If you’re like me, I am always looking for a great way to wrap a wedding gift. Here is an adorable idea from Corinna Wraps using two different source, wall paper {gray} and wrapping paper {yellow}.  Check out the How-To here.

Photography & Project:  Corinna Wraps

Isn’t this gorgeous!  I love an all white display. So very classic. If you don’t have an Amy Atlas you can hire, you can certainly take away some inspirational ideas from her designs. Every time I come across one of her beautiful displays I look at it for about thirty minutes in awe.  Want to create your own table? Choose one or two colors from your wedding theme to use.  Then do some research on what kind of candy, goodies and even drinks (these are white lemonades) come in those colors.  Use all white dishware to display them on.  Using all white will give a neutral background and not take away from the beauty of the candy or goodie you are displaying.  Another choice is to use is glass dishware. Add flowers, a great backdrop and some balloons or paper lanterns and you have an elegant candy buffet. Get more inspirational ideas from Amy Atlas Events.

Dessert Table by Amy Atlas Events

There is nothing more romantic than candlelight, especially candlelight glowing through translucent paper. An inexpensive wine glass can become an elegant candle lamp when topped with a vellum shade. Use them as centerpieces on each of your table.  White, off-white or pastel colors will allow the most light to shine through the shades. Save on Craft has supplied a list of supplies, a downloadable pattern and these step-by-step instructions to make your custom vellium lampshades.

Supplies:

• 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheets of vellum (one per lamp)
• Scissors
• Decorative bladed scissors
• Decorative paper punch
• Glue pen
• Wine glasses
• Tealights or a LED battery-operated tealight
• Candle putty (floral clay)

Here’s how, from Save On Crafts:

1. Download and print out this lampshade pattern.
2. Trace the pattern onto your vellum sheet. Cut out the shape with your regular scissors. If you want, you can use decorative bladed scissors along the bottom edge to add another element to the shade.
3. If you like, use a paper punch to punch holes evenly or haphazardly throughout the shade, as shown in the PDF.
4. Using the glue pen, apply a thin line of glue to one straight end. Wrap the other end over the glued end, and adhere together, forming the shade.
5. Secure the tealight with the candle putty, and set the lampshade on top of your glass.

Not crafty? No worries Save On Crafts has many styles to choose ready to ship to you.  Check out their Luminiaria Wine Glass Lamp Shades , 4 for $9.

Who doesn’t love Washi tape! Here is yet another project using Washi tape.  Who knew tape could be so budget friendly!  Just take a clear votive candle and your favorite Washi tape and start decorating.

Project:  Martha Stewart Weddings

Here is a great fall wedding idea thanks to Twig & Thistle. These place settings will fit into anyone’s budget. So easy and festive for your upcoming fall wedding.  Right now is a great time to visit your local pumpkin patches. Buy in bulk and have fun picking them all out. You can say you hand picked each one for your guests.  All you need are mini pumpkins, card stock and floral wire.

Get your instructions and Leaf Template here.  Enjoy!

Project & Photos: Twig & Thistle

I cannot believe these flowers are made out of post-it notes! I found this dandy little project on cutoutandkeep.net. Several of their readers submitted their own versions. Really cool stuff and endless possiblities. Grab your bridesmaids and start folding. Group these flowers together and make a bouquet or arrange them around a candle to make a great centerpiece. No worries about wilting. Easy on your budget. Step-by-step foldering instructions.

Photo: Kitchen Kapers

Are you planning your fall wedding?  If your incorporating the whole fall theme into your wedding you are probaby using pumpkins, apples, squash and other fall fruit in some way or another. Here is a great budget saving idea. The Candle Carver!  Who do we thank for this great gadget!  Apples are cheap and so are tealight candles. According to the website, you can easily carve tealight shaped holes in nearly any fruit or vegitable. I found it at Kitchen Kapers for $11.99. 

