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Birch Log & String Light Centerpiece Tutorial
Today I'm excited to bring you a tutorial for my favorite custom centerpiece I've built to date! We made these beauties to complement some picnic tables we had rented for our event - it was a great way to bring the outdoors inside and create a cozy, rustic and casual environment.
Here's a list of the supplies you'll need:
IKEA MUSKOT Plant Pot - 9 1/2" (2 per centerpiece)
10 ct. Battery Operated Edison String Lights - I got mine at World Market (no longer available) but you can find similar HERE at Target.
4ft Birch Sticks 3-Pk from Hobby Lobby (they don't have them online) $15.99/set of 3, but use your HL app for 40% off!
GREAT STUFF 16 oz. Gaps and Cracks Insulating Foam Sealant with Quick Stop Straw - Home Depot (I used 2 cans for 15 sets of centerpieces)
Vigoro 0.4 cu. ft. Mexican Beach Pebbles - 2 bags for 15 sets of centerpieces (you could also use moss or something else to fit your theme/style!)
Rubber gloves (for use with the spray foam)
Tape of some sort (masking or gaff recommended) to help hold sticks in place while they dry
TOTAL COST PER CENTERPIECE: All in all, it cost us about $35 per centerpiece set. And the great thing is that we've already used these in multiple events - they are super versatile and add a touch of a soft glow to any room!
Here's how I did it:
First, I sweet talked my dear husband into cutting all of the birch sticks in half for me, so each centerpiece stands 2ft. high. Each birch log looks a little different, so as he cut them I numbered the bottom of the sticks to make sure each centerpiece matched in both pots. I also had him cut a notch in the top of each log so that the string lights can sit securely on top.
Next, I used the spray foam to secure the logs inside the pot. PLEASE USE GLOVES! This stuff is legit and it will legit take the skin off your hands, so please use caution! It also expands fast, so start with small sprays to get the amount you need.
I filled the pot up a little less than halfway, then used the logs and/or tape to hold them in place while it dried. Allow several hours to fully set.
Once they fully set, you're ready to add the lights and rocks. Wrap the lights around each log and secure in the notch on top of each pole. Finally, bury the battery pack under the pebbles and you're all set!
The great thing about these centerpieces is that you can swap out the rocks for moss or something else cute to match the theme and style of your event - they are very versatile! We finished the look up with a strip of moss in the center of the picnic table and three cute votives.
At our latest event, we also used them on some of the food tables. See more about that event HERE.
I love the soft, outdoorsy look we were able to create with these centerpieces, even when our events were inside. Bonus: they would look awesome in a back yard or on a porch as well!
Photo Credit: Sarah Marie Photography
(DISCLAIMER: This post contains some affiliate links.)
Rustic Glam Decor
Ready to Pop Free Printables
They're finally here...FREE printables for your next baby shower!
We had such a huge response from my previous POST about the "Ready to POP" baby shower I threw for my bestie, that I put together two different sets of FREE printables for you...so now you can have them for a boy or a girl shower!
Here's a glimpse at what they looked like at the shower I hosted:
And now you can download your own in either Blue and Green or Pink and Brown! Here's what the download package includes:
Water Bottle Labels
Food labels (with blanks for extra items)
Ready to "Pop" round cutouts (for cake pops, labels, favors and more!)
Thanks for "Popping" By round cutouts
Baby Stats game instructions and cards
Baby "Pop" Quiz Game & Answer Key
Simply choose your color palette below and click on the link to open and print!
PLEASE NOTE: This printable is for your personal use ONLY. Files may not be sold, printed products may not be sold, and the designs may not be placed on items that are sold. If they are reproduced, redistributed or sold under any of these conditions, legal action will be taken.
Enjoy!
Country Charm Wedding
We're wrapping up wedding week with one of the sweetest weddings I've ever been part of. From the story of how these two came together to the dessert bar reception...everything about this day was just, well, sweet. And I couldn't have wished a sweeter day for two more deserving people!
Meet Jen & Tim...
I could write an entire blog post on the incredible story of how God brought these two and their amazing families together. Jen is by far one of the strongest women I know with a faith like no other...so to see her find such a kind and caring protector like Tim was a true answer to many prayers.
