Welcome Sign, Signature Drink Sign, Table Names Signs, Card Box, Guest Book Frame, Décor & Other Creative Ideas
Artistic Difference Photography
Do you want to make your wedding theme pop! It is possible to bring your theme and colors to all aspects of your wedding while staying within a limited budget. From various signage, to wedding decor and much more you will see many ideas that can be created by YOU with your own personal wedding flair!
Welcome Sign, Signature Drink Sign, & Table Name Signs
Artistic Difference Photography
Artistic Difference Photography
Create a welcome sign, a signature drink sign, and or table signs using wood. You can buy boards with beveled edges at a craft store, like Michaels. Or you can get a piece of wood at a hardware store, like Lowes, and cut it to your desired size and use a router on the edges to create the beveled look. (Consider practicing on a piece of scrap wood first.) After you have the board cut to size, paint it one of the colors in your wedding color scheme. If you like a rustic look, use a sander to distress the edges of the board. Then cut vinyl letters using a cutting machine, like the Cricut or if you don’t have a cutting machine, you can usually get vinyl cut at a local scrapbooking store or sign shop. Before going to the scrapbooking store or sign shop, prepare a document using the exact fonts that you would like to have on your signs. Also, make sure that you know the exact size that each word should be. If you are using any unusual fonts be sure to copy the font file to a USB drive and take it along when getting the vinyl cut just in case the shop does not have that font on their computer. It’s a good idea to call to check pricing at the various shops to find the best deal. Carefully place the vinyl letters on the board. You can embellish the signs with metal flowers, real flowers, ribbon, twine, or whatever matches your wedding theme. Place the welcome sign and signature drink sign on an appropriate easel and suddenly you’ve given your wedding a nice personal feel. In order to complete the table sign, drill a hole in the bottom edge of the board and insert a small dowel rod (use a small amount of wood glue to secure). Also drill a hole into a wooden craft ball (they have these with a flat bottom at A.C. Moore) and insert the dowel rod into it. You will then have a nice looking, standing table name sign.
Card Box
Artistic Difference Photography
If you want to bring your wedding theme and colors to the gift table, consider creating a custom card box. To do this you will need a large box with a lid. Cut or saw a slit in the top of the box so that cards can be inserted into it. Cover the box and the lid with material using fabric glue or a staple gun depending on the thickness of the box. Then wrap the box with various ribbons. (You will have to wrap the bottom of the box and the lid separately but make it look like it is one continuous flowing ribbon.) Embellish the box with sprigs of flowers, pearls, a bow, or whatever matches your theme.
Guest Book Picture Frame
Artistic Difference Photography
If you want a change from the traditional guest book then try a guest book picture frame. At the entrance to your wedding place a large picture frame (without the glass) containing a picture of you and your fiancé on an easel. Have your guest book attendants direct guests to sign the matte surrounding the picture. After the wedding, place one of your wedding photos in the frame and hang it in your home.
Seating Chart
I found it extremely helpful to create a sample of the reception layout in order to complete the seating arrangements. In order to do this use a display board (like a thick piece of poster board). Then draw the location of the tables, dance area, bar, music area, cake table, etc. Print a list of the guests who will be attending the wedding. Cut the names out and attach them to various tables using thumb tacks. Since I was using a tropical theme I named each table after a Caribbean island. I attached the Island names to the tables on the display board too so that I could make sure I put people at a table name that had a special meaning to them. For example, I had friends who honeymooned in Jamaica so I made sure that they were seated at the Jamaica table. This is also helpful for the staff who will be setting up the reception.
Décor & other creative ideas –
Locket
Artistic Difference Photography
Find something personal, like your mother’s locket and put a picture of you and your fiancé on one side and your parents when they were your age on the other side. Attach the locket to the stems of your bouquet.
Flowers - reception
Artistic Difference Photography
Coordinate your flowers with your wedding theme. Since this wedding had a tropical theme, a lot of orchids were used. Additionally the orb arrangements were created to be somewhat exotic and unique. In order to create a beautiful orb a lot of flowers are needed. Go with an inexpensive flower like a carnation (that is what was used to create the salmon and hot pink orbs).
Flowers – Bouquets
Artistic Difference Photography
Wrap the stems of the bridesmaids’ bouquets with material from their dresses and a corresponding ribbon.
Cake
Artistic Difference Photography
Work with a cake designer to create a cake that fits in with the rest of your wedding theme and color scheme.
Steel Drummer
Artistic Difference Photography
For a tropical themed wedding, it only makes sense to walk down the aisle to a steel drummer! If you are interested in hiring a unique musician, check out the website www.gigmasters.com. You can read reviews for local musicians and entertainers and then hire them for a reasonable price.
Thank You Card
Artistic Difference Photography
Consider taking a photograph at the wedding to use on your thank you card.
