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Search results for DIY. If you didn't find what you were looking for, try a new search.

Not Too Crazy DIY Ideas!
September 20, 2017

Are you a DIY bride or does the idea of handmade projects overwhelm and scare you? We believe that DIY can be a great opportunity to personalize your wedding without sacrificing your overall aesthetic. More than anything, DIY wedding ideas should be easy to manage, fun to produce, and not cause you or your bridal party (who have to inevitably help!) stress. One philosophy that we really live by here at United with Love is that DIY wedding projects should not necessarily take the place of a professional vendor. We believe that personal projects are a great way to create a special moment at the wedding or leading up to the festivities but aren’t the end all be all. Leave the heavy lifting to your pros! Because we want to help out, we have rounded up a few really cool projects. From bridal party gifts to family photo displays, we have projects that any DIY couple can easily do, and do WELL!

DIY Wreath Place Card Tutorial via Spoon Fork Bacon

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We love this dried fruit tutorial! They are so vibrant and perfect for a brightly colored cocktail garnish!

DIY Cocktail Garnish via SpoonPorkBacon

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DIY Floral Photo Hoop via Style Me Pretty

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DIY Leather Monogram Letters via eHow

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DIY Minibar Groomsman Gift via The Shabby Creek Cottage

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DIY Doughnut Dessert Bar via Something Turquoise

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DIY Gem Bridesmaid Earrings via Martha Stewart Weddings

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DIY Champagne Favors via Martha Stewart Weddings

Love all the DIY inspiration that we rounded up today? Check out our other DIY inspired wedding posts for more inspiration and fun projects to personalize your wedding day! Don’t forget to peruse our DC Real Weddings galleries for additional color and design inspiration!

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Wedding Planners vs Coordinators vs DIY
March 21, 2017

Once you really dive into wedding planning, you may find yourself confused by all of the lingo floating around. From the differences between escort cards and place settings to different veil types (cathedral, fingertip, blusher, fascinator, etc.) to the fact that a charger is not something you plug your phone into, getting it all down pat can be difficult. One struggle we see right away is that couples don’t always know the differences between a wedding planner, a wedding coordinator, a venue coordinator and a DIY wedding. These all mean different things and, in turn, come with different responsibilities. Make sure you know which of these professionals (or combo of them) you are choosing for your DC wedding day! Once you’ve got that figured out, you can move on to picking the perfect wedding planner. We’ve got some pretty fabulous DC area wedding planners hanging around – hint hint, nudge nudge! Until you’re ready to choose, however, let us educate you on who does what and when!

Jessica Latos Photography in Charming Woodend Sanctuary Wedding

Planner

A wedding planner is typically someone who has the expertise to support you in every aspect of creating and implementing your big day! From finding your venue to hiring your vendors to creative design and flawless implementation, a planner does it all. Their job also often encompasses the job of a coordinator; they are there are your big day to make sure everything runs smoothly. The analogy that you might find helpful is that of the wedding planner as the coach. Your planner is the central figure with the vision to select the best team of players, the leadership to organize and inspire them, and the depth of experience to help them succeed against all odds. A planner is working for you from the moment they are hired throughout your wedding day. They are responsible for making your creative and logistical dreams come to life! Want to pick a planner but not sure how? We’ve got a Q&A with local wedding professionals on the process behind hiring a wedding planner!

Coordinator

Alternatively, you can choose to hire a coordinator instead of a planner. The use of the word coordinator implies that the planning has already been done and what’s left is the organizing, confirming and implementation of those already laid plans. A coordinator pulls everything together to tie it up in a neat little bow. A great coordinator sets the event up for success with walk-throughs and meetings prior to the date of the wedding. They will also be on site the day of to make sure that you are running on time and every detail is perfectly in place! They are also all around “fixers” on the day, should any issues arise. The best man can’t find the ring, the buses carrying all of your guests haven’t arrived, your zipper is broken (yes, all of these things have happened to us…), these things are handled by the coordinator.

Taylor and Ben Photography in Moody Wine Hued DC Fall Wedding

Venue Coordinator

A venue coordinator can make helpful recommendations in advance of your wedding, especially when it comes to suggestions for other vendors. They can help you out with rental selections and may even have access to items like chairs or tables. They can give you logistical ideas for things that work well at their venue like where to put the cake. But, on the day of your wedding, their priority is their venue. Venue coordinators know a lot of about weddings because they are involved in them all the time but they aren’t wedding planners. They don’t necessarily know about things like wedding invitation wording, ceremony seating, etc. It isn’t their job to know these things for you. If you want or need a wedding planner, hire a wedding planner.

