Bride Craft Do-It-Yourself Wedding Blog

December 29th, 2009

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:32:14 GMT

New Project! Check out the Branch Wedding Arch tutorial and learn how to construct a whimsical, natural backdrop for your wedding ceremony. And photos. Coming Soon First, happy BELATED holidays! I was going to try and get a Christmas/Winter themed centerpiece tutorial up before the holidays, but that didnt happen. Luckily for me, my lateness means all kinds of holiday items are now on sale, so look forward to a themed project shortly. Wedding Gab... SO many wedding related happenings this month! I did get to go with my Aunt to a few dress storesThat was fun (kind of like dressing up Barbie, really). And then I had several weddings occur this past few weeksthe most notable being two that I had mentioned, along with one that I wasnt expecting to be a part of. I went to the Keys for the first time a few weekends back for my first Florida Keys destination wedding. The weather was perfect for the outdoor ceremony and reception. The wedding was held at Hawks Cay in Marathonand I have to say. Bestgazeboever. The view for the ceremony was incredible. And the reception was sprawled out around the pool, with the colors being aqua, gold and white. Very pretty wedding. And I was continually entertained by the presence of an unexpected guest who kept darting through the tables and chairs, a bright green iguana. (After youve seen as many weddings as me, these things entertain you.) That wedding was a huge success, spilling over into an after party later in the evening. Another wedding I was able to see involved something even more unexpected for me. A mother and daughter marrying their respective partners in the same Christmas themed ceremony, and then sharing the Christmas themed reception. It was very lovelybut absolutely bizarre for me. Has anyone else ever heard of anything like this? And finally, a wedding I had been helping with for months happenedand it went beautifullyand I am SO relieved. This wedding involved a very hands on, budget minded DIY bride. And it really went awesome. I am crossing my fingers that once she and her husband are back from their honeymoon, and everything dies down, that they will say yes to a Bride Craft interview so that I can share what a good job she did on her wedding.

December 8th, 2009

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:39:50 GMT
New Project! Check out Royal Icing Flowers and learn how to make a plain cake perfectly pretty. Sorry this one is so late...I've been promising it for months. <;) New Article! This has been up for a few days, and I just didn't have time to list the update sooner. Check out DIY Bride Becca...Modern Bride's "Nearly Vendorless Bride"! She shared some wonderful information with me that I know many DIY brides will benefit from. Thank you, Becca. Wedding Gab... I have to apologize for the length between updates...I have been soooo busy. And not even with weddings! I have been wrapped up in the seasonal money maker that is the holidays (Wrapped...get it? Ah, nevermind..). Creating gorgeous trees, wreaths, etc is fun, but it's still not quite as fun as my weddings. As usual, though, doing one thing has given me ideas for other things. I hope to be able to share a few holiday themed goodies with you before the season flies by. On actual WEDDING happenings, I have a very dear Aunt getting married very soon. This is the Aunt who stepped in and really did so much when we lost my Dad. I'm really appreciative of her help and am thrilled to be able to say "thank you" by helping with her wedding. I plan on helping her have a beautiful wedding however I can. I'm also expecting to wear several hats for this wedding, and am excited about sharing my experiences with my Bride Craft visitors. Even sooner than my Aunt's wedding, I'll be involved with a very DIY wedding for a Bride named Paula. I hope she'll be willing to share her experience with all of you through the Spotlight, after her wedding. And, of course, weddings this upcoming weekend through some of the awesome wedding pros that I work with. Coming Soon... I have a great tutorial on creating a curly willow arch coming as soon as I can get to sharing it with you. Suprisingly simple, and it could help save you you a bit on your ceremony decor. Check back for that!

October 31st, 2009

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:38:39 GMT
Happy Halloween! Here is a project t to celebrate a frivolous holiday, a Pumpkin Centerpiece thatll light up the table. Coming Soon! Been crazy busy, but look forward to an interview from the recently featured Vendorless Bride from Modern Bride, along with a cake project I have been promising forEVER. Check back soon!

October 5th, 2009

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:23:12 GMT
New Project! Here is the Daisy Bridal Bouquet that I promised. Contact me with any questions. :) Will be updating again soon with more projects.

