DIY Wedding Favors

If you're going to go the DIY route when it comes to your wedding favors (or shower favors), you have to start with the right supplies. Whether or not you have a local craft store close by, consider buying your wedding favor supplies online like we did. The benefits to buying online are awesome -- you can do price comparisons of ribbon, favor boxes, and the favors themselves, and you don't have to brave the crush of the holiday shopping crowd. It's a win all around, we think!

For those brides and bridesmaids who are still looking for ideas, we've put together a little DIY wedding favor boxes primer to help you figure out just what kind of wedding favors you want. All of the favor supplies below come from American Bridal, though feel free to shop around.










Miniature metal pail favors are a blank canvas for your very own creative wedding favor ideas, but here are a few to get you started. Stylish and simple, these mini galvanized buckets can be used as candy containers, as shown, offering your guests a handful of treats to share the sweetness of your wedding day.










Miniature gold chair wedding favor boxes add intriguing appeal to a formal wedding reception. Cleverly concealing small soaps, scrumptious candies, or other tantalizing treats, these gold favor boxes double as place card holders. Awaiting your guests at their place settings, these elegant miniature chairs are a warm welcome to your wedding reception!










Brilliant presentation for a number of small treats -- not just salt and pepper -- these vintage-inspired, diner-style shakers make a whimsical impression. Practical wedding favors are all the rage, and this cute salt and pepper set is right on point!










Palm tree favor boxes are the perfect way to surprise your guests with a tasty treat! A delightful gift for your bridal shower or wedding guests, this fun favor box celebrates your wedding with a tribute to the sandy shore.

Saving On Wedding Decor

If you haven't been touched by these tough economic times, we here at Smart Wedding Planning envy you! But if you're like most people and you're feeling the pinch, you may be looking for ways to save money on your wedding. It's not easy -- many ceremony accessories and reception accessories are heavily marked up by vendors who know that brides- and grooms-to-be are willing to pay a premium for "the best."

One way to save money on your wedding is to embrace the do it yourself spirit. Yes, putting together wedding favors or making your own bridal bouquet takes time, but the end product is often more beautiful and more interesting than anything you might buy in a shop. We've put together a short list of ways you can save money on your ceremony and reception decor without having to become a master crafter.

1. Use candles for centerpieces instead of flowers. DIY is easy with candles.

2. Decorate with balloons -- this is fun if you're having kids at your wedding. Let each child take home one or more balloons at the end of the evening.

3. Use silk flowers. They always cost less than fresh flowers, plus they can be rented. If you want to make your own bouquets, it's a lot easier to do so with silks.

4. Bridal and bridesmaid bouquets can double during the reception as decoration for the head table, cake or gift tables. Just make sure you have vases ready.

5. To really save costs, have each bridesmaid carry a single bloom.

6. Make your own pew bows instead of purchasing them. See Making Pew Bows.

7. Use more greenery, tulle, and baby's breath for decorating, and less actual flower blooms. Green bouquets and centerpieces are hot right now!

8. Use only flowers that are in season, and consider choosing less expensive flowers like carnations.

9. If your ceremony site is having more than one wedding that day, contact the other bride-to-be and talk about sharing decoration expenses. The worst she can say is no!

10. Purchase candles, white lights, and other white and silver decorations after the holidays when everything goes on sale.


Click to learn more ways to plan an inexpensive wedding

DIY Wedding Hair

DIY is here to stay when it comes to wedding planning. With the economy in the tank and couples paying for more of their own weddings, brides- and grooms-to-be are looking for ways to economize. Sometimes that means cutting your guest list, sometimes that means choosing simpler wedding favors, and sometimes it means doing whatever you can yourself.

I am not good with hair -- after 29 years on this earth, I am only just now learning to style my hair. Doing my own wedding hair? There wasn't a chance in heck I was going to risk it. Some ladies, however, are born with the beauty gene, and they are the ones who should consider doing their own wedding hair. Not sure if that's you? We've put together a handy guide that will help you decide whether DIY wedding hair is right for you and then help you stay sane when doing it.

• Practice, practice, practice. Do not wing it. No matter how skilled you are, there is always room for improvement. Schedule plenty of test runs.
  
• Be prepared. Time your practice session, and make a list of all of the tools and products you will need. Buy everything ahead of time so you can be sure you won't run out.
  
• Put everything you will need in a basket, and hide it away to bring out fresh and ready for your special day. If you have roommates, tell them your basket is off limits.
  
• Schedule time for a shower, and give yourself enough time to dry your hair. Rushing leads to mistakes and STRESS.
  
