Tropical bohemia was the name of the game for Melissa and Sean in their laid-back California wedding at Bodega Bay Secret Gardens! The couple, who plans to move to Hawaii, knew tropical vibes had to be a large part of their celebration and added their favorite boho twists to make it truly their own. This creative couple created so many DIY projects, including signage, logos, and hand-painted denim jackets, which only added to the artsy, personal, and handmade feeling. Brooke Shannon Photography was the perfect match to capture not only Melissa and Sean’s style but their truly joyful personalities, as well. From their fun-loving photos on the beach to their laugh-filled vow exchange that ended in a beer unity ceremony, this tropical boho wedding was its own brand of magical and unlike anything we’ve seen before!
In planning our wedding our top two goals were to create a fun and free-spirited day and to make sure we put our twist on every detail possible.
Our wedding vibe was kind of a no-brainer. We plan to move to Hawaii in the future, so the tropical look was a must. As far as the bohemian aspects, our day-to-day style is pretty laid back and bohemian. Once we looked up “tropical bohemian” inspiration photos, we knew that was exactly what we were going for.
We DIY’ed a good amount of projects for the wedding. Sean created a pineapple logo that he stained onto our corn hole boards and etched onto our beer boot glass for the ceremony and I painted our pineapple canvas that served as our interactive guest book. We both hand wrote all of our signage and stained all of the easels. We also repurposed our entire lounge furniture set from pieces we found on craigslist and craft stores. Our favorite DIY of the whole wedding was creating and hand-painting our matching pineapple skull jean jackets, which we bought at a thrift store!
Take your time and enjoy every moment of the planning process! It definitely can get stressful, but the hard work pays off when you see everything come together. Also, always remember this is yours and your future spouses day, no one else’s. Do what you want and who cares about what anyone thinks!
The most memorable part of the day definitely was when we were sitting at our sweetheart table during the reception and we looked out and saw all of our family and friends all laughing and enjoying themselves. It was so cool to see so many people there just for us. It definitely made us feel loved by everyone!
We did not give out traditional wedding favors. Instead, on behalf of ourselves and our guests, we donated to the Peninsula Humane Society in memory of our dog Bane. Bane was going to be the “Best Man Dog” before he, unfortunately, passed away five months before the wedding due to a tumor. We also donated to a cancer research organization in honor of those in our families who have and are currently dealing with cancer.
In our experience, Palm Springs brings out the creative side of couples, and Rachel and Michael’s wedding at Ace Hotel Palm Springs is yet another fun example! The crafty couple DIY-ed every element of their decor and then transported it in a U-Haul truck from Colorado to their venue in California. They created three separate lounge areas with Moroccan rugs, couches, and lanterns, set up a mini paper burning altar for their ceremony, and designed tablescapes that were full of texture and color. The goal was to create a look that was multidimensional and personal, and then use all of their decor in their own home after the big day! We can’t get enough of Rachel’s two wedding dresses — one new and one vintage — and we are in love with how photographer Jaicee Morgan captured every unique element and moment of this California wedding with such ease and attention to detail.
We really wanted our wedding to last more than a few hours. Michael has family from all over the US and many of our friends would be traveling to see us, so we knew we needed a venue that would keep everyone together and let us stay up late. We chose the Ace Hotel Palm Springs so that everyone could make a fun vacation out of our wedding weekend and they let us have our venue from the morning until 2 AM the next day.
The most memorable part of the day for us was our first look. I had secretly taken guitar and vocal lessons in the two months leading up to the wedding, despite hating my voice and never having played guitar before. We did our first look in the Moorten Botanical Gardens, tucked among the cacti. Michael walked up to see me sitting and playing “Right Down the Line” by Gerry Rafferty for him. He couldn’t hold it together and cried a ton! I had been so nervous until that point so, after I was done with the song, I was finally able to relax and have fun.
When you get engaged, you’ll likely have an idea of how you’d like your wedding to be. Along the way, you will get feedback from nearly everyone you talk to about what they think your wedding should be like. Gracefully thank them for their opinion, but don’t make decisions based on what is convenient or comfortable for them. You will end up balancing 100 conflicting ideas and making stress that you don’t need. Those who can come will come. Those who can’t will be missed. Stay true to you and your own dreams, budget, and vision.
We did a few things to personalize our ceremony! First, I am a photographer and I wanted a photo we took during our engagement session to match one from our wedding. So, I stopped the ceremony, had my friend hand me the camera, and took a photo of Michael during our ceremony. I also wrote a poem about meeting Michael as a part of my vows. We also burned little scraps of paper with the things we are leaving behind out of our relationship on an altar. And our officiant burned Juniper as people arrived to set the tone. We also had our dogs with flower collars walk down the aisle with our best man and maid of honor. Lastly, nobody but our officiant stood up with us.