October 1st, 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:58:10 GMT
Hey there Bride Crafters! Very sorry for the hiatus, but it was for obvious reasons. Bride Craft is just not as fun without my Dad's feedback and involvement... And because of that I would actually love to hear from you! Drop me a line with any questions or ideas that you may have. It'll perk me up and help keep me inspired. I know it's been weeks and weeks since I posted anything new, but there have been things in the works. For now, I'll leave you with two... New Articles! Have you heard about the Toilet Paper Wedding Dress that Ann Kagawa Lee of Hawaii made as a contest entry? Well, I thought the whole idea was so fun that I hunted her down and got her to say yes to an interview. Thanks Ann! And are you planning an Autumn wedding? Then have I got some great Fall Wedding Ideas for you. Enjoy! Coming Soon... Very close to completion is several projects. Two of those are the cake project that I promised forever ago, and a daisy bridal bouquet that I know at least three of you are watching for (I'm so sorry for the wait...and thanks for understanding). I'm crossing my fingers that the bouquet project will be up this weekend. Wedding Gab... I had the pleasure of creating some beautiful pieces for a wedding held on 9-9-09. It's funny, but the bride actually went to the same high school as me and graduated the year before me. The funny part? We'd never met, yet she was so down to earth and cool. But, we met and I was able to do the flowers for her wedding. She had a beautiful butterfly theme...butterflies in the corsages, butterfly place card tree, butterflies in the centerpieces and the candy buffet...heck, she even had butterflies all over the wedding arch. And she topped it off with a butterfly release during the ceremony. A definate theme, but not over done at all. She was actually pretty crafty, too, and I hope she'll say yes to being featured in the Spotlight so you can get to know her a little bit. Here's hoping!

August 15th, 2009

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:30:46 GMT
I wanted to take a moment to share with you the loss of my Dad. Before I started Bride Craft, I had lost my mom. My Dad stepped up to the plate and was just awesome with me. We always had a good relationship, but we became very, very close in the last year and a half. And after losing Mom, I needed a friend like that. I recently traveled out of town to work on a wedding on the other side of the state when I got the call that we had lost my Dad. As devastated as I am by this loss, I can't help but be grateful to have had such an INCREDIBLE man in my life. He was so supportive and motivational, and was more involved with Bride Craft then anyone realized. We used this site as a project that we could work on together...I have learned so much from him, and not nearly enough. I don't have proper words for what he meant to me and cannot possibly describe to anyone what a loss I feel.

July 8th, 2009

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:54:12 GMT
New Projects! As promised, there are three new centerpiece projects featured on Bride Craft, all at very basic skill levels! Check Out our modern version of a Rose Centerpiece ! I suspect this one will be a favorite because of its simplicity to arrange, and clean-cut beauty. Check Out Floating Candle Centerpiece ! Candles and weddings go hand in hand. Consider this uncomplicated centerpiece to help bring light and color to your reception. Check Out our Delicious Apple Centerpiece ! A classic and basic idea, with a terrarium-like twist. Not quite your Grandmothers fruit bowl, this concept adds some wedding day class to a favorite fruit. New Articles! Need help with your wedding day colors? Check out Wedding Color Schemes Hows a Girl to Choose? for ideas and inspiration! Considering a candy buffet at your wedding? Definitely check out Wedding Candy Buffet Tables for pointers on this treat-supplying trend. Coming Soon In the works is one of the wedding cake projects that I promised you would start seeing over the summer. So keep an eye out for it within the next two updates! Wedding Gab
Just when I thought the season was dead! I was called out to set up a small wedding in North Miami this past July 4th (Yay! Free wedding day fireworks). A small wedding, and yet it managed to be a huge challenge. We arrived late to the wedding due to a car fire on the highway. Luckily, the ceremony was being delayed to the last possible minute due to possible rain. Once we got the all clear, we were go! We had more hands than normal for a set up, so it worked out beautifully, with the ceremony and reception decor going up quicker than I had seen in a while. And perhaps I was working TOO quick, as my cell phone popped out onto the concrete and cracked to bits. A casualty of war, I suppose. My favorite detail about this wedding? Im enamored with the top tier of their cakedelicate sugar flowers and gold painted details. So pretty

June 28th, 2009

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:51:58 GMT
Introducing Nicola Ray, of Cheap Wedding Success has generously shared her tips for a cheap wedding! Check it out in the Bride Craft Article Library, Tips for a Cheap Wedding. Make sure to visit her site and get more great tips and ideas. New Project! Check out Simple Hydrangea Centerpiece! This quick, easy centerpiece will boggle your mind. Remember, if you decide to try this centerpiece, you need to request the EXTRA large stems of hydrangea. Have fun! Coming Soon Curious about your centerpiece options? Check back often this week, as we have three more centerpiece projects to share with you!