For their big day, Jen and Tim wanted a simple and intimate setting for their closest family and friends in an afternoon ceremony followed by a dessert reception. And if you know the bride, there are two things she loves: cowboy boots and the Clemson Tigers! So of course, those had to be tied into the theme of this country casual fall wedding.
All the guests who sported their favorite boots!
Instead of a traditional guest book, family and friends signed these log slabs instead!
The ceremony and reception were both held in the same room, but to keep things casual, the bride opted for round tables for both the ceremony and reception....or what I like to call a "family style" ceremony.
With wood slabs, burlap, pinecones and pumpkins...these fall centerpieces were accented with some bright fall flowers (including Clemson orange and purple, of course) to match the bride's bouquet.
Oh, and remember my awesome Craigslist fireplace mantle find from my sister-in-law's wedding? Well it made an appearance here as well, but with a few more "country style" accents!
After the ceremony, guests were serenaded by live music from our buddy Chris Cauley (you might remember him from Team Adam on NBC's The Voice) while they enjoyed some amazing desserts!
Then it was time to send off the happy couple! But you can't do sparklers in the middle of the day, so the bride hand made ribbon wands to wave them off..in true Clemson football style, of course.
Cheers to a lifetime of love...and cowboy boots.
Congrats Jen & Tim!
Photo Credit: http://lindsayhooten.com
All photos were provided by my dear friend Lindsay over at Lindsay Hooten Photography...if you're in the Atlanta area, you should check her out!
Pink & Purple Wedding
We're having a blast talking all things weddings this week!
Today, let me introduce you to Emily & Clinton...
Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com
These two are super special to me. That's because for this wedding, not only was I the designer, planner and florist...I was also sister-in-law to the bride and matron of honor. (talk about pulling double duty!)
Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com
When it comes to siblings in law...I hit the jackpot with this gal, she's just swell. We did this same pose at my wedding (see below right) and of course, had to carry on the tradition!
Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://www.sugarsnapatl.com
cinderella-carriage
Anywho...if you know Emily, you know she loves all things fairytale related. In fact, Clinton even proposed to her with an adorable Cinderella carriage snow globe (that we displayed on their cake table) So from the princess style ball gown to the sweetheart cupcakes and every detail in between, we wanted to make her day feel like her own special farytale. I LOVED the bright pink, purple and black color palette she chose...it was so vibrant and fun! And when we found dyed hydrangeas to match her vision, we hit the jackpot!
Let's start with the flowers. Sam's Club came through for me again with a great selection of affordable flowers, and perfect colors to match! (to read more about how I used Sam's Club for my own wedding bouquets, check out my DIY tutorial HERE)
Oh my word our tiny apartment was busting with flowers! (did I mention my hubby's allergic? oops!)
Emily wanted bouquets, but she also wanted flowers integrated into all of her centerpieces, so this order cost a little more than my last, but for just under $700 here's what we got:
1 Large bridal bouquet
6 Large bridesmaids bouquets
2 Mother's carry bouquets
3 Grandmother's carry bouquets
13 Boutonnieres
20 Centerpiece arrangements
12 Aisle arrangements
2 Large buffet table arrangements
7-10 small arrangements for altar and other accent tables
Talk about getting some bang for your buck! We had flowers everywhere and they were gorgeous! The bouquets and arrangements were made up of pink & purple hydrangeas, green hypericum berries, hot pink roses and purple tulips.
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Now let's talk decor. Emily wanted this fairytale day to have a country club setting with a slightly rustic feel (which I love, because in wedding world these days rustic is the new black). So we accented her decor with touches of burlap and mason jars...galvanized buckets and vintage lanterns, barn wood framed chalk boards and DIY distressed table number frames. It was lovely!
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Did you see that adorable little sketch in the picture above? That's actually their save the date. The bride's grandfather is an artist, and he sketched that picture for them. My husband then scanned it in and added the text...it was so cute and personalized just for them! I also designed all of the Bride & Groom's invitations, programs and wedding favors. I created a custom "logo" for them that we placed on any of the printed signage for the day such as place cards, etc.
The logo I created for them.
The wedding favors were another adorable burlap touch, complete with the couple's logo and filled with purple and silver Hershey's Hugs & Kisses.
