Activities Color Book

Make your own fun activity book for the kids to work on during the ceremony and at the reception while they wait for food. You can even make pictures that match your own wedding decor. The kids will love it!

Cupcake Decorating Station

Don’t make the kids wait until the cake cutting to fill themselves with tasty sweets. Offer them their own dessert table where they can decorate personal cupcakes to enjoy. Do your best to provide toppings that won’t get them too messy…

Photo Booth

Provide a kid-friendly photo booth where the little ones can dress up in fun costumes and use creative props to create memorable pictures for your photo album.

Outdoor Movie Corner

Watching a movie on an outdoor screen is very exciting to young children. Design a kids movie corner where they can watch one of their favorite movies under a canopy, and I doubt you’ll hear a peep.

Backyard Games

Make available a variety of lawn games for the kids to play with and they’ll be entertained for hours on end.

Tabletop Chalk

Create a kid’s activity table with a chalkboard tablecloth for them to doodle on. The children will love writing the happy couple special notes on the table.

Outdoor Adventure Hunt

Kids will love completing an outdoor adventure scavenger hunt. You can have the excited children look for items that can normally be found outdoors or make a wedding themed hunt where they can look for items unique to your reception.

Paper Punched Autumn Leaves

This is the perfect activity if you are planning a fall wedding. Provide small booklets or envelopes so the kids can take home their colorful leaf-punched creations.

Programs

The most common option for displaying a wedding timeline is a sign. However, it can be equally convenient and helpful to guests if you provide an order of events list on the back of their program. This way, your guests are more likely to look and can carry a schedule around with them for the duration of the wedding.

Mirror

Surround a vintage mirror with greenery and flowers, decorate with a fancy font, and your order of events sign will be an absolutely stunning addition to your decor.

Chalkboard Window

Using an old distressed window with sectioned slots makes it easy to keep your timeline organized. Buy a small can of chalkboard paint, give the chalk pen to a friend with great handwriting, and you’ll have a gorgeous DIY sign to give direction to your guests.

Rustic Wooden Sign

A rustic wooden sign with either straight sheet wood or pallet boards would look lovely at a woodland reception. Make sure the color and font stand out enough against the darker grained background so that the sign can be seen from a distance.

Foldable Chalkboard

This simple yet elegant chalkboard sign would look beautiful in a rustic barn setting. An added bonus of a foldable chalkboard is that it is easier to move from the ceremony to the reception venue.

Signs

Whether you need to instruct your guests where to sit, display your menu, or simply decorate with a special quote, pallet wood makes a beautiful and sturdy backing for your wedding sign.

Photo Source: Snippetandink.com

Decorated Chandelier

A pallet wood chandelier looks especially beautiful in a venue with a high vaulted ceiling. Use your imagination to create a unique and personalized chandelier that matches your wedding theme.

Photo Source: Brooke Allison Photo via Weddingchicks.com

Schedule Display

Because pallets have natural spaces between the boards, they work great for listing your wedding schedule in a way that is easy for your guests to follow.

Photo Source: Philippa James Photography via Lovemydress.net

Backdrop

Make a pallet wall and cover it with flowers, ferns, or other greenery to create a mystical woodsy backdrop for your pictures.

Photo Source: Adam Barnes Photography via Hillcitybride.com

Reception Table

Stack pallets together to provide a table top for your guests in a laid-back picnic-style reception.

Photo Source: Padilla & Rigau Photographers via Thenaturalweddingcompany.co.uk

Dance Floor

Pallets are extremely sturdy. Use them for the base of your dance floor to create a unique space you can dance the night away on.

Photo Source: Nick Evans Photo via Hellomay.com.au

Display

A pallet is a simple and tasteful way to display pictures, seating assignments, and a host of other items at your reception.

Photo Source: Kat Mervyn via Whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com

Bar Counter

If you’re feeling really motivated and are in a “do it yourself” mood, build your own rustic bar counter for cocktail hour. Your guests will love it, and you’ll have a useful memento of your wedding to use for years to come.

Photo Source: Conforti Photography via Modwedding.com

Be Realistic

Do you hate baking? Are you a natural procrastinator and know that you’ll have a hundred other projects to finish the last few days before your wedding? Be realistic about what you can accomplish and whether or not making your own cake will be a good experience for you.

Practice in Advance

Try out several different cake recipes to find one that you like the taste of and are successful at baking. If you plan on freezing your cake in sections, practice the freezing, thawing, and assembly involved well before you make your actual wedding cake. Give yourself time to perfect your baking and decorating skills so that you aren’t stressed the night before the wedding trying to get your cake ready for the first time ever. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, take a coffee break with one of My Happy Vibes’ inspirational mugs to give yourself a pick-me-up.