Douglas Pettway Photography in Josephine Butler Parks Center DC Brunch Wedding

DIY

Maybe none of these options sound right for you. Maybe you’re working with a budget that might not support hiring a professional to plan your day. Or maybe you are super creative, organized, and crafty and just don’t need help! We do have to warn you though, DIYing a wedding can be a lot of work. And we’re not talking about just DIYing centerpieces and invitations; we’re talking about DIYing everything from start to finish including creating a wedding day timeline, making sure your vendors know where to go and when, organizing the bridal party, making sure your ceremony and reception spaces are set up, etc. There are a lot of things you might not think about having to do all by yourself when you decide to DIY your wedding. Just make sure you are prepared, organized, and have some great friends and family backing you up!

Now that you know the differences between your wedding day planning options, we hope you have fun choosing! Just in case you need a little more help, make sure you check out our wedding tips and advice section. Oh, and don’t forget to see what other couples have done for their DC area weddings!

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planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

DIY Projects
January 10, 2017

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DIY Grafitti Inspired Wedding Backdrop
October 29, 2016

We loved the edgy rocker meets glam wedding inspiration session earlier this week by Brooke Michelle Photography, and cant wait to share this fun DIY graffiti backdrop tutorial. One reason we love this DIY wedding project inspiration so much is that it actual does double duty! The backdrop door for the ceremony can also double as a reception table top for a unique alternative!  Ill let Aimee of A. Griffin Events share how to recreate your own version below!

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DIY Graffiti-Inspired Wedding Ceremony Backdrop

Cost: $50 or less depending on door

Time: 2 hours, including paint drying time

Materials:

Slab Door (like this one from Home Depot)

One can of white primer spray paint (plus roller or brush)

Two cans of spray paint in desired color (I used flat black Rustoleum)

A quote or lyrics that are meaningful to you and your fiance

Pencil

Tape measure

Cardboard or newspaper for practicing

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GETTING STARTED

The idea behind this wedding ceremony backdrop is to upcycle raw materials and make it personal and unique to your wedding. It is also a way to have decor elements do double duty and serve more than one function throughout the wedding. We recently replaced all of the interior doors in my home, so I had several unused white doors. A piece of very thick canvas or even a sheet of plywood will also work. I opted for matte paint, so the shine wouldn’t catch the light in pictures.

The other important element is it should be your writing. It’s not meant to be fancy calligraphy or to be too perfect. (A graffiti artist for something like this can cost up to $100 per hour!) Weddings are an intimate, personal affair, making this DIY backdrop even more special. In this age of digital signatures, your individual font carries so much meaning. Your grandma will recognize it from the thank you notes you’ve sent her, and your fiance will recognize it from the love notes you’ve left him or her.

PAINT IT

If you like the color of the door, leave it. If you need to paint it, now is the time. I gave mine a quick roll with my favorite (and on hand) Benjamin Moore White Dove. Let it dry completely before spray painting words.

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SET IT UP

Either on the computer or on a piece of paper, figure out how you want the quote to look. I knew I wanted to separate the Led Zeppelin quote into two word fragments that gave the sense of a couple in love. For example, we walk, your hand, only one.

You’ll also want to consider the shape the words make. Draw a line tracing both edges of the words in each column. In my second column, the words swell out at Thanks to you it will be done which I liked best. In the first column, the swell came at  Your hand in mine, we walk. But these words are towards the top of the door and more easily read, so I opted for the second column. I love the sense of gratitude and faith conveyed in seven words.

MEASURE

Next, measure your door. Mine was 28 inches wide and 80 inches tall. Make a few calculations to determine the height of the lines. I wanted an inch between each line to space it out. I also decided that Only one should have marginally more space than the rest of the words. I put half of an inch at the top of the door and 1.5 inches at the bottom of the door.

Here are my calculations:

  • 12 lines at 6.5 inches (with two extra inches- one at the top and one at the bottom)
  • 12 lines at 5.5 inches with one inch in between each line (with two extra inches- one at the top and one at the bottom)
  • 12 lines at 5.5 inches, one inch between each line, and half an inch border at the top and 1.5 inch border at the bottom.

With a tape measure, mark out the spacing on either edge of door. For me, this meant a mark at 0.5 inch from the the top, 6 inches, 7 inches, then 12.5 inches to create the top two lines. Take a straight edge and make straight lines.