One of my favorite pieces we created for Emily & Clinton's big day was the fireplace mantle altar. Since the wedding was at a country club, there was no "traditional" altar for the focal point. In fact, the ceremony and reception took place in the same room, so while the guests were enjoying cocktail hour on the gorgeous veranda, the room was flipped...however this altar remained in the room and doubled as a backdrop for the dance floor. I actually scored the mantle off of Craigslist for $50...what a steal! (the story of how we actually got it to fit in a vehicle is a comical tale for another day...let's just save you the trouble now and say it will NOT fit in a Rav4)
The mantle was in great condition, so we just added two wood planks at the bottom to enable it to stand up and painted them white. I bought some sheer curtains at Ikea for $5 (similar HERE) and tacked them on the back to give the center some filler, and then we ran a strand of twinkle lights along the back of the opening to give it a soft backlight glow effect once the sun went down. It turned out beautifully!
Another subtle fairytale touch with the unity candle. Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
For the aisle, we couldn't actually do an aisle runner because the dance floor was already in place, so to jazz it up I created mason jar floral arrangements and accented them with burlap. We then dressed the center aisle with pink, purple and white rose petals.
They're married! Dancing back down the aisle. Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
After a cocktail hour on the veranda, the guests came back into the ballroom for dinner and dancing....oh, there was so much dancing! The centerpieces contained an eclectic mix of vintage lanterns (no two tables were the same!), with mason jars wrapped in burlap, tied with ribbon that matched our bridesmaids dresses and filled with white hydrangeas.
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Those table number frames cost $1 each from Michael's. I painted them a purplish pink to match the decor and overlaid a layer of ivory to give it more of a rustic/distressed look. We used chalk-paper card stock (did you know they make that?! It's awesome!) and chalk pens, both also from Michael's.
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
And here's just a few more of my favorite shots from the day...
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Photo Credit: http://sugarsnapatl.com
Venue: Dunwoody Country Club
Hair & Makeup: Sineat Heintzelman (she's amazing!!)
Flowers & Decor Design: Sweetwood Creative Co.
Wedding Cupcakes: Gigi's Cupcakes of Buckhead
Dress: Bride Beautiful
Here's to Emily & Clinton's Happily Ever After!
Rustic Chic Bouquets
As we continue with Wedding Week, today I'm excited to introduce you to Lindsey & Jonathan...
Their wedding day was just so sweet, but their love story and illustration of God's faithfulness has been even sweeter. Lindsey is a co-worker and friend of mine, and I've known Jonathan for years...so it's been really cool to watch two friends I've known independently come together and fall in love. And I was so honored to be able to play a small role in their special day!
When Lindsey and I sat down to discuss her vision for the bouquets, I knew she wanted three things:
1. Rustic in style
2. Blush and white in color
3. Affordable
So I created 8 bouquets, 1 flower girl bouquet, 2 large ceremony arrangements, 8 medium sized reception arrangements and about 40 (yes 40..see pic below) small baby's breath arrangements for the reception tables...all for right around $450.
The bouquets consisted of the following flowers:
Blush Garden Roses
White Garden Roses
White Hydrangeas
Dusty Miller
Baby's Breath
White Hypericum Berries
Blush Spray Roses
I wrapped them all in burlap and tied with twine to continue the rustic feel. They matched perfectly with the bridesmaids blush dresses!
All photos courtesy of Kyle Hale
Congrats to the happy new couple!
Wedding Week: April Showers
It's wedding week! All things bridal, all week long...swoon!
That's right, spring is in the air, all things lovely are in bloom...and wedding season is in full swing!
April showers always bring May flowers, they say. And while it may be raining here in Atlanta today, the only showers we're going to talk about are BRIDAL showers! Today we'll feature a bridal shower as well as a "Love is Sweet" Couples shower, both were thrown for my sweet sister-in-law. Emily's wedding colors were purple and hot pink, so we had lots of fun making this a brightly colored soiree!
Both the chevron table runner and chalkboard food signs came from Jane.com. If you haven't signed up for their daily email list yet, do yourself a favor and sign up now...amazing deals daily!
Adorable wine stopper favors were wrapped up beautifully by one of the bridesmaids.
