Creating Wedding Props: Diy Home Crafting For Your Big Day

Wedding props are a fun and simple way to spice up your wedding with laughter and excitement. They can also make your wedding photos more interesting and are a great DIY project. From colourful paper rockets to personalised balloons, there are many creative ways to make your own wedding props at home. This can be a fun activity to do with friends and family before the big day.

How to Make Wedding Props at Home: Characteristics and Values

Personalised balloons

Choosing the Right Balloons

Start by selecting the right type and size of balloons for your desired effect. Latex balloons are a popular choice for weddings, as they are biodegradable and come in various colours and sizes, ranging from 9 to 32 inches or even larger. You can also find foil balloons in different shapes, such as hearts, stars, and letters, which can be perfect for adding a festive touch. Consider the colour scheme and theme of your wedding when choosing balloon colours.

Adding Personalised Messages

To personalise your balloons, you can add custom messages, quotes, or even inside jokes that are special to you as a couple. You can write these messages by hand or use a glitter marker on the balloons themselves. Alternatively, cut out card sheets in your wedding colours and write the messages on them, decorating them with glitter or foam cuttings. Attach these cards to the balloons with ribbons or strings.

Creating a Balloon Arch or Garland

One stunning way to display your personalised balloons is by creating a balloon arch or garland. This can be placed at the entrance to your venue, over the dessert table, or as a backdrop for photos. Combine balloons of different sizes and colours, adding fresh greenery or flowers for a whimsical and romantic touch. You can also fill clear balloons with confetti or glitter for an extra pop of colour and texture.

Incorporating Balloons in Your Table Décor

Balloons can also be used as centrepieces or to decorate the reception tables. Place oversized balloons down the centre of the tables or top off each floral arrangement with a balloon. You can also attach personalised messages or your wedding date to the balloons at each table setting. For an elegant touch, use fishing line or ribbon wrapped in foliage to hide the strings of the balloons.

Making a Memorable Exit

Balloons can also be used to make your wedding exit memorable. Attach a cluster of balloons in your wedding colours to the back of your getaway car or even a vintage vespa for a chic departure. For an eco-friendly option, choose biodegradable balloons and have your guests release them as you drive away.

Decorated bottles with flowers

To create decorated bottles with flowers, you will need empty bottles, preferably in a similar shape and size. Wine bottles are a great option, and you can recycle bottles you already have at home. If you are after a more cohesive look, you can spray paint the bottles in a colour that matches your wedding colour scheme. For a rustic look, consider using twine to decorate the bottles. You can also add ribbons or flowers for extra charm.

Once you have decorated the bottles, you can fill them with flowers. Wildflowers work well, and you can experiment with different colours and shapes. If you are using wine bottles, consider placing extra-long floral stems in the bottles for a statement. You can also fill the bottles with neutral florals or pampas grass, or add a contrasting pop of colour with bold green or deep burgundy bottles. If you want to add height to your display, you can pair the bottles with tall grasses or simple greenery.

Bottles with flowers can be used in a variety of ways at your wedding. They can be placed on tables as centrepieces or used to display table numbers or guests' seating assignments. For an outdoor wedding, you can hang painted bottles from an overhead tree or stake rods or tall sticks into the ground to line the aisle, then attach the bottles with twine.

Bunting banners

Materials:

• Cardstock in various colours, types, and patterns (e.g. foil, shimmer, glitter, or scrapbook paper)
• Bias tape (9 feet of double-fold, extra-wide bias tape in the colour of your choice)
• Card stock to make your pattern
• Paper straws (plain or coloured)
• 50-100lb paper (plain or coloured)
• Banner template with your desired message
• Scissors or a cutting blade
• Small hole punch (1/8 inch)
• Ribbon, jute string, yarn, or any other material for hanging
• Craft glue
• Adhesive foam squares

Instructions:

First, decide on the colours and patterns of cardstock for the panels of your banner. You can experiment with different types of cardstock like foil, shimmer, and glitter, or use patterned scrapbook paper.

Next, create a template for your flags. Make a 5" x 7" triangle with card stock and place it about an inch from the edge of your fabric. Trace the template with fabric chalk. Cut out the flags using pinking shears and cut on the outside of the chalk line. Iron the flags and use spray starch to stiffen the fabric.

If you are creating a cake topper, use the banner template to fill in your desired message, letter by letter, using Adobe Illustrator or hand-drawing the letters after printing the template. Cut out the flags using scissors or a cutting blade.

Now, it's time to assemble the banner. If using adhesive letters, attach them to each panel using a combination of glue and tiny adhesive foam squares for a three-dimensional effect. If using a template, string the flags along a piece of ribbon, with the middle section behind the flag. Leave a little space between each flag so that your banner can hang freely.

