Personalized Wedding: Diy Decorating For Your Big Day

Planning your wedding can be stressful, but creating your own decor can be a fun way to personalize your big day and save some money. Whether you're a DIY expert or a novice, there are plenty of options for decorating your wedding yourself. From simple table settings to statement installations, the possibilities are endless.

One popular option is to focus on flowers and greenery, which can be used to create centrepieces, bouquets, corsages, and more. You can also get creative with lighting, using candles, twinkly lights, or even glow sticks to set the mood. Don't forget the small touches, like signage, place cards, and wedding favours, which can really make your personality shine through.

If you're feeling ambitious, you could try constructing a photo backdrop, building an arch or canopy, or even making your own wedding cake. The key is to plan ahead, give yourself plenty of time, and don't be afraid to ask for help from professionals or your friends and family.

With a bit of creativity and some hard work, you can definitely decorate your own wedding and make it a day to remember.

Flowers and floral arrangements

Flowers are a crucial part of wedding planning. Here are some ideas for floral arrangements for your wedding:

Bouquets

A bouquet is a classic way to incorporate flowers into your wedding. You can create your own bouquet with foraged flowers, local greenery, blooms from your garden, or loose stems from a local florist or farmer's market. For a unique touch, add a photo charm to your bouquet in honour of a family member who is no longer with you.

Floral Crowns

Freshen up your bridal party's look with floral crowns made from fresh greens, ferns, foraged flowers, baby's breath, chamomile, or dried flowers. Bunny tails, for example, exude rustic elegance and youthful innocence.

Centrepieces

Clustered vases are a simple way to create full centrepieces without breaking your budget. Mix and match bud vases, glass bottles, and other odds and ends in a variety of shapes and hues for an eclectic look. Deconstruct mixed bouquets from the grocery store and place single stems in small vessels.

Garlands

Garlands are a great way to fill sparse areas and add a dash of greenery to any space. Drape them over banquet tables as runners, on chairs, bar areas, or use them to rope off reserved seating.

Backdrops

Create a floral photo backdrop by bedecking a wooden canvas with individual flowers. For a less deconstructed look, fill the entire board with blooms and greens.

Ceremony Entrance

The entryway to your aisle sets the tone for the entire day, so be sure to make it a sight to behold. Frame the gateway with fresh florals, greenery, dried grasses, lanterns, or candles.

Aisle Decor

Instead of floral runners, try tying clusters of freshly foraged flowers and greenery to the sides of the first chairs for a lush aesthetic.

Wedding Arch

Assemble a wedding arch using reclaimed wood and top it with fabric and flowers.

Hanging Decor

Create a unique environment for your guests with a dramatic hanging floral installation.

Escort Card Display

Fill buckets that represent each table with fresh blooms and sticks with your guests' names on them for a creative escort card display.

Cake Table

Surround your wedding cake with a floral display. Showcase your cake by encircling it with a floral arrangement.

Wedding signage

• Greet guests with a gilded frame: A welcome sign enclosed in a gilded frame has an old-world and glamorous flair, perfect for destination weddings in Europe. With an intricately carved frame along the perimeter, the sign itself won’t need many other designs.
• Display your itinerary: For organized couples who want to set the expectation for what’s to come, use your welcome sign to map out the day’s schedule. That way, your guests will know exactly when the next event will happen, avoiding any confusion.
• Infuse glamour with crystal chandeliers: Wedding welcome signs will naturally draw attention, but the decorations that you use around the item have the opportunity to take your display to the next level. Modern structures suspended with crystal chandeliers brought a glitzy, upscale touch to this black-and-white sign.
• Incorporate elegant calligraphy: When you use pristine penmanship to relay information via your welcome sign, no other design elements need to be present. Written on a white board, calligraphy really takes center stage and evokes an elegant and sophisticated feel.
• Highlight your custom crest: Your wedding décor is an opportunity to showcase your personality and relationship, so why not include some of those telling details on your welcome sign? Using your sign to highlight a custom crest that you’ve created will capture the essence of your love story, making your nuptials feel more meaningful.
• Coordinate with the landscape: If your locale is an integral part of your nuptials, paint the landscape on your welcome sign. For example, this couple exchanged vows in a beachside ceremony, so they nodded to the Pacific Ocean by painting overlapping strokes of blue on their welcome sign.
• Embed it into a larger installation: While wedding welcome signs are stunning on their own, fitting one into a larger installation will really up the ante. Consider nestling your sign in a bed of flowers to make a statement.
• Exhibit a mid-century modern design: Implementing a welcome sign is one of the best ways to introduce your aesthetic on the big day. With a sleek pink canvas, modern typeface, and clean lines, this couple’s mid-century modern welcome sign transported guests back to the 1940s.
• Go for a minimalist look: If your style is sleek and sophisticated, go with a minimalist display. Neutral hues, like black and white, work well for pared-back designs, especially if your aesthetic is modern or industrial.

Table decorations

Centrepieces

Centrepieces are a great way to make a statement with your table decor. You could opt for a floral arrangement, or try something more unusual, like a large gold lantern, a set of glass cylinders holding floating candles, or a vase filled with acrylic ice, diamond-shaped gems or pearl water beads. For a rustic look, try using a large galvanized bucket or a set of pint or quart Ball Mason Jars as a vase.

