easy idea for your escort cards is to use a metallic pen to write the name of each guest on a smooth stone. It is the ultimate DIY project; just be sure that whoever wields the pen has good handwriting. Give the escort card table more flair by arranging the river rocks over a bed of wheatgrass or a woven mat. It is a low-key and yet elegant way to display your escort cards.

The centerpieces will lend themselves to the river rock idea wonderfully. You can use a bunch of the smooth stones to anchor the floral arrangements in clear vases. Another idea is to let the river rocks themselves stand alone as a decorative element. Arrange a trio of low clear or white vessels in the center of each table. Fill one with river rocks and the other two with natural elements such as moss or sand. It is a very chic Zen centerpiece design. For any bride hoping to give her wedding a modern earthy feeling, smooth river rocks are the perfect addition.

Make Your Wedding Venue Feel Like Home

The standard decorations for a wedding venue include things like flowers and candles, but there is so much more that you can do to customize your space. When your wedding site is an historic mansion, one of the best ways to decorate it is with personal items that come from your own family, or at least look like they did. You can situate these personal touches around the reception venue in a way that looks very natural and not staged.

When you are looking for elements to enhance a graceful old home, think about the time period of the house, as well as the types of special things that you have in your family. Pay extra attention to the things that have the most sentimental meaning or nostalgic value to you. For instance, if your grandmother has a beautiful silver tea set that she always has on display in her home, perhaps you could borrow it to grace the mantel in the venue’s dining room. Add a few tapered candles in mis-matched silver holders, and you will have a beautiful vignette.

Family photos are a very special way to dress up your reception space. This works particularly well in a rented mansion, as you can scatter photos around the space just like you would in your own home. It is especially meaningful to include wedding photos of the bride and groom’s parents and grandparents from their own weddings. Baby pictures of the bride and groom are also always a sweet thing to include.

When you are taking such care to make your reception venue include items from your family, don’t forget about including a few sentimental elements in your bridal ensemble. The most nostalgic idea of all is to wear your mother’s wedding gown, possibly re-cut in an updated style. If you have a beautiful brooch belonging to your grandmother, you can pin it on the waist of your wedding gown or on the ribbon that ties your bouquet.

Since weddings are all about the blending of the old and the new, feel free to have new pieces of custom bridal jewelry created to complement any older family pieces that you may be wearing. It is quite easy to blend newly made bridal jewelry with antiques when you have it custom made from the same types of gems, whether it is crystals or pearls.You will find that adding the personal touches to your wedding will make it feel even more meaningful to you.

Elegant Wedding Tent Decor

Outdoor weddings are incredibly popular. If you are planning to have a tent over your reception area, you will have some special design challenges. How do you go about transforming a plain white tent into an elegant and unforgettable reception?

The trends for decorating an outdoor wedding are similar to what brides are doing for inside receptions. At a tented wedding, you may find more natural elements being used, but the basic framework is still going to be the same. You want your tent décor to fit in with your overall style. If you are having a very classic ceremony and the bride is wearing a traditional gown with custom pearl bridal jewelry, then you want that timeless feeling to carry through into your reception décor.

The hottest trend for weddings inside or outside is to hang decorations from the ceiling. Often this is in the form of a chandelier. You can rent one massive crystal chandelier for the center of the tent if your reception is going to be very formal, or have smaller feminine chandeliers suspended over each table. This is an interesting flip on the idea of bringing the outside to an inside venue. In this case, you are making your reception more elegant by bringing an indoor element, such as a chandelier, to an outdoor space, the tent. It will certainly be a surprising element that your guests will notice right away.

When you are trying to make a plain white tent appear more elegant, it is important to cover up the utilitarian parts of it, such as posts and other supports. There are many beautiful ways to do this. One idea is to drape lengths of fabric from the ceiling of the tent. If you choose a soft color like peach or rose, it will also cast a very flattering glow onto the skin of everyone present. Fabric can also be used to hide vertical supports in a tent.

A tented wedding can have a magic all of its own. You have the ability to transform your wedding reception into a place that brings your vision to life. When you take the time to consider the tent decorations, the result will be a gorgeous space to dine and dance the night away.

Tangerine and Lime For Spring Weddings

“Tangerine and lime?”, you may be thinking, “do those even go together?”. Aah, but they do. Imagine the look of a bowl of fresh citrus fruit, and you will see how well these two contrasting colors in fact complement one another. They will add a modern and exuberant feel to any spring or summer wedding.