We DIY’d nearly everything! From our altar to little flags that had our ceremony program to the denim jackets to the table runners (thanks mom!) to our three separate lounge areas. We had a day-of wedding planner but no decor help. We drove from Colorado to California with a U-Haul full of couches, pool floaties, sheepskins, a neon sign that I had designed, and nearly everything we needed for our wedding. We wanted to repurpose it in our home after our wedding! Now our living room has a gorgeous cowhide rug that was in our hookah lounge, and we have Moroccan lanterns in our yard.
I wore two dresses: one was a Rue De Seine dress and the other was my mother’s dress, which was altered to become a more modernized two-piece. I also wore layered necklaces from Child of Wild and a custom ring stack from Anna Sheffield. I wanted to just be myself, a woman of many layers: classy, quirky, bohemian, minimalistic. The flower crown was created by the florist and I didn’t see it until the morning of the wedding.
I also surprised Michael by having nail decals of his face made. I thought it would be creepy/funny to have him looking down at his own face as he slipped the ring on my finger during their ceremony. All of my girlfriends and family sported Michael face decals on their nails for the day. Needless to say, it created a ton of laughter and scared Michael a bit!
Processional – “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac
Recessional – “Love” by Kendrick Lamar
First Dance – “Better Together” by Jack Johnson
Between the DIY flowers designed by the couple’s friends, the storytelling signage made by the groom, and the countryside views of the private property, this Yorkshire marquee wedding was a modern DIY wedding dream come true! Libby and Henry’s ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church Tickhill and their reception marquee was set up on the family’s property and was filled with long farmhouse tables, greenery installations, acrylic signs, and a circular bar. From top to bottom, this wedding was beautifully designed while also allowing the natural beauty of the property take center stage. The marquee they chose was light, bright, and large enough for not only dinner and dancing but one of the most fun bride and groom entrances we’ve ever seen! Remain in Light Photography and second shooter Chloe Lee Photography nailed it in capturing every gorgeous detail and light-hearted moment of this Yorkshire wedding.
The most important thing for us was to bring all of our nearest and dearest together and to have a big feast to celebrate the day. We wanted it to be quite informal and for there to be lots of energy and relaxation. Once we knew that we would have the wedding on the farm, we just wanted to enjoy the process and collaboration.
The venue was very special to us, we had a marquee in the field in front of our parents’ houses. We have amazing memories of growing up on the farm there. The tree on the driveway was very special. I always used to think of it as a Roald Dahl tree when growing up, and so we definitely wanted to have photos with the tree. We also liked the idea of having somewhere that we can come back to and remember the wedding. We had an oak tree planted on the site of the wedding in the hope of being able to bring our children and grandchildren there in the future.
There was a lot of DIY from both us and friends of ours. Our two very good friends Davina and India did all of the flowers for us. I had a vision of the flowers being very clean and green, being bold in the greenness of the leaves. I communicated this with Davina and India and they very much got our vision, what they produced was exactly what we wanted. They were such an integral part of bringing our vision of the day to life!
Henry also did a lot of DIY projects, creating the frames for the overhead flower hangings, making the acrylic table plan, which we felt brought a modern vibe to the day. He also made all of the signs that led the guests through the grounds and into the marquee, telling a story along the way.
Set within a restored heritage building in the shipyards of North Vancouver, Tijana and Mark’s wedding at Pipe Shop Venue was bursting with character and charm. The bride, who owns the successful lifestyle blog A Plentiful Life, planned the entire affair and took on the labor of love to create nearly every detail, from the plexiglass signage to the invitations to the copper ceremony arch. What the couple couldn’t find, they bought at thrift stores and second-hand shops or rented from The Little Wedding Shoppe, and the result was a captivating design that was as eclectic as it was elegant. The bright, open feel of the venue not only lent a hand in adding charm to the overall look, but it afforded Stacie Carr Photography the most beautiful light to capture every inch of this wedding, where industrial, rustic, modern, and vintage vibes worked together in brilliantly designed harmony!
Most important to us in planning our wedding was to make it about our guests, all the people we love. We had games, signature cocktails, non-stop food, and live music to create a memorable experience. We also wanted to get married close to home and have these special places as part of our future.
The wedding planning advice we would like to share is: ask for help! You’ll want to do everything but those friends and family who are stepping up to assist you with your big day, say yes! Also to really do your research on each venue you’re considering. Create a budget for each one, this really helped us visualize the costs associated with each venue.