On piece of scrap paper, practice writing the words in the appropriate height – six, seven, or eight inches. See how it looks from various distances. If this is going to be at the front of your ceremony area, tape the paper to a wall and stand as far away as possible to get a sense of what is readable.  You get two tries at this to make it right (each side of the door), then you have to buy a new door or paint over your mistakes several times to erase them.

PENCIL IT IN

In pencil, scrawl out your quote on the painted door. It’s going to look fabulous in pencil. Adjust the size of any letters you don’t like. Adjust the spacing. Erase extra lines if you wish and remember that the spray paint line will be a lot thicker than the pencil line.

SPRAY IT ON

I researched and purchased the specialized graffiti paint and nozzles, but those didn’t work for me. I ended up with the standard, basic Rustoleum spray paint from Home Depot in flat black. I tested the distance I needed to hold the can to get the line thickness I wanted. (The closer you go, the thicker the lines.) It ended up being 8-10 inches away from the door. I used one can of spray paint.

Practice spraying your words on newspaper or cardboard. Get a sense of the flow and how to hold the can. My most comfortable position where I had the most control was keeping the can parallel to the surface.

When you feel confident with the can, start your spray writing at the top. Lay the door down on a flat surface because the paint will run if it is upright or leaning. I needed to kneel and lean on the door to be able to reach all the way across, so starting at the bottom wouldn’t work well. Don’t try to cross your t’s and dot your i’s at this point. Do it at the end. Work line by line, adjusting letters as you go.

If you really mess up (as in misspelled word), stop and let it dry. Paint over the mistake with white paint and once it is dry, try again.

When you’ve finished, let it dry completely. You can spray a coat of topcoat over it, if you want. However, it is difficult to get an even top coat and a glossy finish creates shine in photographs.

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All Photos credit: Brooke Michelle Photography

INSTALLATION

I simply leaned mine door against the wall and decorated it with an Italian ruscus garland. If you have a different surface, you might need to look into base supports or wall mounts. For the reception table, I turned the table flat so that the words were facing upwards and put saw horses underneath to serve at the table legs.

To see more DIY wedding projects check out our inspiration galleries and tutorials! We love The Loft at 600F and to see more unique wedding locations check out our DC Wedding Venue Guide!

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DIY Fall Themed Trail Mix Bar
October 8, 2015

Hello Washington DC area wedding darlings and happy fall to you! Fall is such a special time here in the DC area with the leaves turning and the weather turning chilly. The autumn months are also bursting with wedding ideas and inspiration from the rich and moody flowers to the pumpkins to anything that makes you feel cozy! Today, we are sharing a great and seasonal trail mix bar inspired by the fall that can be easily adapted to any wedding or special event, like a bridal shower. Trail mix the perfect snack for those chilly fall afternoons and it makes for a delicious – and affordable – wedding snack or favor. You can easily customize the items on this bar and have your guests serve themselves as a wedding snack or take it to go as a wedding favor. We love bars at weddings because they are conversation starters and it gets guests mixing and mingling! In addition to the fall inspiration, we have the details for how you can set up your very own make-it-yourself trail mix favor bar. Sweet and savory, this trail mix bar is perfect for a fall wedding in the Washington DC area, if I do say so myself!

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Trail Mix Basics

We went for a rustic autumn theme for our trail mix, inspired by the farms in Virginia and Maryland at harvest time. Having a DIY favor bar is perfect for picky guests, since they can pick and choose what ingredients they put into their gift to take home. The hard part was trying to figure out what to put into the mix, everything sounded so good! Seasonal items, especially around this time of year, are always a sure bet. And M&Ms. (Trust us on the M&Ms!).

Mixing sweet and salty flavors always makes for delicious flavor. We chose M&Ms and candy corn (because fall, of course!) for our sweet ingredients and for our salty items, sourdough pretzel nuggets, Chex Mix Traditional and Bugles, because they resembled miniature cornucopias. Once you’ve acquired your ingredients, try to refrain from snacking (believe me it was HARD!) and do a test bag. Put a couple spoonfuls of each ingredient into a bag and shake. Voila! Perfect trail mix.

Make sure that you are aware of any wedding guests with allergies. Common ones like nuts and gluten are easily avoidable, or just make sure you put a notice near your favor table for guests with food restrictions.