You can use tangerine and lime together in so many aspects of your wedding. An ideal way to tie them together is to choose prints or designs that feature both colors. Stripes and polka dots are in keeping with the lighthearted feeling of bright citrus colors. You can also go more sophisticated with a chic scroll pattern in lime and tangerine. Round out your color palette with a crisp white.

When you are using a consistent color duo throughout your wedding, you can even get away with mixing and matching different prints and patterns. For instance, why not use lime and tangerine scroll patterned napkins over a tablecloth striped with tangerine, lime, and white? The effect will be eclectic, to be sure, but in a really cool way. If you are going out on a limb by choosing a non-traditional color palette, you can allow yourself the freedom to go a little crazy and have fun with your design.

Lime and tangerine can also be great for your bridesmaid dresses. To keep the look soft when using such strong colors, choose sheer fabrics like organza or chiffon. For an outdoor wedding, a tangerine colored tea length dress would look fantastic when tied with a lime sash at the waist, almost like a refreshing citrus drink on a warm day.

To complete the effect, you can have bridesmaid jewelry custom made in your wedding colors. A sprinkling of lime and tangerine Swarovksi crystals will add just the right amount of color to strands of pearl bridesmaid jewelry. Once you get going, you will discover that the fresh and modern color combination can add style to all of the elements of your wedding.

Chinese Lanterns at Weddings

Are you looking for a way to add color and illumination to your wedding? Are you also hoping to make your reception very festive without spending a fortune? If so, you are in luck, because you can get all of that and more when you decorate your reception with Chinese lanterns.

Outdoor weddings are a great place to use Chinese lanterns. The festive globes will look fantastic suspended from the trees, especially for a reception that will be going into the evening hours. You can hang them individually from branches of trees, or drape a long string of mini lanterns from tree to tree. Another idea is to create a grid of clear wire over the tables at the reception, and to hang the lanterns over the seating area for an intimate glow.

The lanterns are also a great addition to an indoor wedding. Naturally if you are having an Asian inspired wedding, you must have Chinese lanterns, but they are great for other themes as well. The lanterns can be used as accents over the reception tables in lieu of renting costly chandeliers. They will also give you a bright pop of color over each table, which means that you will not need to do as much with flowers and centerpieces.

Because the Chinese lanterns will make such a strong impact on your reception venue, you want to make sure that the rest of your wedding ties in with them. In other words, if you are using the lanterns as your main source of color, be sure to carry touches of those colors into the rest of your design. Your bridal party can wear your signature colors in the bridesmaid jewelry and the groomsmens’ pocket squares. You want to have a good balance.

You can’t beat Chinese lanterns for an inexpensive way to brighten up your wedding. Brides are finding that they are as versatile as they are festive. They are a classic fun party idea that is sure to add a great look to your reception space.

Zen Wedding Style

Zen style is simple and clean and peaceful. It is relaxing, and can also be quite modern and chic. It is a great idea for a wedding theme, as you and your guests will feel quite at ease in the oasis that you create. For a few ideas on how to have a Zen wedding, read on…

Think about your wedding location. A space like an open loft in a city with great hardwood floors and lots of natural light would be one excellent option. Another possibility is an outdoor setting. An Asian inspired garden would be ideal, as would a setting near running water, which will make a soothing background sound.

A peaceful color palette is a great place to being when creating your Zen design. Soft colors from nature like taupe, celadon, and pale blue work beautifully in combination with an accent color like espresso. Your color scheme will be serene and modern at the same time. Patterns that use some of the colors together in a stripe would make a very pleasing addition to the overall wedding décor.

Your color palette can be carried throughout the wedding. You will certainly want to use it for your bridesmaid dresses. Tea length chiffon dresses in celadon or pale blue would be lovely. To add a little punch, choose ones that also use the espresso accent color, either in a sash, or as a wide border at the hemline. For the bridesmaid jewelry sets, think simple and clean lines, such as elegant sterling silver pieces. Bridesmaid jewelry sets that use elements with a natural and organic form, like keshi pearls, would also be wonderful for your Zen wedding.

For your wedding décor, imagine a fabulous Asian inspired spa setting. Think about ways to incorporate natural elements, such as smooth rocks, bamboo, seagrass, and even water. A great touch for a Zen theme wedding would be to have a water element, such as a simple modern fountain, or another source of running water. If your venue does not have such a feature, see about renting or even custom designing a piece like a copper wall fountain to add the tranquil sound of water to your reception.