Linsey and Adam’s love for vintage goods, woodsy locations, and carefree vibes came together beautifully in their Asheville wedding at Olivette. The couple always wanted an outdoor wedding so, when they found a venue that offered a woodsy landscape for their reception and a small, secluded island with a creek for their ceremony, they immediately knew it was the one. To make the venue their own, they brought in antique furniture, books, brass candlesticks, and DIY signage for a one-of-a-kind vintage look. Flora created greenery-forward centerpieces, arbor accents, hoops, and bouquets to add a fresh, organic feel to every nook and cranny. We can’t get over all the DIY projects this creative couple and their loved ones made, especially the bride’s custom gown that her mother made using lace from her own wedding dress. This Asheville wedding was a woodsy dream come true, and Sheila Nolt Photography captured every moment in beautiful detail!
While we were planning our wedding, we were also in the process of shopping for a new house in the Asheville area. Nothing was set in stone when we booked our venue but we just knew we would find a house. Somehow we moved in just before for our wedding!
We both wanted an outdoor setting for our wedding. Adam wanted to be near a body of water, and I wanted the spot to be wooded. We looked around online for weeks at all of the venues in the Asheville area, but the ones that were close to the setting we had in mind were either booked, only allowed a small number of guests, or were out of our price range.
Just when we were getting really frustrated and considered moving our date back another year, we came across a new venue called Olivette. We were already familiar with the name because we had looked at the Olivette community for our potential new home. While the houses they were building on that beautiful chunk of land did not fit our budget, their new venue spot did! As soon as we set foot on the winding trail along one of the widest sections of the French Broad, with lush grass pads out to the side and breezy trees standing above, we knew that it was the perfect spot. We actually went ahead and booked it with their event coordinator before we left our tour!
Our ceremony took place on a little island toward the end of the event space where a trickling creek coming off of the river winds behind and around that piece of land, which had the perfect amount of shady trees to keep our guests cool and allow good lighting for photos. It was the perfect balance between water and woods we were looking for! We used their existing twig arbor with a beautiful flower arrangement from Flora as our altar and the flowing French Broad as our backdrop.
We’re both music nerds and both of our families are made up of Beatles fans, so we had a very talented friend play an acoustic Beatles medley as our guests arrived and as family and our wedding party entered. But my (Linsey) father is probably the biggest Beatles fan on the planet and “Here Comes the Sun” has always held a special place in our father-daughter relationship — we even have matching tattoos of it! So, naturally, that’s what he walked me down the aisle to. “I’ve Just Seen A Face” by Paul McCartney was our recessional song.
The most memorable moment — yet probably unnoticed by anyone else — was when Adam kept trying to wink at me during our ceremony. It’s been a running inside joke since we first started dating. I tried winking at him during a date but, like an idiot, I winked with the eye opposite to the side of me he was sitting on, which meant he never saw the wink. I tried a few more times that night, quietly getting upset that he still wasn’t noticing my hidden (literally) wink. Ever since we’ll randomly wink with the opposite eye to each other as a joke. After he did this 3 or 4 times during the opening prayer, I finally noticed and couldn’t stop laughing for the remainder of the ceremony!
Adam and I met at an antique show he was working. He used to restore furniture and had a few pieces on exhibit. That shared interest is what initially bonded us and antiques/heirlooms/furnishings, in general, are still a shared passion. We had both recently lost grandmothers. Since they weren’t able to physically be with us on our wedding day, we were able to bring some special things from their homes into our wedding decor — antique tables, chairs, candle holders, vases, mirrors. This quickly shaped the look and feel of our big day and felt so natural as these pieces spoke so strongly to our shared interest of “vintage.”
I knew I wanted my mother to make my wedding dress. She had made a few in the past along with her entire wardrobe throughout high school and college. And the lace from her 1970s wedding dress came from my late grandparents’ fabric store. I found a 1930s evening gown pattern in my grandmother’s fabric store loot that I fell in love with. My mother and I worked together to customize that pattern, and then she embellished it with the lace she removed from her dress.
There was only a 10% chance of rain that day, and our venue was entirely outdoors with the exception of a small sheltered area. I am not a fan of event tents so I refused to book one, going on faith that the 10% chance of rain would disappear. The weather held out for our ceremony and allowed all our guests to get at least a first round of dinner. But then the bottom fell out…and our band’s gear got soaked. Fortunately, being the good friends they were, they quickly grabbed all their non-electronic instruments and began an a cappella set! Tyler, their frontman, held a plastic cup to his mouth to project his voice just a little further. All our 160+ guests were crowded under that tiny shelter and just danced! Everyone was soaked — from both rain and sweat — and seemed very impressed that our band made the best of the situation. Looking back, we still wouldn’t have rented that tent because that was the most intimate, let-lose wedding reception I’ve ever experienced! (And we heard the same from our guests!)