Keep It Simple

Unless you are a professional baker, you probably want plan on a simple wedding cake. When dreaming about all of the possibilities, it can be tempting to want to make something elaborate and complicated. Resist the urge. The most important elements of your DIY wedding cake are that it looks pretty and tastes delicious. These elements are easiest to achieve with a simple recipe and design.

Give Yourself Enough Time

Plan on designating an entire day to baking and decorating your cake or several nights if you plan on baking in batches. If you are going to be too busy the week before your wedding to devote this much time to your cake, then a homemade wedding cake is not for you. The last thing you want is to run out of time and have a sub-par cake (or worse, no cake at all) because of poor planning. You’ll also want to budget enough time for cleanup afterward as you will have a big mess on your hands. We recommend a washing machine from Aj Madison to take care of any tough cake stains in your clothing.

Plan for Transportation

Most likely, you will have to transport and store your cake somewhere other than where you baked it. Make a game plan in advance for how you are going to move your cake to the venue without letting it get ruined. If your cake is more elaborate or has multiple layers, it may be a good idea to bring it unassembled and assemble it at its final destination.

Choose an Outdoor Venue

If you choose an outdoor venue that already looks beautiful, you can have less decor and therefore create less waste. By choosing an outdoor venue, you will be making use of natural lighting instead of using electricity for artificial lighting for hours on end.  When the sun goes down, think about using candle lighting to create a warm and romantic atmosphere without the use of electricity.

Photo Source: Imagemakers Photography

Buy a Vintage Engagement Ring

Many shops offer beautiful pre-owned vintage engagement rings. Because these rings are technically used, they will not only be more affordable but will also save on the waste and destructive mining required to make a new ring. EraGem offers a great selection of antique diamond rings that would be perfect for a couple looking for something unique and earth friendly.

Reuse and Recycle

Do your best to reuse recycled materials when planning your wedding. Maybe you could make your decor out of repurposed jars, wood or other materials. There are so many creative DIY wedding decor ideas online if you are in a rut. If you plan to use disposable dishware at your meal, try to find easily compostable options so that you create less stress on landfills.

Photo Source: Somethingborrowedpdx.com

Stay Simple

One of the best ways to be eco-friendly on your wedding day is to stay as minimal as possible. Use light decor, and serve a simple meal that uses less dishware to decrease the amount of waste created. Brainstorm ways you to have certain items serve double-duty. For example, let your guests take home the table centerpieces as their favors. There are plenty of ways to have a great time at your wedding, without creating a big footprint.

Photo Source: Justine Milton Photography

January

The garnet symbolizes protection. Historically, this was protection in traveling. At your wedding, you may think of it as protection over your marriage.

February

Amethyst brings courage and wisdom as well strengthened relationships. Amethyst jewelry on your wedding day symbolizes the strengthened bond between you and your spouse.

March

Aquamarine is thought to surround its wearer with serenity and happiness. Maybe wearing this gem at your wedding will help calm your nerves and remind you of the happiness of the day.

April

Chances are, you are already wearing a diamond. However, if the diamond is your birthstone, it never hurts to add another flair of diamonds to your wedding attire. The diamond is a symbol of everlasting love between you and your future husband.

May

Emerald represents hope. These beautiful green gems are thought to bring a special kind of hope to those starting a new chapter of their life.

June

The pearl symbolizes purity. The wearing of pearls is said to bring female energy and magnify love.

July

The ruby is thought to bring vitality, love, and passion. Symbolize the life of your new marriage by wearing a ruby, the “king of gems”.

August

Peridot symbolizes strength and beauty. Wearing peridot is a sign of the strength and courage needed to make a marriage last a lifetime.

September

Sapphires are the birthstone of September. The sapphire represents truth, fidelity, and wisdom. The stone itself is said to have a calming effect, which can help quell any wedding day nerves.

October

Opal symbolizes faithfulness, confidence, and purity. These are all important virtues to be reminded of as your enter into marriage.

November

Citrine represents strength, intellect, and joy. It is also thought to give wearers increased love and affection.

December

The birthstone of December, turquoise, symbolizes friendship. Perhaps it represents the blossoming friendship between you and your future husband. It is said that turquoise will bring fortune, success, and protection from harm.

Wearing your birthstone on your wedding day is a way to bring a stunning flair of personality and meaning to your outfit. If you are interested in incorporating your birthstone into your wedding, we recommend looking into EraGem. EraGem offers a great selection of beautiful and unique jewelry including all 12 birthstones.