For the ultimate in Zen wedding design, consider hiring a feng shui expert to design the floorplan of your reception. You will be ensured that the vibe at your wedding is as serene as possible. In addition, you will ensure good flow throughout the room, as well as the best luck to get your marriage off to a happy and harmonious start. If a wedding theme can do all that, then who wouldn’t want to have their big day be as Zen as possible?

Inexpensive Decorations for Holiday Weddings

One of the best things about planning a holiday wedding is that there are so many beautiful options for décor. Unlike at other times of the year, every store is filled to the brim with decorations that fit the theme of your wedding – think about how lucky you are! As Christmas draws near (and especially after Christmas for those planning a wedding for next year), you will find that many fantastic items are on sale, and you can put together a big look for only a little money.

A great place to start is with tiny white lights. They can be used to decorate potted trees, in centerpieces, draped from the ceiling – there is almost no area that can’t be made more festive with twinkling white lights. Before you rush out and buy them, ask around: your friends and family probably have tons of white Christmas lights that you can borrow for your wedding. How great would it be to get such a beautiful design element without spending a dime?

Simple Christmas ornaments can also be a nice way to decorate for a holiday wedding. To keep your wedding from looking like a Christmas party, avoid using red and green ornaments together. Instead create color combinations like red and gold or green and silver. Silver and gold also look very elegant when paired together. The basic round ball ornaments can be used to decorate in a variety of ways. One of the simplest things you can do is to fill tall glass cylinders or hurricane lanterns with round ornaments in a few sizes. It couldn’t be easier, but it creates a beautiful and chic centerpiece. Fill it out by surrounding it with a boxwood table wreath and glowing white candles.

If you are into sparkle and shine, there are lots of fun things you can get to decorate for a holiday wedding on a budget. Brides who love the look of dazzling crystal bridal jewelry can create a magical crystal-filled reception room using crystal or glass snowflake and star ornaments suspended from the ceiling. The aforementioned white lights will reflect like crystal bridal jewelry dangling from the ceiling of your venue. It would be fabulous for a New Year’s Eve wedding!

Holiday weddings are fun for so many reasons, and the great décor of the season is certainly one of them. If you take the time to shop around, and borrow what you can from friends and family, you will be able to get a stunning look very inexpensively. Which is great news – then you can splurge on an extra-special Christmas gift for your brand new husband or wife!

Rich Brown Accents for Your Wedding

Brown is one of the richest and warmest colors. It can also be very elegant and sophisticated, without the harshness of black. Used as a main color scheme or in combination with another color, brown is a wonderful choice for a wedding color palette.

The color brown actually has many great variations. There is deep espresso, warm milk chocolate, and light mocha – that sound delicious, doesn’t it? The lighter shades of brown are lovely for an afternoon wedding, and the deeper tones are perfect for the evening.

Brown is also a color that can be used in conjunction with many other colors. For weddings, espresso brown is often added to pink or sky blue to give those colors a sophistication that they would otherwise lack. A very fresh and modern wedding palette can be created by mixing brown with lime green, and for an opulent look, try using chocolate with copper.

The bride and bridesmaids’ attire will set the tone for the wedding, so this is a good place to use your brown accents. Brown makes an excellent choice for the bridesmaid dresses. A brown dupioni or satin is gorgeous for weddings year round; for a winter wedding, indulge in luxurious chocolate velvet.

You can also have wedding jewelry handmade to coordinate as your bridesmaid gifts. Sparkling Swarovksi crystals in chocolate would make a beautiful accent to brown bridesmaid dresses. Create necklaces and earrings that combine the brown crystals with clear ones to keep the look from getting too heavy; the effect will be stunning!

Brown can be used in many additional parts of the wedding. A stunning brown flower is the chocolate cosmo, which actually has a soft chocolatey aroma. For brides who prefer white or ivory bouquets, ask your florist to tie them with a chocolate satin or velvet ribbon. The deep brown ribbon will pop nicely against the lighter color of the flowers. A brown ribbon would also work very well with a pink bouquet, for a pink and brown themed wedding.

One of the most versatile colors that you can use to decorate your wedding is brown. It is a great choice to add sophistication or to tone down a very feminine color scheme. Brown is one of those colors that can be worked into almost any wedding to great effect.