If you’re looking for a masterclass in DIY wedding décor, look no further than Janice and Kevin’s Millwick wedding in downtown Los Angeles! There was hardly a detail this crafty bride didn’t touch — from the invitations to the bar menu to the clay-polymer place card holders. The entire design had a distinctly modern, minimalistic, and elegant vibe about it, which was reflected in the tropical greenery and subtle pops of florals designed by Hello Gem Events, and complemented the industrial-tropical vibes of the venue perfectly. With all of the amazing details she created for the venue, we love that Janice kept her bridal look classic and effortless with a Leanne Marshall two-piece ensemble, romantic half-up hairstyle, and simple accessories. The photography team at The Times We Have certainly had their work cut out to capture every beautiful detail of this day, and we think they nailed it!
Rather than seeing our wedding as a celebration for the two of us, we really just wanted to celebrate our family and friends around us for being there for us throughout our lives — through the highs and lows. We both love to eat, so we wanted to make sure we could share a memorable meal with our loved ones!
For the both of us, the most memorable part of the day was our first look. I (slightly) regret not being more composed for the pictures. (I was a hot crying mess!) In the end, I’m glad our true emotions were really captured.
Everyone told me that you sometimes end up with a dress that you wouldn’t have imagined, but for me, it was almost the opposite. I took two screenshots of dresses that I liked to my first dress shopping day, and one of them ended up being the dress I chose! I knew I wanted something different, and I kept comparing all the other dresses to this one dress. That’s when I knew it was the one.
I knew I wanted to get married at Millwick since my sophomore year of college — way before my husband and I even started dating. I saw the venue through pictures and loved everything about it — the quirkiness and the simplicity of it all were what sold me. When it came time for my own wedding, there was no hesitation in choosing the venue!
I designed almost everything: the invites, programs, seating chart, seat cards, seat card holders, his and hers drink menu and the bar menu! Let’s just say Michael’s and Home Depot were my second homes during my wedding planning season.
For the bar menu, we went to Home Depot and bought some plywood that I got cut to the dimensions I wanted. (It did take a few trips to measure out what plywood was available and how I’d want them cut.) We sanded them down and stained them to a dark brown that I liked, then used tracing paper to draw out the script and design. Then I used enamel paint for the tracings and added chalkboard paint onto a section of the board (for the drink selection). My bridesmaid Rosalie did the lettering for the drink selection the night before the wedding.
The most time-intensive DIY project was the seat card holders. I made each one out of polymer clay, cut them out into geometric shapes, and placed gold foil to add accents. I actually set off our apartment fire alarm while baking the clay the night before we had to head down to LA for our wedding! It wasn’t as funny at that moment, but in retrospect, it was pretty hilarious!
With the perfect blend of bohemian and tropical vibes, Elle and Nate’s wedding at Chase Palm Park is the cool and casual wedding of our dreams. These two put their heart and soul into planning this lovely wedding with many DIY elements including everything from dip-dyed indigo napkins to home-brewed moonshine at the bar. The fun and lowkey feel to Elle and Nate’s wedding led to lots of happy tears throughout the day and dancing under the stars thanks to DJ Gavin Roy Presents keeping the party going through the night. You can see all of the joy, excitement, and emotion thanks to photographer Nicole Kirshner Photography and videographer David Gardner Media documenting the gorgeous day.
There’s no sharper memory I’ll carry than the first sight of my soon-to-be-husband and all of our family and friends when I began my walk down the aisle.
Our ceremony was so much fun to plan. Our officiant is a lifelong family friend of ours and an LAFD Chaplain – so there was already a bit of a twist! He is known for being playful and Nate and I are known for our love of competition, so when it came time to decide who was going to read their vows first, Roger had us each throw a cornhole bag and the loser had to go first! I, of course, lost, because Nate is amazing at EVERYTHING. It was so much fun and really lightened up the moment and showed our personalities.
Our #1 goal throughout the planning process was for our wedding to represent US! We never take ourselves too seriously so we wanted it to feel bright, fun, colorful and casual.
SHOP THIS LOOK
Don’t overthink it! We put off a lot of decisions because we thought we needed more time to really plan it out, but in the end we ended up going with our gut anyways – and we couldn’t have been happier with the result!