And here's a glimpse at the "Love is Sweet" Couples shower. Of course, if you're going to lure men to a shower...you have to provide entertainment. What's better than a good game of corn hole?
To wrap up the evening, we finished with a hilarious game of "He Said/She Said." We place the couple back to back and they swap a shoe, so that each of them has one of their own shoes in one hand and their fiancÃĐ's shoe in the other. We asked questions such as "who is the better cook" and let them both answer (without seeing each other's response). The outcome was hysterical, as you can tell from my sister-in-laws expression below.
Stay tuned with us this week as we cover more weddings, flowers and decor to your heart's content! It's bound to be a week of wedded bliss!
DIY Diaper Cake Tutorial
This cake looks almost good enough to eat!
(but I wouldn't recommend it)
Earlier this week I showed you our fabulous "Ready to Pop" themed baby shower (click HERE to download our FREE Ready to Pop party printables!), now I'll show you a simple tutorial on how to make the beautiful diaper cake we used as the centerpiece for our food display. Diaper cakes are a great way to dress up a practical gift, and if you decorate in the colors of the party, they can also become a beautiful focal point of the shower decor.
Some might say they pull double doody....er, I mean duty. Ahem.
Let's start out with the supplies you'll need:I made this whole diaper cake for less than $30, simply by shopping smart and utilizing some supplies that I had around the house. When you know you're going to be making one of these in the near future, start collecting empty toilet paper rolls (these can be used for other fun crafts as well) and an empty wrapping paper roll. I use the empty wrapping paper roll as the "base" of the cake, to help hold everything securely in place. It helps the cake transport easily without falling apart and keeps everything centered.
With the exception of the diapers, I found all of my supplies (cake plate, ribbons, flower, crinkle paper) all at Michael's...so it really was a one-stop-shop kind of project. PLUS I used my Michael's iPhone app for a coupon and saved some money!
STEP 1: Cut down your wrapping paper roll and glue it to the center of the 12" cake plate.To cut down the wrapping paper roll to the right size I took the three toilet paper rolls and laid them on the floor one on top of the other (to form a tower), then laid the wrapping paper roll beside it and marked it about 1/2 inch shorter than the length of the three rolls (so that it wouldn't stick out the top).
NOTE: You might ask why I didn't just use a paper tower roll since they're similar in height - the problem with paper towel rolls is that they are generally the same diameter as toilet paper rolls, making it hard to slide one onto the other. I have found that wrapping paper rolls are generally smaller in diameter and work perfectly. And bonus...they're long enough that you can cut it and get TWO cakes out of one roll!Jackpot! While the glue on the base is drying, you're ready to start assembling your layers. This is where you bust out the diapers and take a good whiff because they smell incredibly of fresh clean baby. (ahhh). I used Pampers Size 2 Swaddlers that I got from Buy Buy Baby at 2 packs (72 diapers) for around $22...not bad! I've found that this size diaper is the perfect size for the cake, and it allows the mommy to enjoy the cake on display in the nursery for a little bit after the little one arrives (if she chooses) without having to take it apart in the first week for the newborn size diapers she'll need.
STEP 2: Attach diapers to the toilet paper roll with rubber bands.Make sure you turn all of the diapers with the patterned side facing inwards (so they all look solid like a vanilla frosted cake), and begin to wrap and rubber band them in stacks of five. As you add more and more diapers, you can begin to fan them out (instead of one thick stack) so that the outer rim looks smooth and symmetrical.
You might need an extra set of hands to do this for the base if you haven't done it before...but if you don't have help, just be patient, it may take you a couple of tries to get the diapers in the right place and rubber banded before they fall over! I promise you can do it - I did this one solo!
Repeat this step for the middle and top layers.
Here's the breakdown of the number of diapers I used for each layer:
BASE: 30-35 Diapers
MIDDLE: 20-25 Diapers
TOP: 10-15 Diapers
The best way to do this is just eyeball it. Start with your base, and as you make the next layer measure it on top of the layer below it to make sure it is slightly smaller in size. Once you get your three layers rubber banded, you're ready to assemble.