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Supplies:

To recreate our DIY trail mix bar, here’s what you need:

  • Serving bowls
  • Large spoons or scoops
  • Fall-themed ribbon in two different patterns
  • Circular and rectangular tags
  • Small chalkboard and chalk
  • Fall-themed candles, garland and pumpkins for decor
  • Small plastic bags for to-go favors
  • Small wooden box to add height to items
  • Food items. We used M&Ms, candy corn, Chex Mix Traditional, sourdough pretzel nuggets, Bugles
  • Marker for writing on tags and labels

How-To:

Putting the ingredients into bowls with spoons is easy-peasy. You can do it ahead of time and cover with plastic wrap or do it just before the event. We definitely recommend setting up the entire table and laying out all of the items and decor in advance and then pouring the food into the bowls just before guests arrive. Pre-make your labels for your ingredients. We saved on serving pieces by using what we had at home and wrapping fall themed ribbon around the bowls to make them look special. Glue the ingredient labels, or simply prop them up against each bowl. Position your sweet ingredients separate from your salty ones – we chose to put our sweet ingredients on top.

Make a separate container and label for the take home bags, so guests know that they can collect their treats and take them to go. We created ribbons with tags that guests can use to tie up their favor bags. Pre-make labels with a cute thank you saying on them for guests to secure their trail mix bags with. We chose “Happy trails to you! Thanks for coming!” Get it?! Trails?! Be sure to make one for each guest and a few extra (just in case!).

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Yum! Now, who is hungry? What will you put on your trail mix bar? If you are looking for more bar ideas for your wedding, be sure to check out this post we did on a DIY s’mores bar and this DIY popcorn bar with recipes. Also, these DIY wedding favor bags would be so great for any wedding bar.

For even more locally helpful advice, you may look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros. If that isn’t enough, check out our collection of local DMV weddings from the real world and the best DC area wedding vendors who make it all happen.

Photo Credit: Kate O. Photography

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diy  / food and entertainment  / inspiration  / inspiration and ideas  / Tips & Advice

DIY Glitter Champagne Bottle Wedding Favors
August 19, 2015

You know how we love our glitter over here – anything sparkly and wedding related and we are on it! Make it a DIY project from a real couple in the Washington DC area and I just about can’t stand it, I’m so excited! Today, we have all details on a DIY wedding project from a couple that we recently featured. Shannon and Chris’ were married in Virginia in a colorful and very personal wedding, and you can see it all right here and here. When I saw the glittered mini champagne bottles that Shannon and Chris gave out for their pop-art inspired wedding in Virginia, I immediately e-mailed Shannon and said, “I must know more about these amazing wedding favors!”

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Photo Credit: DuHon Photography

Shannon DIY decorated the bottles herself and she is here today sharing all of her know-how about glittering the bottles along with some great wedding DIY project tips. She and her mother worked hard to glitter each and every one of the champagne bottles. They set the mini bottles at each wedding guest’s place setting to add to the table decor and then gave the bottles to wedding guests as favors. We love double-duty projects – it was a wedding favor and table decor all rolled into one! In addition to the mini-champagne bottles, you could use Shannon’s advice and directions for glittering just about anything – glasses, vases, containers, candle holders and so much more! In addition to the bottles, Shannon even glittered a few champagne flutes! Take it away, Shannon…

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These glitter champagne bottles were a great wedding favor for our guests, and also added little pops of color to our wedding tables. To us, a little sparkle and some bubbles was the perfect ending note that we wanted our guests to take away from our big day. Who doesn’t get excited about your own sparkle champagne bottle?!

So, I had the idea, but the next step was to actually do it.  I recruited my DIY savvy mother to help since we had to make 140 of the bottles. If you can, always find a DIY buddy to help. It makes it fun and takes a little of the pressure off of you. Also, because of the acrylic spray, I couldn’t spray the bottles in my apartment, so we needed my parent’s backyard. Another tip, before you start a DIY project, make sure that you think about where you are going to do it. I can’t tell you how many times I started a project in my living room when I should have considered the kitchen. I still have glitter in some parts of the carpet!

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Supplies

  • 187ML Korbel Mini Champagne Bottles
  • Mod Podge Gloss-Lustre sealer glue
  • Mod Podge Gloss Lustre Clear Acrylic Sealer
  • 2 different colors of Martha Stewart Very Fine Glitter (loose glitter)
  • Small paint sponges
  • Small soft paint brush

** Beware: You do need to let bottles dry over night, so this is not a one day DIY project!

1st Step

Take your Mod Podge glue and your sponge brush, and working in sections, paint the Mod Podge onto just the bottle. Because we made the top a different color sparkle, this was done separately. Also, we wanted to keep the label, so the tiny sponge brush was a great tool to work with to get around the label corners.

