DIY Wedding Resources

Having a DIY (do-it-yourself) wedding is a great way to put an intimate spin on your wedding day. But where to begin? There are SO many great ideas out there, you might be wondering where to even start.

WedCraft.com has compiled an incredible list of DIY wedding resources. The site is easy to navigate and is set up by category.

Some favorites to bookmark:

Michaels' Cakes and Cookies tutorials - These are arranged by skill level and have a large assortment of projects. Great for the wedding day and parties surrounding it!

Directions for preserving your wedding bouquet.

This school cone from Zakka Life - There's some history behind it and everything!

Waxed roses from HGTV - So many possibilities for these!

While some of the tutorials or websites featured might seem cheesy or outdated to you, they might just spark something that you can put your own twist on.

Custom Couple Portraits by Miss Crowland

When I saw these Custom Couple Portraits, I knew they had to be featured here! Not only would these make a great wedding gift, they would also be appropriate for all of your wedding projects.

The portraits come to you as a digital file, for you to print on your own. Because of the DIY aspect, the possibilities are endless! Use your portraits for invitations, party favors, save the date cards...whatever you think is appropriate. You can also request that your portraits are done in colors other than black, which is perfect if your wedding is surrounding a particular color theme.

For $35, you are truly getting a bargain, considering all you can do with your portraits. Upon purchase, they will be e-mailed to you in 10 days or less. You can find more instructions in the listing.

Votive Wraps by Damask Diva

Who can resist a beautiful damask print? Since damask candles can be hard to find, or are very expensive, Damask Diva 's Etsy shop is full of gorgeous damask pieces for your wedding needs.

The photos featured are a lovely set of green votive wraps. The standard wrap is 7 inches wide and 2 inches tall, but you can also request custom sizes. To use, simply tape with a double sided tape that nobody will be able to notice!

The listing for the green set will provide you with answers to your votive wrap questions. One set of 18 wraps is just 5.75! Other colors are available in seperate listings, including gold, pink, and silvery shimmer.

Be sure to also check out Damask Weddings in a Box, available in different prices by the number of items you need!

Maple Syrup Party Favors

One of the things I always look for at weddings are the party favors. On one hand, I can understand why most people do candy in decorative tins. People like candy, it's cheap, and it's easy to do. However, there are tons of crafty and fun ideas out there for party favors, and I actually found some super cute ones on MyWeddingFavors.com.




If you're having a fall wedding, these jars of maple syrup are too cute! This is a great party favor that guests are sure to enjoy. They're $4.05 each here, which will add up quickly if you're having a large gathering. So, if you can't afford to buy them already made, why not make your own? Gerber food jars or other small, recycled, glass bottles are perfect to store your syrup in. Paint or cover the lids with fabric, and decorate with a small ribbon. Embellish with tags of your choosing - maybe a "sweets for the sweetest" type of quote would be good here.

Wondering where to get the syrup? Follow this Simple Maple Syrup recipe and do a test run, just in case you need to alter it to taste.

This is a wonderful favor for a couple who enjoys the outdoors, and it's a great way to spend some time with your significant other or friends.

Tied in Knots: Funny Stories About the Wedding Day

If you're looking for other bridal mishaps to make you laugh, or just make you feel better about everything that might be going on leading up to your big day, I have a book recommendation for you.



Tied in Knots: Funny Stories About the Wedding Day is edited by Lisa Taggart and Samantha Schoech. It is a collection of short stories, all about the infuritating and funny situations that most brides can relate to. What I love about this collection is that it's not just about brides, it's about mother-of-the-brides, bridesmaids, and sometimes just friends that are involved with the wedding. It's an amusing insight into what begins to lurk upon engagement or wedding attendance. To preview this book, click here. You can find used copies on Amazon for just $1.22 plus shipping!



My favorite story from this book is called The Sea Witch, which actually reminded me of some scummy landlords I've had.



And now, a request! I want to hear your crazy wedding tales! If you would like to share a funny wedding story and have it posted on this blog for our readers, please send it my way.

What I need:

Your story - It can be from the bride's perspective, groom's perspective, attendant's perspective, or just a wedding guest. Are you a wedding planner and want to share some amusing horror stories? Send it this way!

Your name - Real, alias, or anonymous, whatever you prefer.

Your website or blog - If you'd like to link back to your work.

Please send submissions to dressedrelish (at) gmail (dot) com and check for your story to be posted. Please note that if you are e-mailing a submission, you are giving me permission to post it here for our readers. I'm looking forward to reading!

Round Ring Tile by Gretchen Kramp

When I saw this, I knew I had to showcase it here. What is it, you ask? It is a small ceramic tile, great for decorating, gift giving, and celebrating. You can find this on Etsy, brought to you by Gretchen Kamp, maker of ceramic tile art. Most tiles are $14 with free shipping to the US and Canada. Here are a few others that are appropriate for wedding themed gifts:

Little House - $14

Ding Dong - $14

A Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

For some proof that it is possible to have a memorable wedding on a mega-budget, I want to show off some pictures of my best friend's wedding. Despite having a very limited budget, it was a beautiful day with a lot of memorable moments! Unfortunately I was too busy to get any good pictures of the decor, but I'll share what I have.

The rehearsal dinner was held in the bride's father's backyard. They have a huge yard with an enormous pond, so they set up a tent and had a cookout style party. It was a lot of fun and tasty! Here's the bride (right) and her sister (left). We ate under a tent and the tables were decorated with cute little horse/carriage figurines filled with candy.

The programs to the wedding were stunning. Probably the best programs I've ever seen at a wedding. They were very simple, printed on bright aqua paper and tied with black ribbons. I am so mad I do not have a picture of them! But they were simple and stunning with a great font.

For the wedding, the bridesmaids carried silk flowers, while the bride carried a bouquet that she arranged the night before. After the ceremony, thanks to a family friend of the groom, we were able to ride an RV around and take the newlyweds to the beach for some photo opportunities.

The reception was decorated with glass vases that held assorted stones and floating candles, and silk petals were strewn over black table runners on white cloths. The vases were shared between three brides altogether, so they all saved money in the long run! The impressive part about this is that the bride's mother came up with most of the decorating ideas for the hall (how to arrange the place) and it was just how they envisioned in the end! White Christmas lights were hung in rows across the ceiling, and other flower accents greeted the guests at the guest book table.

One of my favorite things were the fake teeth we had at the wedding party table!

Awhile back I wrote about Victorian cake charms. These were placed in the cake and the bridesmaids all pulled one out! I got the house key! Our cousin was convinced that we rigged it for her to get the baby carriage.

You can also see the cake in this photo. It was very much the bride's style and really pretty. It always makes me a little sad to see a work of art get cut into like that!

And now they are living happily ever after in Maryland...way too far away from me! I wish we could do the wedding all over again. But as you can see, it was a great day without going over the top!