STEP 3: Slide layers onto base, placing crinkle paper in between each layer.Adding the crinkle paper isn't absolutely necessary, but I think it gives it a fun pop of color and distinguishes between the layers. (and it looks like frosting to me...we all know I LOVE frosting...just saying.) Note: I originally didn't put crinkle paper on the very bottom (between the base and the cake plate) but I went back later and added it in to give it a consistent look across the layers - you'll see it in the finished product at the bottom of this post)
STEP 4: Attach your ribbon with paper clips and glue.You don't want to glue your ribbon directly to the diaper because it will ruin it for actual use, so what I did was use a paper clip to attach one side of the ribbon at the back. I then wrapped the ribbon all the way around, cut it just slightly longer (so it overlaps) and then used a little bit of hot glue to attach the ribbon to itself.
NOTE: Be sure to put something in between the diaper and the ribbon as you glue the ribbon together so that the glue doesn't seep through to the diaper.
Repeat this for all three layers, making sure your seams are all in the same place at the back of the cake. Next, take your 1/2 inch ribbon and wrap it around to the front of the cake, tying a bow in the center of each layer.
STEP 5: Trim your decorative flower and place on top.The great thing about this is that I literally just had to cut the stem down to the height of the cake, and then it slid right down into the wrapping paper tube...no glue, no muss, no fuss. Easiest cake topper ever. (I used a silk gerber daisy from Michael's)
And voila...you have a beautiful gift and a beautiful centerpiece for your baby shower!
"Ready to Pop" Baby Shower
Who has two thumbs and loves a good theme party?
This girl. [points to self]
So of course I jumped at the chance to do a fun "Ready to Pop" themed baby shower for my bestie, who is almost ready to pop...literally! She's just weeks away from meeting her sweet baby boy. Here's a glimpse into our fabulous DIY baby shower...with tutorials on some of the fun details to come later this week! From the Caramel Butter POPcorn to Cake POPs to POPcorn chicken and the favors, I had a blast dreaming up ways to incorporate the theme.
This super simple diaper cake makes a great gift (and centerpiece)...tutorial located HERE! Want an easy and inexpensive way to display your cake pops and add a little bling to your table? Simply get white, rectangle styrofoam pieces from any craft store (example HERE) for a few bucks and cover them in fancy wrapping paper! So simple...yet it makes your cake pops, well...pop. (pun intended)
All of the "Ready to Pop" logos were easily created in photoshop...download FREE printables in blue and green OR pink and brown HERE!
I think the cupcake in a jar favors are my new favorite. I just keep finding new awesome ways to use mason jars! Hope you enjoyed this peek into our fun filled day...thanks for POPping by!
(see what I did there? I just can't help myself)
(Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links.)
Real Weddings: Simply Sweet Hydrangeas
Summer is definitely here, and everywhere I go in Atlanta I see all those beautiful hydrangea bushes in full bloom! In honor of those beauties, I thought i'd treat you to a glimpse into another set of DIY hydrangea flowers I did for an amazing couple...who happen to be some dear friends of mine!
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Kristin and Joe had a sweet and simple intimate morning wedding in an old industrial building that's been converted into a church. With a minimal color palette and rustic DIY touches, the bride created a perfect atmosphere for brunch with their closest friends and family.
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
She selected pure white hydrangeas as her flower of choice for both her centerpieces and bouquets that I made. I added a few white roses and some baby's breath to the bride's bouquet to give it just a little extra texture. (my poor boyfriend, now husband, he got roped into helping me transport everything!)
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
For the centerpieces, we continued the hydrangea and burlap look by wrapping galvanized buckets in burlap and matching ribbon, then adding three hydrangea bushes to each bucket.
We cut green (wet) floral foam blocks to fit in the buckets, soaked them fully in water and inserted them into the bottom of the bucket.
We then paired that with the cute DIY table number frames made by the bride.
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
I just loved some of the personal touches, like the wedding favor coffee cup sleeves made by the bride for the coffee/hot chocolate bar!
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Here's to a lifetime of love just as simply sweet as they day they became one!
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Photo Credit: http://www.theduplooys.net
Apartment Living: Easy and Cheap Coffee Table Decor
In the first six months of marriage, merging lives and "stuff" has been a fun, but ongoing challenge. Namely, how do I decorate our apartment in a stylish, cozy and affordable way without making my poor husband feel like he's living in a girl's apartment.