2nd Step

Take your glitter and sprinkle onto the bottle the glitter. Do not roll it on! We found rolling clotted the sparkles together and it wasn’t as even. 

3rd Step

Once the bottle is all sparkled, use soft paint brush and wipe off the remaining glitter found on the label.

4th Step

Let the bottle dry. We let it dry over night just to make sure. Plus, it is always good to take a break from a DIY project.

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5th step

Spray on the Gloss Lustre Clear Acrylic Sealer, about one coat. Let that dry overnight. (This seals the glitter onto the bottle so that it doesn’t rub off.)

6th Step

Now, it is time for the top of the bottle, which we did in a different color glitter.  Repeat steps 1-5.

That’s it!

We added little message tags to each champagne bottle to personalize our thank you to our guests for being there in our wedding day. I thought that these champagne bottles would be opened and enjoyed on the wedding night, but most of my wedding guests still have them displayed in their house!

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Thank you so much Shannon for sharing these sparkly, glittery wedding favors with us! I’m ready to get going and glitter something projects myself. You can see all of Shannon and Chris’ pop-art inspired wedding ceremony and wedding reception in Virginia. (And, if you think the bottles are cool, be sure to see Chris’ pop art self portrait!)

For more wedding DIY ideas or printables, and lots of real DC weddings with DIY touches, be sure to check out or DIY weddings and projects. You can also browse our gallery of wedding ideas and look for the best DC wedding vendors to help you pull it all together!

Photo Credits: DuHon Photography

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design, decor and details  / diy  / inspiration  / inspiration and ideas  / Tips & Advice

DIY Vintage Inspired Wedding Reception in Fairfax: Desiree + Tom
July 20, 2015

Welcome back to Desiree and Tom’s DIY filled wedding in Virginia – I hope you aren’t too hungry because their wedding reception was all about the food and is a true feast for the eyes! This cute couple held both their wedding ceremony and reception at the Old Town Hall in Fairfax, Virginia where they incorporated plenty of vintage-esque pops and plenty of DIY wedding ideas along with their love of food and wine too! (If you missed their sweet wedding ceremony, be sure to check it out here.) And if you’re a foodie, you’re not going to be able to take your eyes off of their wedding reception and its wedding menu, which was a priority for the couple and it shows! We’ve been drooling for days over Desiree and Tom’s first meal as husband and wife and we love that they focused on what mattered most to them and splurged where it counted. I can’t decide what I love more – their gorgeous wedding cake or the wedding cake made of cheese! Big thanks to Camille Catherine Photgoraphy for the photos from this foodie -friendly Washington DC area wedding!

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From Desiree: We both knew that we did not want a traditional style wedding, but still wanted an extravagant party like none other. I began planning many months in advance and shopped for deals on DIY decorations and large feature items that we definitely wanted to incorporate. Our vision was focused around fun and food, blending our shared love for top-notch cuisine and libations, my attention to detail and Tom’s ability to host with the most, and ultimately delighting guests through memorable meals. We decided on rotating chef-prepared small plates and mixed seating options for a truly relaxed vibe that forced guests to mix and mingle. The European bistro theme was coined by my fabulous event planner and friend at Joy & Co. Events, and evolved around our European honeymoon plans. We chose our wedding venue because it is very local to our home, (also where we met and had our first date), it was just the right size for our wedding, and it has historic character that we love.

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Our first dance was more than I ever expected and a real treat for us both. Tom’s sister and brother are so incredibly talented and surprised us with such a sweet tune. During those few minutes it was like time stood still and we fell in love all over again. We also got a real kick out of surprising our wedding guests with an interruption in the wedding ceremony to take selfies. That was fun!

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The number one main focus and priority for our wedding was the food and then beverages. Tom is in hospitality and manages an upscale, casual restaurant, so those skills carried over very well into the planning and our DIY approach. He put together a team of chefs and bartenders from his restaurant and helped to write a very specific cuisine driven menu. The idea was to overwhelm our wedding guests with both variety and quality of wedding menu options. The bulk of our wedding budget went directly to food and drinks. Initially, I very much wanted string lights, but it proved to be difficult given the wedding venue and so we did decided to skip additional lighting. The tables and chairs were also provided by the wedding venue at no additional cost, and although I was not fond of the chair style, we saved money by not renting something nicer.

