Aren’t these vintage cake toppers nifty? I found them on eBay from Wisconsin antiques collector Vintage Betty. The first two are from the fifties; the third one is from the thirties; the last one is from the Edwardian era. Bidding closes today. These would be perfect for a vintage wedding!
It never ceases to amaze me how many things you can make with paper. Like prom dresses, for instance.
This prom dress was made by 18-year old St. Charles, MO student Aimee Kick. She wanted something different for her prom and decided to make her own dress out of coffee filters!
From St. Louis Fashion Week, here’s what Aimee had to say about her dress:
“I made the dress out of coffee filters because firstly, I like trying new things. I think there is a lot of potential in the textures and shapes from coffee filters and really wanted to feature them in a way that was elegant and tasteful. The entire dress has been hand and machine sewn, is completely durable and re-wearable. I knew I wanted to make a prom dress that was made from an unconventional material, hopefully a material that I was familiar with and that represented me well. I am a huge connoisseur of coffee and knew that filters would be an appropriate symbol for my general point of view.”
This got me thinking. What about a wedding dress made out of coffee filters? Perfect for a cafe theme wedding, don’t ya think?
I made these whimsical DIY centerpieces from egg cartons and vintage buttons.
My Blue Box is nearly always overflowing with egg cartons. I’m always dreaming up ways to turn them into craft projects – and this is one of my latest.
These were inspired by my post last month on Cute as a Button weddings. I’ve got heaps of vintage buttons and I couldn’t wait to put them to good use.
If you are looking for DIY centerpieces that are super cheap and easy to make (albeit a bit time-consuming), give these a whirl.
Cost: $2 – $3 per dozen (Assuming you already have acrylic paint and buttons on hand.)
Materials:
One paper egg carton
12 pipe cleaners
24 gauge wire
Buttons
Acrylic paint in your choice of colors
Floral tape
Scissors
Paper clip
Varnish (optional)
Glue (I used wood glue, but regular white glue should do the trick.)
Find a paper egg carton.
Remove the egg carton cups using scissors.(I also cut a few of the triangular parts of the egg carton that are between the cups.)
Cut the egg carton cups into various flower shapes. (I fringed some, made some rounded and others were made into daffodil shapes.)
Paint the cups using acrylic paint. Let dry. Coat with glossy varnish. (This step is not mandatory, but if you want them to be glossy you will need to varnish them.)
Take the end of a paper clip and poke two holes into the back of one of the flowers.
Take 24 gauge wire and pipe cleaner and poke them through the bottom of one of the holes.
If you are going to add one of the triangles to the center instead of the button, weave the pipe cleaner through the other hole.
Glue the triangular shape to the middle of the flower and let dry.
If you are using a button for the center of the flower, place a button on the wire/pipe cleaner.
Forming a loop, bring wire/pipe cleaner through the other hole.
Take floral tape and begin wrapping just beneath the bottom of the flower. I hold the flower in my right hand (I am right-handed) and the tape in my left. I spin the flower with my left finger and thumb until the tape covers the length of the flower. This is a bit tricky at first, but after doing a few you will get the hang of it.
Presto! Your egg carton flower is done. Repeat 12 times and you and you’re on your way to creating some wonderful and whimsical DIY centerpieces!
Alison, 37 & John, 33
Portland, Oregon
Wedding Date: November 1st, 2008
Number of Guests: 35
Wedding Ceremony Location: Oaks Pioneer Church, Portland, Oregon
Wedding Reception Location: Kell’s Irish, second floor, Portland Oregon
Why did you have an intimate wedding?
Being an event planner myself, I wanted to keep my own wedding very small and simple. Hassle free!
Despite the recession, destination weddings are on the rise, says a recent National Post article. Why?
I was recently asked this question by a journalist for an article on destination weddings.
It’s pretty obvious that the biggest reason weddings away are taking off is the budget factor. Generally speaking, destination weddings cost less because there are less guests. (The average amount of guests at a destination wedding is 48.) Less guests = less money. Plus, couples usually combine their wedding with their honeymoon which saves money.
Another reason for the increase is that the options for destination weddings have exploded in recent years . Many venues offer complete package deals that make life easy for couples who don’t want to invest the time in planning a wedding from scratch.
Also, couples love the idea of treating their guests to a good time. What better way than a destination wedding? Weddings away are big on fun and they allow couples to spend quality time with friends and family members in a shared experience that’s remembered for a lifetime.