• Make sure there is a mirror and a counter or table to work from where you'll be getting ready. If you don't think you'll have enough light, bring a plug-in makeup mirror.
  
• Make sure there are proper outlets -- if not bring a power bar and extension cord.
  
• Don't be ashamed to ask for help, especially if your hair style is elaborate. Even having an extra set of hands to hold pieces while you work can be helpful.
• If you don't want to do your bridesmaids' hair, let them know ahead of time.
  
• Put on all of your pretty under things, and cover up with a button down shirt or robe. When you're done, you can just slip right into your gown without mussing up your 'do.
  

Click to learn more about bridal hairstyles and bridal beauty

How to Make Pew Bows

Before I get started on today's post, I just wanted to let you know about a cool blog I found: A Music Plus. The writers are DJs based in Denver, Colorado, but their blog touches on wedding topics from favors to photography. I like it a lot, and I think you will, too! Now, onto today's post...

If you're not a born Martha -- and who is? -- then you may think that DIY pew bows are not for you. Speaking from experience, making pew bows can be a frustrating experience for those of us who don't have an entire room devoted to hand crafts. That doesn't mean, however, that we shouldn't attempt to make our own pew bows...or invitations, favors, and jewelry. It just means that we need to give ourselves a little more time and be patient when we don't get it right on the first try.

While it may take a few attempts to finally master the art of making pew bows, you'll be able to crank out bows fairly quickly once you've got the hang of it. Below are instructions for two different types of bows that can be layered for a more elaborate effect.

To make them both you'll need approximately 4.5 feet of 1" wired ribbon; approximately 4.5 feet of 6" tulle (more or less depending on how long you want the tails); craft wire, wire cutter and scissors.

The Tulle Base

• Lay the ribbon horizontally. Find the middle of your strip of tulle and pinch it together with your left hand.

• With your right hand, pinch the tulle on the right side about 8" away from the middle.

• Bring the second pinched spot to the center, moving underneath. This should form half of a bow. Pinch together the middle with your right hand.

• Repeat the same thing with the left side, only this time instead of bringing the tulle underneath to form the bow, bring it over the top.

• You should now have a simple bow. Secure the middle by twisting craft wire around it. If you'd like to stop here, hot glue a silk flower in the middle to finish this simple project. However, if you want your bow more ornate, follow the next set of instructions to add a second layer.

The Second Ribbon Layer

• Lay the wired ribbon vertically on a table or flat surface, moving away from you. Take the end closest to you, bring it up and then tuck it in to form a small loop. Pinch the loop in place. This will be the middle of the ribbon.

• Just after where you are now pinching, twist the longer end of the ribbon 180 degrees. Keep the twist tight and "hide" it underneath the middle loop. Grab the long piece of ribbon about 6" away from the middle. Then form a loop by bringing the ribbon underneath and back to the center. Pinch together.

• Twist the long piece of ribbon again just after the center pinch. Make an equal sized loop on the other side using the same technique.

• Continue making equal-sized loops that rest directly underneath each other by using the same technique. Stop when you have three on each side.

• Secure the middle with craft wire and leave some extra wire in order to attach it to the tulle base.

• Cut off any tail you might have left over from the ribbon.

• Spread out the loops to create the look you desire.

Attaching Them Together

• With the extra wire from the second layer, attach the ribbon bow to the middle of the tulle base. Consider adding long wire hooks or extra ribbon to the back for easy attachment to the pews. If you like, embellish your pew bows with anything from flowers to pearls.
  

Voila! You just crafted a homemade pew bow!

Click for more wedding crafts

DIY Wedding Photography

Forget the disposable cameras from the drug store -- unless you want grainy shots of your uncle's rear end as taken by your four-year-old cousin. There's a new mode out DIY wedding photography out there and its name is You Shoot!

The company -- based in Cambridge, Massachusetts -- is the first national outfit to rent high-resolution digital cameras for weddings. These cameras make an excellent alternative to the disposable ones because they cost far less per picture to use, and the quality is decidedly better.

That means that your uncle's rear end will actually be in focus! Um, yeah...

Of course, you don't have to leave all the wedding photography up to your guests. Even though someone else will be snapping the pictures, there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure you look your best in wedding photos. For example, when a shutterbug is taking candid pictures during the reception, DON'T look at the camera! The beauty of a candid shot is capturing the magic and emotion of a particular moment when people in the photograph are interacting with each other.

Want to know more? There are a ton of great tips on how to look your best in front of a camera at the preceding link.