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Desiree had some advice for future Washington DC area couples:

Know your strengths and decide what you want to tackle yourself early in the wedding planning process, then delegate your weaknesses. Ask for help! So many of our friends and family stepped up in a big way to make our special day a huge success. Stay organized! Keep a record of your ideas and share them only with trusted individuals who will support and not stifle your efforts. Shop early for the best selection. Lastly, we got married on a week night, because we wanted a specific date. This turned out to be a big money-saver for us, and also enabled us to not rush as much when booking vendors since many more are available during the week days.

I only wished I had known of a way to slow down the pace of the day. Everything happened so fast and the end of the night was there before I knew it. Also, as everyone else told me, I did not eat enough, and not for lack of trying, but because I was being pulled in so many different directions and time quickly slipped away. If I could do it over, I would have several people dedicated to the task of bringing me food!

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Congratulations to Desiree and Tom! Thank you for sharing your foodie friendly Virginia wedding reception with us!

The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Wedding Planner + Floral Designer: Joy and Co Events
Photo Credits: Camille Catherine Photography
Stationery: Sangria Studios
Calligraphy: Bride’s Sister, Danielle Dawson
Hair Stylist + Makeup Artist: Sylvia Ghassemieh Norman
Bride’s Attire + Bridesmaid Accessories: Etsy (Retro Vintage Weddings)
Bride’s Shoes: Nina
Headpiece/Veil: Etsy (Adrianna Sparks)
Jewelry: Silpada
Bridesmaids: Macy’s
Bridal Party Shoes + Groom’s Shoes: DSW
Groom’s Attire + Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank
Groom’s + Groomsmen Accessories: Macy’s
Groomsmen Shoes: Toms
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Old Town Hall, City of Fairfax
Ceremony Music: Family musicians
Rentals: Sammy’s Rentals
Caterer: Chef Geoff’s
Linens: Everything Linen
Reception Music: DJ Adam Christopher
Cake/Dessert: Samantha Woodill
Favors: Flash Foto Booth

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide and for even more amazing local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries and other Washington DC area real weddings.

Photo Credits: Camille Catherine Photography

** This post contains affiliate links.

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diy  / Real Weddings  / virginia weddings

DIY Vintage Inspired Wedding Ceremony in Fairfax: Desiree + Tom
July 20, 2015

Good Monday morning to you, my DMV wedding lovelies! Desiree and Tom’s wedding in Virginia was a true DIY affair put together with loads of hard work and resourcefulness by the couple and made great use of the talents of their friends and family with everyone pitching in! Desiree and Tom held their Virginia wedding ceremony at the Old Town Hall in Fairfax, Virginia, where the bride wore a stunning, handmade vintage-esque wedding dress from Etsy. Lots of DIY wedding details were incorporated into the couple’s big day, everything from the invitations to the music. We love all the signs Desiree and Tom made to show guests where to go, what to do, and to welcome them to each different activity of the day! This is one beautifully eclectic and unique wedding day you don’t want to miss, full of love and what looks like lots of laughter! Look close and you might even spot a ceremony act that included the bridal party! A special thanks to Camille Catherine Photography for sharing this sweet vintage inspired Washington DC area wedding with us!

wedding-signs-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography silver-bridal-shoes-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography

From Desiree: Almost everything about our wedding was custom made. Nearly every weekend for a few months, leading up to our wedding, we spend cutting, assembling, sanding, staining, and painting various projects for the wedding. We hand-crafted a custom wood and whiskey barrel bar that was 16-ft. long when complete, and a massive 8’x4′ chalkboard menu crafted entirely by our own hands. My sister is a talented artist who designed and hand painted the lettering on all our signage. Tom wrote the entire menu and hand-selected beverages to pair with each food item. A very good friend of mine who is a talented graphic artist designed my save-the-dates and wedding invitations from scratch with my direction, which I then ordered to print and assembled myself. Tom’s brother and his girlfriend are both talented, classical musicians who planned and played our welcome music and ceremony tunes. Tom’s sister joined them on vocals to perform our first dance song in a very special way. Anything not handmade by us was ordered on Etsy, including my dress and our wedding bands. Only a few small details were purchased a stores like Pier 1 and Michael’s crafts.

bridal-bouquets-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography bridal-hair-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography  unique-wedding-dresses-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography wedding-up-do-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photographysexy-back-wedding-dress-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography pale-blue-bridesmaid-dresses-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography peach-and-white-bouquets-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography

I was a very hands-on and detail-oriented bride, which enabled me to stick to a strict budget. It can be done with lots of time, energy, help, and hard work.

rustic-wedding-flowers-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography white-wedding-flowers-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography chalkboard-wedding-sign-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography wine-themed-weddings-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography old-town-hall-weddings-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography fairfax-wedding-venues-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography fairfax-wedding-locations-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography virginia-wedding-ceremony-location-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography old-town-hall-wedding-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography unique-ceremony-ideas-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography wedding-locations-fairfax-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography cream-bridal-gowns-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography champagne-wedding-dresses-virginia-wedding-Camille-Catherine-photography

Congratulations to Desiree and Tom! Thank you for sharing your vintage-inspired and DIY filled Virginia wedding ceremony with us!

The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Wedding Planner + Floral Designer: Joy and Co Events
Photography: Camille Catherine Photography
Stationery: Sangria Studios
Calligraphy: Bride’s Sister, Danielle Dawson
Hair Stylist + Makeup Artist: Sylvia Ghassemieh Norman
Bride’s Attire + Bridesmaid Accessories: Etsy (Retro Vintage Weddings)
Bride’s Shoes: Nina
Headpiece/Veil: Etsy (Adrianna Sparks)
Jewelry: Silpada
Bridesmaids: Macy’s
Bridal Party Shoes + Groom’s Shoes: DSW
Groom’s Attire + Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank
Groom’s + Groomsmen Accessories: Macy’s
Groomsmen Shoes: Toms
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Old Town Hall, City of Fairfax
Ceremony Music: Family musicians
Rentals: Sammy’s Rentals
Caterer: Chef Geoff’s
Linens: Everything Linen
Reception Music: DJ Adam Christopher
Cake/Dessert: Samantha Woodill
Favors: Flash Foto Booth

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide and for even more amazing local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries and other Washington DC area real weddings.

Photo Credits: Camille Catherine Photography

** This post contains affiliate links.

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diy  / Real Weddings  / virginia weddings

Wedding Welcome Bags Under $15: DIY Treats
May 7, 2015

I am so excited for the next installment in our wedding welcome bag challenge where we asked for submissions from some of the best wedding pros in the Washington DC area. We asked them to creatively put together a wedding welcome bag for under $15. Yes, you read that right! Wedding welcome bags can be an unexpected wedding cost that gets tacked on at the end, but there are some really amazing and affordable ways to greet your out-of-town wedding guests. Like today’s welcome box feature from Bellwether Events – her bag is simple, practical and comes with a yummy DIY recipe! We had our friend Amber Wilkie Photgoraphy take some gorgeous photos for us too!

Copyright 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com

Photo Credit: Amber Wilkie Photgoraphy

Today’s wedding welcome bag challenge submission feature is a sweet and simple box from Bellwether Events that proves the point that even the most simple of treats can show your guests you care! This box had water, salty and healthy snacks, a homemade marshmallow treat, and a (free!) guide to Washington DC along with a weekend itinerary and a letter from the couple. Janice tucked all the treats into a cute take-out box and dressed it up with some Baker’s twine and personalized monogram stickers. It is simple and exactly what your guests need and want in a welcome gift – a little bite to eat and a point in the right direction in DC during their free time.

Copyright 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com

Supplies:

  • Take-out boxes from The Container Store
  • Cello bags
  • Welcome tag
  • 4 stickers
  • Twine

Bag Contents:

  • Mini bottles of water
  • Homemade Rice Krispie treats (recipe below!)
  • Bag of Cheez-It
  • Apple
  • DC Guide (the first 25 are free at the DC Tourism Office!)
  • Welcome note

Copyright 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Copyright 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com

Rice Krispie Treat Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups puffed rice cereal
  • 8 cups of mini marshmallows
  • 5 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 cup of knock off Lucky Charms marshmallows

Directions:

Melt butter in pot. Then mix in and melt the marshmallows until completely smooth. Remove from heat and add in cereal. Stir until completely mixed. Once the mix is not quite so hot, stir in the “charms.” Dump into a 12×9 pan that has been sprayed. Use parchment paper (not wax paper!) to press firmly into the pan. Let sit for a couple hours till it cools. Yields 15 squares.