Finally, hang your banner using push pins, hooks, nails, or tape. You can also tie the ends in a loop and hang it from hooks or nails, or attach it to stakes for an outdoor decoration.

Your bunting banner is now ready to add a festive touch to your wedding!

Customised mugs

Step 1: Gather the Required Tools

Firstly, you will need the right tools for the project. Here is a list of what you will need:

• A plain mug, preferably ceramic, avoiding textured or powder-coated ones.
• Permanent adhesive vinyl in your desired colour and texture.
• A cutting machine such as Cricut or Silhouette for easier cutting.
• A cutting mat with a grid for precision.
• Standard grip transfer tape with a grid for smooth application.
• A weeding tool like a weeder, tweezer, or weeding pen to remove excess vinyl.

Step 2: Finalise Your Design

Decide on a design and adjust its size using software compatible with your cutting machine. Common software options include Design Space for Cricut and Silhouette Studio for Silhouette. Measure the area on the mug and set the design dimensions accordingly. Ensure you select the correct material settings, choosing either 'Permanent Vinyl' or 'Adhesive Vinyl'.

Step 3: Cut and Weed the Vinyl

Cut a piece of vinyl larger than your design and place it on the cutting mat. Use a squeegee to smooth out any creases and ensure the vinyl is securely in place. Load the mat into the cutting machine and let it cut your design. Once complete, use the weeding tool to remove any negative vinyl pieces, leaving only your desired design.

Step 4: Apply Transfer Tape

After weeding, apply transfer tape to your design. Cut a piece of transfer tape slightly larger than the design, remove its backing, and carefully place it onto the design. Use a squeegee to burnish and ensure good adhesion. Then, slowly peel off the backing of the vinyl, leaving your design on the transfer tape.

Step 5: Apply the Vinyl Design to the Mug

Thoroughly clean the mug's ceramic surface with isopropyl alcohol and a clean microfiber cloth to ensure it is free of dust, dirt, or marks. As mugs have curved surfaces, make small nips around the edges of the transfer paper to facilitate a smooth application. Place the design on the mug and smooth it out with the squeegee. Finally, slowly remove the transfer tape at a slight angle, keeping it close to the mug's surface.

Step 6: Apply a Sealer (Optional)

To enhance the durability of your design, especially if the mug will be washed in a dishwasher, apply a sealer like Mod Podge. Clean the mug's surface again with isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. Coat the mug's outer surface, excluding the handle and rim, with a thin layer of Mod Podge, ensuring even application. Repeat this process three times, allowing sufficient drying time between coats.

Paper rockets

Firstly, you will need some paper, a pencil, tape, and a drinking straw. Clear a large space to launch your rockets, such as a spacious room, a hallway, or an outdoor area with no wind. You can also use a measuring tape to record the flight distance of each rocket.

Cut one piece of paper into four smaller rectangles by cutting it in half lengthwise and widthwise. This will give you enough paper to make four rockets. Take one of the paper rectangles and wrap it around a pencil to form a cylinder, ensuring the long edge of the paper is along the length of the pencil. Secure the cylinder with tape, being careful not to tape it to the pencil.

Gently slide the cylinder off the pencil, and pinch one end shut, sealing it with tape. This end will be the "front" of your rocket. Leave the other end open. This is your basic rocket shape, without fins. Now, you can launch your first rocket! Slide the cylinder onto the drinking straw, aim it forward, and blow into the straw as hard as you can. Observe how your rocket flies. Does it fly straight, or does it tumble? Repeat the launch a few times to test its flight pattern.

For your next rocket, you will add fins to see how it affects the flight. Make another paper rocket following the previous steps, remembering to pinch and tape one end shut. Cut out two right triangles (with a 90-degree angle) from the remaining paper. The long sides of these triangles should be about eight centimetres long. You will fold each triangle to create two fins from each, giving you a total of four fins.

Draw a line from the 90-degree corner to the middle of the triangle's long side. Draw two more lines, parallel to the first, about five millimetres apart. Fold the triangle along these lines, creating two fins with a flat connecting piece between them. Tape this flat part to the side of your cylinder, near the open end (the base of your rocket). Repeat this process for the other triangle, attaching it to the opposite side of the cylinder. You should now have four fins forming a "+" shape when viewed from either end of the rocket. Adjust the fins as needed so they are spaced 90 degrees apart.

Slide your new rocket onto the drinking straw and launch it. Compare its flight distance and stability to the previous rocket. Did the fins help improve its flight? Try experimenting with different numbers of fins, fin shapes, and attachment points to see how these variables affect the rocket's performance.

Frequently asked questions