We DIY’d nearly everything! We bought indigo died fabric at Joann’s and Hobby Lobby to cut and tie our dinner napkins, we broke terra cotta pots and stuck names on them with vinyl for the place cards, and countless family members and friends came together to help get it all done – nearly 300 of each! My sister Ashley is a craft WIZARD, and she created our invitation suite and program. Another fun DIY project was a small, circular card with a picture of a whistle on it – anyone with one of those at their place setting got to get my dad’s home-brewed moonshine from the bar! It was a huge hit.
SHOP THIS LOOK
Amy at Wild Story Floral is crazy creative and does it all with TWO baby girls running around. As an aspiring floral designer myself, I was completely in awe of her work and super inspired for my own. She was one of my best wedding decisions, hands down!
Our photographer, Nicole Kirshner, was absolutely outstanding start to finish. She was personal, professional, and beyond talented. Her photos blew us away and she truly became our friend along the way. Such a joy to work with!
The biggest surprise of the day came when the DJ announced the garter toss, and Nate walked on to the dance floor with a MICROPHONE!! He sang “Joy of My Life” by John Fogerty to me before removing and tossing my garter. This song is so special to us because the first time Nate came camping with my family, my dad made us all listen to it in the trailer and sang every word.
When it comes to wedding reception activities, photo booths are still as popular as ever and DIY photo booths, in particular, are perfect for couples looking to save a little money. You don’t need fancy equipment or a lot of extra stuff to make the perfect photo booth for your wedding. With these tips, we’ll show you how to create a seriously fun DIY photo booth that will encourage your guests to strike a pose and fit in seamlessly with your design aesthetic — all without busting your budget!
1. Get creative with the backdrop
The backdrop is the focal point of your photo booth, so you want to make sure it’s eye-catching without being too distracting. Think ribbons, curtains, banners, balloons, or chalkboard walls with cute phrases. You can keep it as simple or get as fancy as you’d like; you just need to give guests a designated area that will look cute in photos — and on its own when guests aren’t using it!
When you’re putting together the lighting plan for your wedding reception, don’t forget to include lighting in and around the photo booth. This can be anything from clever neon signs to curtains lined with twinkle lights. If you’re hanging lights in the background, make sure to also place lights in front of the camera — pointed toward the booth, placed at average nose level — so that your guests’ faces are completely visible in the photos. A selfie light would be the perfect choice to add direct, high-quality lighting! For all our tips on choosing the correct wedding lighting and a handy checklist, check out our ultimate guide to wedding lighting.
SIMILAR FIND: Etsy has all the photo booth lighting you’re looking for!
3. Provide plenty of props
The best parts of any photo booth are the props, so make sure to provide as much variety as possible. Etsy is full of shops that provide signs, cutouts, and masks that would be perfect for your DIY photo booth (see our favorites linked below). But, keep in mind, you can also find hats, wigs, glasses, jewelry, and other accessories at thrift stores, second-hand stores, costume shops, or even your own closet. The sillier and more outrageous the better!
The whole point of a photo booth is to capture all of your guests in a totally informal, seriously fun way, so you’ll want to make sure all your guests can see it no matter where they are at the reception. If possible, don’t shove your photo booth in a corner or set up in a separate room. There will be so many other things happening at your reception and, if guests don’t see it, they’ll simply forget about it. Think of this as another focal point for your design and set it up in an area that everyone can see but still gives people plenty of space to take individual, small group, or large group photos. Also, don’t forget to set up a directional sign pointing guests straight to the booth!
If you’re looking for a low-tech and easy way to get printouts of your guests’ photo booth snaps, Polaroid cameras are the way to go! The best part? All of your guests, no matter how young or old, will know how to use it. Encourage everyone to take a couple of snaps so they can keep one and they can leave one for you in either an album, on a frame, or in a simple box. Just be sure to stock up on extra film to last all night.
To keep your DIY photo booth even more simple, let your guests use their own phones to snap selfies. Guests are going to be taking selfies all night as it is, so they might as well do it with fun props in front of a fab backdrop! We highly recommend providing at least one selfie stick to help capture large group shots. You could even take it one step further with a selfie stick stand to give guests a little more room to play and pose!
Whether you decide to provide Polaroid cameras or ask guests to use their phones to snap photos, you’re going to want to collect these precious memories to look at after your wedding day! So, be sure to include a sign with clear instructions on how you want guests to share their photos. For a Polaroid photo booth, provide an album, glue sticks, and pens so guests can paste a photo with a personal message or set up a frame and clothespins for guests to hang their photos on. For a selfie station, ask guests to use your wedding hashtag or upload to a shared photostream. Don’t be afraid to be thorough with your instructions so you get exactly what you want!