If you don’t want to diy this project, you can find life size apple candles in red, green and yellow $3.50 each or mini apple candles at $21.00 per dozen at waxwizard.net

Photo: Kitchen Kapers

As a bride-to-be, you know that your wedding ensemble is a crucial component of your wedding day. The perfect gown, shoes, veil, and bridal jewelry all contribute to your beauty, confidence and radiance. For this very special occasion, it’s important to make your dreams come true. However, finding the ideal bridal jewelry on a budget may seem as challenging as searching for a needle in a haystack…

Finding lovely bridal jewelry that captures the essence of romance on your wedding day is easier than it might appear. By opting for affordable materials, such as fine silver, you can radically reduce “sticker shock” when you consider pendants, earrings, and rings that may complement your snowy white gown.

You don’t need to sacrifice quality when you choose silver jewelry over 14k karat yellow or white gold. In fact, many jewelry designers offer handcrafted quality, as well as the addition of pearls, semi-precious stones, and beautiful engraving to their lower-priced silver jewelry collections.

Silver jewelry has a sleek, modern appeal that is still quite timeless. If you prefer an old-world feel for your bridal jewelry (and many brides-to-be do look for vintage details, etc.) you may want to consider affordable bridal jewelry that celebrates your ancestry. By moving back through the mists of time, you can find special symbols and engravings that honor your own heritage. When these motifs appear on silver jewelry, they add a mystical beauty that also looks very expensive.

For example, if you or your fiancé are of Celtic heritage (Irish, Scottish, or Welsh), look for silver jewelry carved with Claddagh symbols (these indicate love and loyalty), Trinity Knots (symbols of the Holy Trinity), or words written in the Gaelic language. One example of Gaelic script is the phrase, Mo Anam Cara, means “my soul mate”.

If your heritage is French, consider classic motifs, such as the fleur-de-lis, or engravings of romantic or poetic French phrases. Whatever your heritage, chances are there are affordable silver necklaces, drop or stud earrings, and even silver wedding bands that feature some ancient and magical symbols or script. This can be a great way to create a sense of “story” that also celebrates the past.

If you’re looking for a little color in your lower-priced bridal jewelry, consider pieces featuring your birthstone. Silver jewelry set with birthstones is far less expensive than white gold and precious stones, but it still gives a glamorous effect you’ll love. In fact, semi-precious stones, such as rose quartz or citrine, can add modern style and dimension to your outfit – without breaking the bank.

Look at your own coloring when you choose a gemstone – if your birthstone doesn’t flatter your coloring or your groom’s outfit, choose another stone that does. Garnets can match rosy cheeks, reddened lips, and bouquets made of red roses. Blue topaz or aquamarine will look stunning on blondes. Look at your overall dream for your wedding ensemble, and find the right shade for you. Flowers, décor, your bridesmaids’ dresses…all can be matched with your gemstone pendant, earrings, or bracelet. This will make for stunning wedding photographs.

In some cases, you can expect to find a lovely set of pendant, earrings, and bracelet for less than two hundred dollars (when you opt for silver instead of expensive gold). Silver wedding bands for bride and groom can also cost less than one hundred dollars.

For heritage details, look online for reputable jewelers that sell handcrafted silver pieces in your ancestral country (such as Ireland, for those of Irish extraction). Make sure the jeweler can prove purity and quality with an assay mark, or stamp. Every piece you order should carry this special hallmark. You don’t have to settle for less, just because you’re on a budget…silver is lovely, and you will treasure your silver bridal jewelry forever, if you choose the correct pieces, from the right dealer.

By letting go of the desire for luxe 14k or 18k gold necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry designs, you can free yourself up to get more silver pieces for the same money. A matching or complementary set of bridal jewelry will become a cherished keepsake that is passed down through the generations. Wearing something new and beautiful with your wedding gown is really what you deserve on your special day – with affordable silver, you can make your wedding dreams come true!

{GB – Guest Blogger} This article has been exclusively written for Becoming The Mrs. by Irish Celtic Jewels, the online jewelry store: specialists in Celtic engagement rings and Celtic bridal jewelry.

Great creative project designed by Uncle Pears. They integrated a wedding invitation with a chocolate candy bar. Each invitation has a map to the church and funny rhyme about the occasion. What a delicious way to invite your guests to your wedding.

Project by: Uncle Pears