(Rule #1: Limit the usage of pink. Obviously.)
Today's task: Incorporate hubby's coffee table with a touch of shabby chic style that's not so feminine he feels like he's looking at a home you'd find on Lifetime: Television for Women.
Get the Look (for cheap!):
1. Chevron Table Runner: I got this from the awesome website Very Jane that has AWESOME daily deals...cheap, and I mean cheap. It was only $11.99! (I liked it so much I bought three different colors)
2. Flower Tray: It's actually a cheap picture frame from Michael's that I unscrewed the back off of so that it would lay flat, and I bought a .50 piece of printed card stock to put in the frame for a little style. The frame was only $7.99, and bonus...I opened my Michael's iPhone app and used a framing coupon, so it was only $5!
3. Bird Tealight: I got this adorable tealight holder from Crate & Barrel for only $7.95.
4. Antique Frame: Only $2.99 at Hobby Lobby. The adorable married couple in the frame? Of course, that's us. :)
5. Hydrangeas: These aren't real...but in real life, they really don't look super fake! They were $5 at Michael's (I used a coupon again!), and then I took an old mason jar I had laying around, wrapped it in burlap, tied it with jute ribbon, and bam...can't even see the fake stem hiding beneath!
6. Books: I just picked two books I already owned that were a good color to complement the decor and took the covers off of them!
TOTAL COST: Less than $35!
Finding a look that both my hubby and I can live with: PRICELESS.
Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links.
Rustic Bridal Shower Brunch
I can't believe my baby sister is getting hitched in just a few short weeks, y'all! She's tying the knot in the cutest little barn up in the north Georgia mountains, so of course it was only fitting to throw her a rustic bridal brunch full of sweet southern charm.
Remember my window panes from this post?
I just keep finding ways to use them!
And of course, me (left) with the bride (right)..
The final countdown is on...here's to a lifetime of love!
Game Night Cupcakes
Call me crazy, but I love....I mean loove themed parties!
Just the thought of dreaming up decor, food and activities around a fun theme is enough to keep my brain swirling for hours. So when our Just Married's Small Group decided to do a Board Game Night for our first social, I was all over that junk like white on rice. I couldn't help myself!
My focal point for the snack bar wound up being cupcakes. If you've know me for more than five minutes, this is not a surprise to you. In fact, I'm seriously contemplating petitioning to have cupcakes become an official food group.
That way at least i'll feel better about myself when i'm eating them for breakfast.
Anywho, I digress...let me tell you about the easiest theme-related dessert you'll ever make: dice cupcakes!
I originally saw the idea on Pinterest where someone had made some adorable fondant dice for cupcake toppers. So cute, but let's be honest...ain't nobody got time for that.
So I figured out a faster, cheaper option...sugar cubes!
I enlisted my awesome hubbs to help me make the dots on the die with edible ink while I made and frosted the cupcakes. Here's how you do it:
1. Bake and frost your favorite cupcakes...any flavor, any frosting - the possibilities are endless! (Note: I would recommend piping the frosting on though, just to give it a stylish look, and create a "platform" to sink the dice down into.)
2. Buy these cheap and easy sugar cubes at any local grocery store.
3. Find an edible ink pen for the numbers on the dice (I found mine at Michael's Arts & Crafts). I used these Wilton Edible Ink Pens, they worked great!
4. Display them in a fun way...because let's be honest, it's all about the presentation.
5. Game on. Eat as many as you can without them going straight to your hips.
Life is always sweeter when there are cupcakes involved. Enjoy!
DIY Mason Jar Wedding Favor Treats
I have an entire drawer full of all the cutest wedding favors I've ever received...
...said no one ever.
Let's be honest - most wedding favors don't even make it out of the car on the way home. They either get left at the reception, or they're in the next round of things you toss in the garbage can when you're bored at the gas pump and decide to start cleaning out the trash in your car. I am well aware of this rule.