The handmade details, the vintage-meets-bohemian vibe, and the cozy ceremony location of Keziah and Kaleb’s family farm wedding are giving us all the warm fuzzies! With the help of family and friends, this couple was able to make every detail of their wedding personal and unique. But, we must give a shoutout to the groom who went above and beyond in not only making the wooden ceremony arbor and all the tables for the reception but in excavating and building up the ceremony spot! The couple used antique furniture, vintage family place settings and table decor, and tons of eucalyptus to create a laid-back affair had an air of elegance and romance. Lucky for us, trinjensen photography was on hand to capture every magical moment of this handmade, at-home wedding!
The Couple:
Keziah and Kaleb
The Wedding:
Private Farm, Bainbridge, Pennsylvania
We got married in an old sand quarry on my parents’ property with a long path that led back to it. We loved walking on that path through the woods together as a newly married couple and being greeted by our bridal party and guests.
Fall is such a beautiful time of year. We could not choose just one of the fall colors, so we chose all of them. As well as florals and lots of eucalypti to match the boho vibe.
We did a lot of DIY for our wedding, which made it more personable and really made us appreciate the help from friends and family. It truly was God’s blessing that we were able to pull off all of the DIY projects. Kaleb rented a mini excavator and built a rock wall with steps in the quarry for the ceremony. He planted grass and built steps that came down in from the top of the quarry. He also made the arbor by cutting branches and tying them together to make a tiny house.
There are few things we love more than brilliantly crafted and meticulously curated DIY weddings! Junebug couples continue to find new, creative, and seriously impressive ways to personalize their big days, which is why we decided to do a round-up of some of our all-time favorite DIY weddings. Below you’ll find collages of the details the couple (or their friends and family) made, as well as explanations of what they did and/or how they did it. If you’re feeling particularly inspired or just want to learn a new crafty skill, we also included video tutorials to help you recreate some of the projects.
ANGELA & COLIN
Angela and Colin’s DIY wedding was a bohemian-inspired dream come true! The bride created macrame and tapestry hangings, freeform bouquets and centerpieces, hand-painted signs, a gift teepee, and a copper “taco bout a party” board to display their llama keychain favors. As if that wasn’t enough, she even learned the shibori fabric dying technique to create custom indigo napkins for each guest! If you’re interested in the shibori dying technique, check out the video below. Then, don’t forget to check out the rest of Angela and Colin’s wedding right here!
Shibori was something I was wanted to explore with for some time, I wanted our vibe to be simple, but also bohemian. Shibori was a staple look that I could work with whether I wanted to make it classy or rustic, once I knew I could play around with look in whatever circumstance I was sure this was the best choice. Each guest received a napkin hand dyed shibori, I bought muslin fabric to really get that deep blue indigo look. I made all my own macrame and tapestry hangings, some were made out of the macrame cord, my biggest one I made, was made out of piping cord, a thicker cotton rope. I mainly just searched basics on Pinterest and made my own designs based on what I learned.
I did all my florals for my wedding day including installations, centerpieces, but of course, I had a few helping hands, but I created all the bridesmaids’ bouquets, along with my own. I studied bouquets and color themes and then created what bouquets I liked. Most of my signage was handmade as well, I bought plexiglass and collected mirrors around my room, and did calligraphy on all of them. This was just something I learned through friends, Pinterest, practice. Our guests take home gifts were tiny llama keychains, that were a little representation of my husband and I. I built a hanging board for them, just painted it metallic copper, and nailed in some push pins, and wrote in calligraphy. Lastly, I made the gift teepee, I had lace fabric, and four poles of wood that I propped up with rope, there were plenty of tutorials to build an intricate teepee, I settled for a simpler set up.
The cozy and industrial vibes in Meghan and Kash’s downtown Seattle wedding were taken to a whole new level with all the DIY projects they completed! To keep the integrity of the iconic red brick venue, the couple kept their palette clean with whites/creams, greys, greens, and subtle pops of mixed metallics and relied on candlelight to set a romantic mood. They DIY-ed nearly every detail, from the centerpieces to the signage to the Irish Blessing guestbook, and the overall look was as charming as could be. If you’re interested in learning how to make floral centerpieces like the ones Meghan and Kash created, we found an expert to teach you how below. And, if you can’t get enough of their beautiful wedding, you can see the rest of their special day here!
Around 90% of our wedding was DIY. The mother of the bride created a portion of the floral displays using fake flowers for different decorative arrangements. The signage, programs, favors, blessing stones (guest book), and dessert bar were all DIY.
Small details went a long way. The best part about small details is they can be very inexpensive. So, our advice is to pay attention to the little things. Alone they may seem insignificant, but added up they truly contribute to the whole atmosphere. Since our wedding was in January, we wanted a cozy, intimate vibe. We accomplished that by pairing candles and whites/creams with the raw brick. The flowers, lace, and calligraphy added a romantic feel. It was simple and worked really well together.
