DIY Ceremony programs, place cards, favors

Everyone loves a quick, fun project, especially one that embodies personalization... Well, here is one inexpensive and easy way to put all of those adjective into your Ceremony programs, (or place cards, or favors, etc)! First, go to www.Moo.com Click on the, "Mini Cards" option and start uploading your own photos which you would like on the cards. They cost $20 for a pack of 100 and the website offers bulk discounts, as well.

The fun part is that you can use these cards however you want. They can be your program which lays out whose who in your Ceremony, as well as showing love and appreciation for any Grandparents who have passed away and most importantly states the order of events so the guests know what is going on throughout the Ceremony. One bride I know wishes she would have used programs in her Ceremony because she had her step-brother walk her down the aisle. Many people on the Groom's side did not know who he was or why her father wasn't doing the honors. A Ceremony program could have quickly explained all of this.

On one card you could list the order of events, on another card you could have lyrics to a special song, and on the other cards you could have photos of you and your groom plus things that are important to you. A photo of the puppy he got you last Christmas, a photo of your Nana who passed away, etc... Your wedding guests love to feel apart of your life, especially on this special day!

You can order x-amount of each photo or text card, enough for your guests and then some cushion for unexpected needs. Once they arrive, you can separate the cards into piles, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so forth. Then take one of each pile and start assembling your programs. Once they are stacked together and everything is in order, take a hole punch to the bottom of each stack. Through that little hole you can lace a pretty ribbon & waa-lah, you've constructed some very fun Ceremony programs, (that can double as fans in case the Church is stuffy!)

If you wanted to double these programs as place card holders, you could make the first mini card say the guests names and table number. Have them all sitting on a table in alphabetical order outside the Church. Your guests can find their name, know where they're sitting at the Reception, know what is going on during the Ceremony, and have a fun little photo book memento to take home with them after the wedding... Best of all worlds!

Mama Martha's awesome DIY

We all know Martha Stewart is the QUEEN of all things crafty, culinary and floral. Today my belief in the church of Martha was reinforced when I stumbled upon some of her DIY links on Twitter... Not only are these ideas very cool and add personalization to any event, they're also obtainable! A DIY project that you can actually do yourself, got to love that.

The first DIY is the, "Just Married" banner sign, that is adorable. She uses alphabet etchings with thin borders which can be transferred to circular thin cardboard then linked together with beautiful ribbons. I particularly love her suggestion of using the banner on your ceremony get-away vehicle, then also including it somewhere in your reception afterwards. It is always great when you and your guests can enjoy something multiple times!

The adorable flower girl parasols and paper magnolia centerpieces are also great re-usable DIY projects. Based on cutting out patterns from Martha's website, these fun decorative pieces are easy to assemble with step-by-step instructions. Your flower girls will love playing with their new toys, which will keep them smiling all through the photography session-a double added bonus because the umbrellas will add that special touch to your pictures as well.

Last but not least, the votive luminaria centerpieces are the perfect easy personalization DIY project for any wedding-related event. As with the previous projects, you can easily use Martha's online templates, but tweek them just a little based on your aesthetic. If your wedding cake or wedding dress has a particular lace theme, you can incorporate this onto the luminaria, too. The print-offs are on an 11-17 piece of paper which can be folded, accordion style and wrapped around the glass votives, hurricanes or whatever vase type you're using.

If you're looking for more of a challenge, I highly recommend trying Miss Cola's DIY Garter. I suggest this purely based on the fact that she stole my heart with the last touch, a beautiful vintage cameo. In a past life I must have worn cameos daily because I just LOVE the darn things. Here is a link to her website:

http://www.weddingbee.com/2010/02/04/toss-me-diy-garter-tutorial/

Happy crafting!!