Candles

Candles are a classic choice for wedding table decorations. For a romantic touch, place small candles on round table mirrors or heart-shaped mirrors. Alternatively, cluster votive candles together for a similar effect.

Place Settings

Add a special touch to your place settings with place card holders, table numbers, or a large galvanized bucket to hold a bottle of bubbly. For a unique look, you could use oyster shells emblazoned with your guests' names, or monogrammed velvet napkins.

Table Runners

Table runners can add a dramatic effect to your tablescape. Try using gauzy fabrics, trails of moss and ivy vines, or stems of eucalyptus and olive branches for a rustic look.

Colours and Themes

To make your table decorations stand out, consider using a colour scheme or theme. You could opt for a classic combination like black and white, or something more unusual like burnt orange or pink and gold. If you're having a fall wedding, try using autumn colours like orange, yellow or burgundy.

DIY Touches

If you're crafty, you could try making your own table decorations. Fold ceremony programs, tie twine around napkins, or stick tea lights in lanterns for a personal touch.

Flowers

Flowers are a popular choice for wedding table decorations. Try using a mix of bud vases, glass bottles, and other odds and ends in a variety of shapes and hues for an eclectic look. For a more traditional look, opt for a floral runner down the centre of the table.

Ceremony decorations

There are many ways to decorate your wedding ceremony, from simple touches to more complex projects. Here are some ideas for ceremony decorations that you can do yourself:

• Honour family members: Add a sentimental touch to your bridal bouquet by pinning a photo of a family member who is no longer with you.
• Design a ceremony backdrop: Use flowers, branches, greenery, candles, saplings, or lanterns to create a beautiful backdrop for your vows.
• Make a grand entrance: Decorate the entryway to your aisle with fresh florals, greenery, dried grasses, lanterns, or candles to set the tone for the entire day.
• Forage for aisle décor: Instead of floral runners, try tying clusters of freshly foraged flowers and greenery to the sides of the first few chairs.
• Assemble a ceremonial arch: Build your own chuppah or wedding arch using reclaimed wood, bamboo, or driftwood, and decorate it with fabric, flowers, or garlands.
• Create floating décor: Arrange floating candles and flowers of various heights in cylinders for a romantic and affordable display.
• Display drinks on ice: Present self-serve bottles on ice in a vintage car or a barrel bar for a unique and rustic touch.
• Drape garlands of greenery: Use garlands to fill out sparse areas and add a touch of nature to your ceremony space.
• Print unique welcome signs: Welcome your guests with colourful, personalized signs to brighten up your venue.
• Personalize lawn games: Paint a Jenga set or stencil a cornhole setup in your wedding colours for a fun and interactive experience.
• Hang paper frames: Display table numbers, signs, or photos of you and your partner in decorative frames for a whimsical touch.
• Create a floral photo booth backdrop: Make a garden-inspired backdrop by attaching individual flowers to a wooden canvas, which can also be used as an escort card display.
• Experiment with table runners: Use gauzy fabrics, moss and ivy vines, eucalyptus stems, olive branches, or floral petals to create a unique and romantic tablescape.
• Don't forget the table ends: Stay consistent with your tablescape by using similar flowers, greenery, and colours at the ends of the tables.
• Dangle string lights: Hang string lights vertically or cluster them together to create a whimsical and magical atmosphere.
• Don't be intimidated by drapery: Use fabric to add softness to your venue, make large spaces more intimate, or inject a light and airy feel.
• Outline the dance floor: Hang paper lanterns, disco balls, balloons, garlands, flowers, or light fixtures above the dance floor to indicate where guests can boogie down.

Reception decorations

There are endless ways to decorate your wedding reception, from simple to elegant, rustic to modern, and everything in between. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Simple Decorations: Opt for a minimalist look with a limited colour palette. Hang whimsical decorations, such as disco balls or marquee letters, to draw the eye upwards and minimise clutter on tables. Use long tables with green linens for a simple yet beautiful effect.
• Rustic Decorations: Bring in elegant feminine touches to rustic decor, such as pastel pink runners on wood farm tables. Use a greenery runner instead of a tablecloth to showcase the beauty of the wood. Add wildflowers and wood chargers for a homey feel.
• Elegant Decorations: Create a romantic atmosphere with crystal chandeliers, hanging roses, and mirror-topped tables. Drape pink, gold, or sage-coloured fabric for a luxurious touch. Add gold chairs and an abundance of roses for an extra elegant feel.
• Modern Decorations: Incorporate abstract fabric banners, colourful streamers, and neon lights for a trendy, contemporary vibe. Hang paper lanterns and marquee lights to soften an industrial space. Use acrylic decor and modern pink flowers for a chic, unexpected twist.
• Creative Decorations: Think outside the box with a colourful streamer tunnel, a hand-painted bar, or a flower wall. Suspend a boho pampas grass arrangement above a reception table for a unique focal point. Bring in carnival rides or inflatable animals for a fun, eclectic atmosphere.

No matter your style, there are plenty of ways to make your wedding reception decor unique and memorable. Don't be afraid to mix and match different elements to create a celebration that truly reflects your personality.

Frequently asked questions