Even so, at our wedding I wanted to do a simple an inexpensive favor that made each place setting feel a little more personalized (and tied to our theme). A sweet treat they could actually enjoy at the reception (if they wanted to) and not feel like I wasted a ton of time when they were tossed later. And bonus: lots of people use mason jars at home, so these bad boys are reusable...they make a great traveling jewelry jar for the nightstand!
Here's how I made them:
Step 1: Do a little research.
You can find Mason Jars everywhere...and I mean everywhere. They even have them by the case at Publix! We did tons of online research and found them really cheap on several websites...however the shipping wound up being almost three times the cost of the actual jars! Crazy.
We landed on wanting the 4oz Ball Mason Jars, and we found a great deal through Ace Hardware, of all places. They were $9.99 for a case of 12 online, and even better...they ship them FREE to a local Ace near you, all we had to do was swing by and pick them up!
ball-mason-jars-4oz
Step 2: Printable Labels.
We found the perfect printable labels online as well, from a company called lablesbythesheet.com. They were super cheap (less than .75 per page) and they have a ton of online templates you can dowload directly into Microsoft Word to design and print...it was super easy!
For a 4oz jar, we needed the 2 inch diameter round labels. We chose ivory, but there are other colors available. You can find those labels here: 2in Round Labels.
See how nicely they fit?
Since the free template downloaded into Word, I just created the text from there. You don't have to be a super-pro designer to do this, either! There are all kinds of free pretty script fonts that you can download...two of my favorite font websites are dafont and Scrap Village.
Our name logo at the bottom I did design in Photoshop using some of the free fonts, however if you don't have Photoshop or don't know how to use it, you can still create something similar! Back in the day when I was just experimenting with designing things, I would actually create them in Power Point. You laugh, but it totally works.
Because the paper margins are square and the labels are round, I did have to print a few test sheets onto plain paper to make sure the text I inserted didn't get cut off of the label. Be sure to do this before you send all of your labels through the printer!
Step 4: Fill them with yummy goodness!
My two accent colors for the wedding were dark purple and green, so I knew I wanted to use those for a pop of color on the gray linens. I ordered Jelly Bellies in bulk...in just those two colors so that I didn't have to spend days upon days eating, I mean sorting candy. I ordered those here: Bulk eCandy
Step 5: The finishing Touch.
To finish them off, I took two pieces of the Dollar Store raffia and wrapped them around the lid, tied them in a double knot and cut off the excess. Volia! Finished product:
That's it! What's the best favor you've ever received? Or maybe that actually made it home...
DIY Wedding Bouquets for under $350
When it comes to weddings one of the most beautiful, yet most expensive budget line items always winds up being flowers. You wouldn't believe some of the quotes I got from florists, just for the bouquets alone, mind you (we're not even talking centerpieces, decor, etc). I literally could have funded our entire honeymoon with what some were asking. (hmm...sit on the beach and sip fruity drinks with my love, or have pretty flowers that will last about 3.2 days. Yep, that was a no brainer)
Photographer: Sugar Snap Photography
But the good news is, with a little elbow grease and some creativity, I made my own bouquets for about a third of the price, AND I got to sit on the beach without feeling guilt for the money I was throwing down the drain for flowers! Winning!
Here's what I made:
1 Bridal bouquet
9 (yes, NINE) Bridesmaids bouquets
2 Mothers mini-bouquets
4 Grandmothers mini-bouquets
2 Ceremony floral arrangements
Rose Petals for the flower girls
And do you know how much that all cost me (including supplies and ribbon)? A whopping $345.64! And guess what, they were just as beautiful as the bouquets I had picked out in the magazine...I couldn't have been happier!
Photo: Sugar Snap Photography
Here's how I did it:
I first spent days looking online to get an idea of what type of flowers I wanted. I knew I wanted to include hydrangeas in my bouquet because not only are they beautiful, but they are very full...so a little goes a long way in making a bouquet look bigger with less flowers to purchase. I love roses, so I knew I wanted to include a few of those as well. And I knew I wanted my bouquets to be round and a pop of green (to match my shoes and my color scheme of gray with dark purple & green accents).
I went to the Sam's Club website and here is what I ordered:
Lime Green Hydrangeas (30 Stems)
Green Baby Hydrangeas (40 Stems)
Green & White Roses (125 Stems)
Green Hypericum Berries (100 Stems) Note: I loved the added depth these surprisingly gave the bouquets!