Copyright 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com

***************

So, that’s it! This whole box is well under the $15 price tag! A big, big thank you to Janice at Bellwether Events for sharing this super cute idea for a wedding welcome box! If you are looking for a local wedding planner in the Washington DC area, be sure to check out Bellwether Events.

Come back and see more from our wedding welcome box challenge and be sure to take a look at our past posts on what to include in a Washington DC wedding welcome bag, a Maryland wedding welcome bag, and a Virginia wedding welcome bag! If you are in the mood for more projects, you can check out all of our Washington DC area DIY weddings right here! Be sure to look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros.

Photo Credits: Amber Wilkie Photgoraphy

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diy  / inspiration  / inspiration and ideas  / miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice

DIY Flower Crown
April 15, 2015

It is finally spring here in the Washington DC area and we are celebrating with flowers! Oh yes, we have another fun DIY wedding project coming your way, lovelies! Once again, our friends at Petal’s Edge, wedding florists based in Alexandria, Virginia hosted a fun and informative workshop on creating a fresh flower crown. (Don’t miss this tutorial on how to make a terrarium!) I love the idea of making these crowns for your flower girl, bridesmaids or even yourself. The floral crowns are easier to make than you think pinky promise! Deb Lindsey Photography was behind the lens to capture all of the fun! We attended a workshop with Petal’s Edge, but you can use our tutorial below to create this darling flower crown yourself…

DIY Bridal Floral Crown Deb Lindsey Photography (5)

Supplies:

  • Thin gauge wire (24-28 gauge works best!)
  • ½ wide corsage tape
  • Fresh flowers

A quick note for choosing flowers for your crown:

Choose flowers for their heartiness and avoid more delicate flowers that do poorly out of water.  Remember, a crown will more than likely be spending a lot of time on a person, which means the flowers will not only have to contend with no water supply, but also with body heat.  Some good flower choices may be things like spray roses, or full roses without bulky heads, ranunculus, delphinium, orchids, or foliage, like seeded eucalyptus or lemon leaf. Ask your local florist or wholesaler if you’re still stumped.

DIY Wedding Floral Crown DIY Bridal Floral Crown

To Make:

To begin wiring, take a single bloom and a piece of wire in hand. Insert and center the wire (we used 12 pieces of wire!) into the calyx, or the thickest, sturdiest part of the flower head where the bloom meets the stem. Fold the wire in half. (Here you will begin to see that you are creating an artificial stem for the flower head.) Next, take your wired flower in-hand and, holding the end of your tape roll against the calyx, begin to wrap your wire stem from the calyx to the ends of the wire. Activate the stickiness of the tape by holding and twisting at the calyx while simultaneously pulling and stretching the tape.  Repeat this step for all of your flower heads.  Lastly, create a loop (two loops if you’re doing a ribbon finish!) by wrapping a few pieces of wire together with tape, folding it over, and taping the ends of the wire together.

DIY Bridal Floral Crown Deb Lindsey Photography (2)

Once you have your flower heads with their artificial stems, as well as your wire loop, you’re ready to begin assembling your crown. Beginning with your loop, take your first wired flower and attach it to the loop by positioning it just below the loop and twisting the ends together. It should look as though your flower head has a halo. Grab a few more stems and twist them to the loop just below the first flower.  Repeat this step, creating a one-sided garland of flowers until you have reached the desired length of your crown, paying attention the pattern and composition of your flowers.

DIY Wedding Floral Crown Petal's Edge

To finish, once you’ve reached a length equal to the circumference of the wearer’s head, simply take the newly finished end and insert it into the loop that you used to begin the crown and secure the end by twisting it down on to the looped end. If you are doing a band, you may want to focus more on creating a vignette of flowers as opposed to a pattern. To finish your band, simply twist your end into a loop and tape to secure. Tie ribbon long enough to accommodate desired circumference through the loops on each end to create an adjustable ribbon closure to your crown or band.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Thank you so much to the team at Petal’s Edge for helping us to make this floral crown and sharing their expertise! You can also see this tutorial on how to create your own terrarium – perfect for a wedding centerpiece! Be on the lookout for upcoming classes and/or check Petal’s Edge out for flowers and floral design for your wedding. Also, special thank you to our friend, Deb Lindsey Photography, for the gorgeous photos.

In the meantime,  be sure you check out our growing collection of DIY wedding projects and free wedding printables  we have some really great ones! You can check out all of our Washington DC area DIY weddings right here! Be sure to look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros.

Photo Credits: Deb Lindsey Photography

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diy  / inspiration and ideas

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