DIY - Behind the Wedding

by - Saturday, May 25, 2013

As most of you know, I am now officially a 'Mrs'!! Joe and I have just had our dream wedding! It seriously could not have been more perfect for us! all our hard work paid off, and created the best day of my existence.

We had so many DIY projects that we wanted to keep a surprise, but now that the wedding had been and gone, I can let you all in on a few of the the secrets and behind the scenes work!

Below are some quick snaps of the little bits and pieces we worked on in the months leading up to the wedding. The photos are not at all good quality, so I apologise in advance! But after the quick snaps are actual photos of the setup from the wedding, so you can see our DIY projects in action! So lets get started!

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I found a picture of a beautiful wedding stand, that I wanted to get married in front of. so I showed Joe. Next thing I know, Joe has figured out exactly how to make it AND how to make it in a way that it can be dissembled and reassembled, so that it's easy to transport to the venue. (Yep.. he's pretty much amazing!) Soon after, we were off to bunnings to buy the necessary bits and pieces!

First we built it, then we painted and sanded it back. Afterwards, we built a second stand and painted it to match, to have behind us while we signed the registry.
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
Stencilling. We did SO MUCH stencilling for the wedding! These ones here, we did for our table numbers.
First, we had to thrift various photo frames, then clean them. Very important step! Then I cut the burlap to size. After printing the numbers out, Joe cut them out for me (I'm not so good with a knife.) I then taped all the numbers down carefully onto the burlap, which was super time consuming! Then we got our paint spray gun and painted them! We let them dry a little, then peeled off the paper numbers. Voila! Once completely dry, I popped them into the appropriate frames, and away into a wedding box for the big day.
// PHOTO FROM THE WEDDING //
Speaking of stencilling - we stencilled all our bunting too! I cut the burlap out, and sewed them together with the string. Again, Joe stencilled them all out for me with the stanely knife! Then I stuck down the letters and painted them. I'm super happy with how cute they turned out! We had 'Mr & Mrs', 'Guestbook', 'Just Married' and 'Cards'.
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
Again, more stencilling! This one we decided to tackle just TWO nights before the wedding! It was such a big job to figure out where to place everything, and then to make it nice and straight! So we were up until 1:30am, but we really wanted to have a giant stand with everyones names on it! We were both so happy with how it turned out.
// PHOTO FROM THE WEDDING //
Do you remember that secret photo I shared of a mysterious box? Well we bought a vintage typewriter to use as a guestbook. It's so beautiful and they are so much fun to use!
// PHOTO FROM THE WEDDING //
A little while ago, I was in a little boutique, and I saw these fabric covered pegs that they were selling for $2.50 each! So crazy! But I thought they were really cute. So a little while later, I purchased 100 plain pegs from Big W, for $4.00, then I picked up some $7.00 a metre vintage fabric. Then with Joe's help, we cut up 200 strips of fabric, and covered the pegs front and back. Too cute! The pegs were used for hanging up peoples typewriter/guestbook notes.
I also used the same vintage fabric to make a little cake topper!
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
Speaking of cake - as we had decided to bake cake pops for our wedding, Joe and I had this crazy idea to make our own cake pop stand too! So we did.
We sliced up a wooden log, and created a 4-tier cake pop stand! We would later take it apart and drill in 156 holes for the sticks. Then I varnished it up, and got it ready to put the cake pops in!
// PHOTO FROM THE WEDDING //
And that brings us to the cake pops! I had seen some tutorials on them, and done a trial of baking cake pops, so I was ready to tackle 3 different types of cakes for the wedding. All decorated differently so you would know what type of cake was inside.
Originally, I thought it would be great idea to do this, but seriously, who makes there own wedding cake!? It became quite a stress trying to get them done in time, with everything else we had to do too! Luckily I have an incredible mother and sister who helped A LOT, and kept working on them, when I had to get other things finished.

I can't complain though, they turned out gorgeous! Everyone loved them, and even now keep commenting on how delicious they were. So all in all.. success!
// PHOTO FROM THE WEDDING //
Another DIY job I had to do were all the decorative jars around the venue and all the center piece jars filled with baby's breath and other flowers. I did them up with strips of burlap, lace & twine, depending on what they were for. This kind of craft is so easy and relaxing. Something I did in-between the more difficult DIY work. Can I just say - hot glue guns are amazing! They help get things done fast! Super fast! The ones I decorated with JUST lace were some of my favourite! We hung them all at different heights behind the bridal table, and had battery powered fairy lights in them. It looked seriously incredible at night!
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
As you may know, I designed and sewed my own Flower Girl's dress. It had ruffled sleeves and a lovely low back. The bodice had a lace overlay, and don't tell anybody, but it's the same lace I used for the jars! Matchy matchy! I had never worked with tulle before, but it was fun. I wanted to make one in my size and wear it! However, that would be like wearing a wedding dress. Which was obviously my plan for the day!
My little Flower Girl, Katie, LOVED the dress. She couldn't stop dancing!
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
The last DIY thing I'll show you for now are photo booth props! These were SO fun to do! Joe and I made clay from scratch, then shaped it into various different lips, glasses, moe's, bow ties etc. Then we baked them! It appears the lips were my favourite to make! I painted them either red, pink or purple.
After we'd painted all the props we got out the trusty hot glue gun again and attached sticks to the back of them to finish them off.
// PHOTOS FROM THE WEDDING //
There are plenty more DIY projects that I could show you. All the photo frames we painted with chalk board paint, the signs that we hand printed out, everyone's name that I hand stamped letter by letter to the wedding favours, more stencilled signs, and more! Almost everything had a personal touch to it or was hand made. But instead of showing you now, I should probably leave some surprises for the actual wedding post to follow! Looking back, I think I must have been insane to take on so much work! But it made the day exactly how I envisioned it. It was the exact feel I wanted. 

To be honest, I have been greatly missing doing all things wedding and crafty since we got back from our honeymoon. I feel I was born to create. So I must sit down and really figure out a way I can incorporate that into my life in a bigger way now.

It's exciting to think about, and so is life in general!

Well, that is all for now! I'm off to eat dinner, and most likely climb into bed with Joe and watch a few episodes of The Biggest Loser! (Addiction! But maybe a good one?)

So goodnight from Perth!

Have a beautiful day,


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8 comments

  1. Thank you so much for the follow.
    Follow you back on bloglovin.
    Lovely greets Nessa

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    1. No worries Nessa! Thanks for the follow also! x

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  2. You guys are way too creative!! LOVE it!!

    Love A xx
    thelovethread.blogspot.com

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    1. YOU lovey are way too creative also! sisters :)
      See you wednesday?
      x

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  3. Amy, found your blog through instagram and oh my god I love it!! Looks like you had a beautiful wedding and I love that you and the hubby worked together to make it so personal and gorgeous.
    I'm not anywhere near getting married but you've definitely inspired me for my future wedding. Lots of love and happiness to you both

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    1. Aw thank you so much!! that is so sweet of you to say. It really was our dream wedding! Joe and I are a little crazy when it comes to all things DIY. We just love to build and create, and I'm so happy we got to incorporate that into our wedding.
      I'm really glad you feel inspired! - Can't wait to see what you come up with!
      Love and happiness to you also! x

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  4. I had goose bumps reading this. Fabulousome!!!!

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    1. aww thank you love!! do you like doing DIY?

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