When the bride and groom own a home goods store and are committed to making every detail of their wedding, you know it’s going to be magical! Emily and Alex’s Kansas City wedding took place at an upscale bistro, which matched the couple’s modern aesthetic perfectly. They created wood planters, gold geometric table accents, wood signs, and upcycled candle holders. To round out their DIY decor, they also tasked two of their business-owning friends to create the floral arrangements and the most stunning fabric banner we’ve ever seen! Trust us, you’ll want to pin every detail of this crafty wedding, and maybe even learn to make a fabric banner of your own with the tutorial below!
We DIY-ed everything. We run a small business making home goods (complete with fully-stocked woodshop and studio) and are blessed to have a talented group of amazing friends. We couldn’t justify buying anything we could make! We crafted all the centerpieces and favors and tapped friends to do the flowers and reception decor.
Nearly every detail of Jessie and Zac’s lovely camp-inspired wedding was either handmade by the creative duo (professionally known as The Sturgeons) or by their equally talented family and friends. Their woodsy camp venue offered the perfect rustic backdrop for their relaxed design and allowed the handmade macrame hangings, the flower arrangements, the hand-sewn pillows, the hand-lettered signage, and the homemade desserts to take center stage. No detail was left untouched, which is why you should check out Jessie and Zac’s full wedding feature here! If you’re curious how to recreate their green and white floral table garlands, see the tutorial below.
If we didn’t make something ourselves, someone else close to us did! The entire day was crafted by us or our loved ones. It was amazing how many helping hands and creative people we are so lucky to be surrounded by. Everyone poured their talents into our wedding. Jessie‘s sister made the bouquets, Jessie‘s mom made a handmade book for us to keep memories from the wedding in, and Jessie‘s dad made the ceremony arch to hang the macrame Jessie made on. Zac‘s grandma sewed pillows and cushions for our benches.
Zac‘s mom baked pies for those with dietary restrictions. Zac hand-lettered all the invitations and name cards and both of us made and printed our own save the dates and invitations. Zac‘s best friend, Spencer, illustrated our portraits and other pieces for our invitations, and a classmate from school screen printed our gifts to our guests. There was a lot of love poured into our wedding, and we are eternally grateful!
We have a huge soft spot for couples that DIY their entire wedding, and this Zona Colonial wedding in the Dominican Republic is proof positive why! Gina, who owns the Los Plebeyos design studio, made literally every detail of this wedding with her work partner and Fernando, the groom. While Fernando took care of all the woodwork details, Gina painted signs, designed floral arrangements, crafted paper goods, personalized two leather jackets, and turned the Spanish-style patio venue into a tropical haven. She even embellished her ’70s-inspired gown with pink flowers to match the color palette. This DIY wedding, which you can see here, was goals from beginning to end! We were even inspired to learn how some hand-lettering techniques like the ones shown below so we can create some gorgeous signage, as well!
We had 9 months of planning and DIY workshops so we could make it just as we imagined and the result was even better! We are very proud that we made everything ourselves because that’s what made it so special for us. We enjoyed every single day until the day we saw everything set. For my bridal look, I wanted something that reflected my personality, so I added some pink embroidered flowers to my dress. A friend also made a custom hairpiece with crystals and a gold chain.
My design studio did all the graphics and illustration of the invitations, painted the back panels and reception signs, and illustrated two leather jackets. We even designed the neon sign and painted the fireworks box. The groom made everything related to wood, including the bar sign, wood figures, and boxes. We even made the pennants, confetti cones, and the “ cheesy stuff” cheese bar sign.
The pristine shores of Tulum, Mexico were made for DIY weddings, and wedding designer Adriana of The Creative’s Loft and her fiancé Gabe took full advantage! The secluded beach offered the perfect haven for their intimate ceremony and featured a stunning macrame backdrop the couple has since repurposed into home decor and DIY wands with bells for the dance-party style exit to the cocktail hour. Adriana styled every inch of the reception, channeling a beautiful beachy vibe with the bohemian decor, rustic signage and food/drink bars, and vintage photo displays. Check out all of the quintessentially beachy details right here, and get ready to make all your macrame dreams come true with the DIY tutorial below!
One of our favorite parts of wedding planning was all the DIY projects we got to do! We designed the following items: wedding wands with bells and “Happy Tears” kits for the ceremony; sparkler DIY kits for the first dance; menus and place cards; table chargers using various Mexican tile patterns; mini bottles of spicy Mexican sauce; mini cans of tea; dance floor props; and customized tattoos with our wedding hashtag (#contigoalquintopino).