The total for all of the flowers came to about $326 (and BONUS: Sam's Club had FREE shipping!). Then I spent about $20 on green floral tape, burlap and ribbons. I would recommend ordering the flowers so that they arrive by Thursday for a Saturday wedding. That gives you a day to receive them, clip and put them in fresh water (as soon as they arrive...this is important) and still be able to make them Friday morning while having the rest of your day to enjoy the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner & wedding without having to feel rushed! This also gave us a buffer for shipping error...which happened to be a great thing, because my roses were delayed a day due to a hurricane! Yikes!
Once you receive your flowers, clip them, and let them drink some water over night (they travel a long way, those puppies are thirsty when they arrive!), here are the other supplies you'll need:
Green Floral Tape (I used about 2-3 rolls for 10 bouquets)
Burlap
Ribbon of your choice
Glue gun
Clear plastic rubber bands (they help hold the bottom of the bouquet together where you want it while you wrap with floral tape)
An extra pair of hands to help hold the bouquets while you wrap is super helpful.
I started with the bridesmaids bouquets...I had 9 to make, so I knew they'd take the longest! Here are the flowers I used for each of these bouquets:
3 large hydrangea stems
2-3 mini-hydrangea stems
4 green roses
3-4 hypericum berries
I stripped the leaves off of all the flowers except the large hydrangeas...I used those as the "base" greenery around the bottom of the bouquet. Once you arrange the bouquet in your hand how you like it, place a clear plastic rubberband at the top of the stems (about where you want to start your tape...leave a small space at the top to see a little bit of the stem) and one at the bottom, where you will end your tape. Have someone else hold the bouquet while you wrap the stems tightly with floral tape and secure. (this tape is sticky, so it will stick to itself...no need to glue it down)
Once your'e done with that, place the bouquet in water and set aside. Note: It was easier to do this process for all the bouquets first, then add the burlap and ribbon together as the last step, because the floral tape will leave your hands sticky!
Next I made the bridal bouquet:
5-6 large hydrangea stems
3-4 mini-hydrangea stems
8-9 white roses
5-6 hypericum berrie stems
I basically did the same procedure as the bridesmaids bouquets, I just made mine slightly larger, and used only the white roses (instead of green ones) to make it look a little different. I used green ribbon with my bouquet to match my green shoes, and on the bridesmaids bouquet I used dark purple ribbon to match their shoes.
Photo: Sugar Snap Photography
The mother's & grandmother's mini-bouquets were basically smaller versions of the bridesmaids bouquets with 3 roses, 2-3 mini-hydrangea stems and 2-3 hypericum berries...sadly I couldn't find a picture of those - sorry!
Once you've got all of your bouquets assembled, it's time for the burlap and ribbon. We cut a piece of burlap just slightly larger than the width of the floral tape around the stems, and left room to fold down the top and bottom sides (so that the edges were smooth and not jagged). Fold down the top and bottom edges of the burlap, wrap around the base of the bouquet and secure with one line of hot glue (be careful not to burn yourself!) you'll need an extra pair of hands for this process as well to get it tight and secure.
After the glue dries, tie the ribbon of your choice around the center, where the tie will face outward. I chose to tie mine in a knot, you can do a bow as well...it's totally whatever look you prefer!
For an extra touch of glam, as well as my something old and borrowed, I added a beautiful brooch from one of my grandmothers, and underneath it, I tied my other grandmother's original wedding band. They looked beautiful and made my bouquet extra special...I felt like I was carrying them down the aisle with me!
Photo: Sugar Snap Photography
Once you're done with your bouquets, be sure to store them in a vase with water and also in a cool place - hydrangeas are absolutely beautiful, but they do wilt easy...keep them cool!!
And that's it, beautiful bouquets for about a third of the price... I couldn't have been happier with the way they turned out and the money we saved!
Photogapher: Sugar Snap Photography
Photographer: Sugar Snap Photography
Photo: Sugar Snap Photography
Hope this helps for any brides who are toying with the idea of doing your own bouquets...please feel free to comment below with any questions! Happy arranging!
Photos Courtesy of : Sugar Snap Photography
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