As a wedding planner and a bride, my strongest and most personal advice for other couples is to customize your wedding according to your values and what you like the most! This is crucial to ensure you enjoy the whole process of designing your wedding! In addition, make it personal!!! Create some time to design DIY ideas and details for the day…this makes everything! Is how your wedding stands out from the typical wedding. In addition, analyze in advance where do you envision getting married (in your city, a destination wedding…a private property, secluded beach). This decision makes the difference!
We must admit, our 12-year-old hearts are so in love with the nostalgic summer camp vibes in Misty and Johnny’s camp wedding! This sweet couple traded in a traditional, buttoned-up wedding for a fun and free-spirited weekend celebrating love and life with their friends and family in the woods. Their reception was a DIY dream come true, complete with screen-printed flags, personalized pins, hand-painted signs, and fabulous greenery arranged in the bride’s personal collection of vintage thermoses. Misty even asked one of her oh-so-talented friends to arrange the greenery bouquets for her and the bridesmaids, and the result was simply stunning! Our favorite details were the screen-printed flags, which can easily be done at home with the tutorial below. Check out the couple’s full wedding feature and let us know what your favorite detail was!
A friend arranged our beautiful greenery bouquets and arrangements and did an outstanding job. My career is in graphic design, so I couldn’t wait to have fun with every single detail! I designed our entire collection of wedding collateral, from the save the dates with buttons and our invites to the screen printed pennants we used for centerpieces, hand painting the signs, and using my own curated collection of vintage thermoses for decor. I poured my heart into every detail! My friends were also amazing the weekend-of, helping to make all those DIY ideas come to life. Couldn’t have done it without them!
Josh and Ryan’s eclectic DIY Knoxville wedding proves that #southernbeausdoitbetter! With the support of Josh’s mom and aunts, who all own a vintage rental and wedding staging company, the couple was able to fill the industrial venue with handmade, one-of-a-kind details that added a vintage twist to their eclectic style. The completely blank canvas allowed them to add everything from Eddison string lights to a fireplace, and everything in between. For their favors, they potted succulents in hand-picked jars, which is one of the cutest and easiest DIY wedding favor ideas we’ve seen! (If you’re like us and do not have a green thumb, we found some beginner tips to help you get started below.) Seriously, you won’t want to miss a single moment of this eclectic, vintage wedding!
Our whole wedding was DIY! We did everything with the support of Sisters’ Vintage Rentals. We even built 16 8’ farmhouse tables for the reception, as we wanted a family feel. We stained telephone wire spools that housed all the food. The Wednesday before the wedding we loaded at 20’ U-Haul truck along with a trailer and carloads full of supplies included 13 antique doors, window frames, a ladder with Edison light bulbs, two couches, 6 large chairs, pews, a fireplace, coffee tables, 28 centerpieces, greenery, and a bar. We had a blank canvas with our venue and it was like we were moving into our home. Ryan even made the bouquets and boutonnieres for our nephews and nieces in the wedding!
Our wedding favors were succulents that our guests could take with them so they could remember to let love grow. We collected little containers from all over Kentucky and Tennessee for over a year so that each succulent was planted in its own unique container. We displayed them on a cart with crates, ladders, books, and an antique door to create a focal point to draw our guests into the ceremony space. We chose succulents because they fit our style and overall look of our greenery, as we did not want to use any flowers. Succulents are also something you can find in our NYC apartment, which helped add to our theme of creating a welcoming and homey feel for our wedding.
Floral hoops, agate slice table numbers, and watercolor prints are just a few of the spectacular details Katie and Todd made for their backyard wedding at the bride’s family home! Oh, and we can’t forget the 30 farmhouse tables that the couple built themselves! Katie and Todd even got their family involved by having Katie’s dad build the ceremony backdrop. This outdoor wedding was bursting with color and inspiration for crafty couples who are looking for DIY ideas to fill out an open space, such as a backyard. We love that they used floral hoops, which are easy and inexpensive to make following the tutorial below, to fill the vertical space of their tent. If you want a closer look at every gorgeous detail, check out Katie and Todd’s full wedding here!
In the months leading up to the wedding, Todd and I made all 30 of our beautiful farm tables that our guests dined on. My dad built our ceremony arch and the barn that we used for our bar. We designed our invites, menus and made the hoops that hung from the tent, vases for the centerpieces and the rest of the decorations. It was a lot of work but thankfully we had a lot of help from our awesome friends and family.
Now that you’ve been inspired by these real DIY weddings, it’s time to get started planning your own! Just make sure to bookmark our best wedding planning tools for a stress-free engagement so that you’ll know exactly what to do at every step!
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