June 20th, 2009

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:44:02 GMT
Introducing I have the pleasure of introducing a guest author in this update. Tracy Russell of www.cheap-creative-wedding-ideas.com has been kind enough to contribute a wonderful addition to the Bride Craft Article Library, Confessions of a Budget Bride. Make sure to visit her site and read how she planned her entire wedding and honeymoon on a mere $6,000! Coming Soon Several more informative articles are in the works, as well as a couple of great new projects! Expect to see new projects late next week Wedding Gab Life has been keeping me busy, as is the norm. I did go to a very interesting networking event the other night in Miami. A warehouse was converted into an event rental facility, with bare stone floors and white fabric draped walls. Color was brought into the space with lighting, and the vendors showcasing at the event had custom gobos for their company logos. What was really interesting about the space is that it sported South Floridas only indoor, permanent ice bar. The walls were made out of thick blocks of icecolumns of ice had orchids frozen into them, and people sat in 5 foot benches of carved ice. The bar was made of ice, circles of ice were suspended as decorations in the cornersheck, even the shot glasses were actually made of pure ice! The space is certainly a novelty, and I did pick up a few ideas for centerpiece projects that I hope to be sharing with you over the summer.

June 3rd, 2009

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:40:09 GMT
New Project! Check Out the Hershey Kiss Rose Favor! As promised, a quick, cheap wedding favor. This great little favor is an easy to customize sweet treat for your guests. You can place them at each place setting, arrange them in a vase or even secure them in a bed of grass for display! Got a great DIY wedding favor idea? Contact Us to Share!! IntroducingMake Fabulous Cakes! A guide to FABelicious creations. I recently found Darlenes site, www.make-fabulous-cakes.com. She has some incredible DIY cake tutorials on her site that I thought went along great with the whole concept of Bride Craft. If you are a DIY diva looking to snazzy up some personal cake projects, or if youre looking to find an alternative to a completely pro cake, consider some of her great projects (I especially like her Fondant Ribbon Rosesthis would be great to dress up a simpler wedding cakesuper easy!). Check back often, as she will be launching a wedding cake section soon that will be sure to please. Wedding Gab
And speaking of wedding cakesI must admit that Ive been inspired recently. I even went so far as to sign up with a professional cake decorating instructor to brush up on my skills (Ahem, my new skills on display above). Im pleased with the results so far, and hope to be able to bring Bride Craft readers some reasonable cake project ideas this summer. While in many parts of the country the wedding season is in full swing, its actually dying down in South Florida (I will admit that hurricane season has no little part in this). But this gives me a great opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest! And it also frees up my time to work on bringing more and more to Bride Craft. Come back often and see whats new!

May 16th, 2009

Sat, 16 May 2009 19:57:31 GMT
Spotlight Introduction!
Check Out or first DIY Wedding Spotlight!! Amanda has been gracious enough to share her experience as a DIY Bride to help inspire and encourage other Brides. She has been absolutely awesome, answering questions and sharing photos. Special thanks to Amanda (& Todd!) for sharing her DIY wedding with us. Want to share your story, also? Feel free to Contact Us!! New Articles! Check Out Dress Up the Dress for thoughts on embellishing a simple dress. And visit Is a Holiday Wedding for You? to help you decide if a wedding centered around a holiday is a good fit for you! You can view these and other wedding related articles in our Wedding Article Library! Coming Soon Whats coming up in the next update? Even more article submissions, as well as a fun, quick and CHEAP wedding favor.

May 11th, 2009

Mon, 11 May 2009 22:03:46 GMT
New Project! Check Out How to Make a Boutonniere ! This project takes the famously elegant mini calla and lays out step-by-step instructions to fashion the flower into a boutonniere. DIYing this part of your wedding can save you anywhere from $5 to $10 dollars a gentlemanAnd if you have a larger wedding party, it begins to add up. Enjoy! As promised, Bride Craft has launched its Wedding Article Library. Stop by and check out the useful articles that are there. And feel free to suggest more article ideas that you would like to see! Coming Soon In the near future you can expect to see several more informative articles go up in the Wedding Article Library. Also right around the corner you can expect to see a neat little favor project tutorial (Finally! A favor!)posted. Wedding Gab I have been pretty busy these last few weeks, and a bit sick. I did attend what should have been a beautiful weddingand the ceremony was beautifulbut the bliss was disturbed during the cocktail hour when two feuding family members began making a scene and the police actually had to be called to escort some of the wedding guests out of the club. Both the Bride and Groom were devastated, and I was so disappointed to have to see the Bride repeatedly wipe tears from her eyes as she was trying to have her photos taken. Just a gentle reminder to keep a close eye on the guest list. You work too hard to create this one day to have people who should be respectful ruin it for you. On a lighter note, I'm refreshing my cake decorating skills! I've recently been inspired by a Bride who's making her own cake to brush up some more on my skills. I'm hoping she will share her story with you on the Bride Craft Spotlight, but we'll see how she feels. I definately want to be able to provide our readers with many, many more DIY cake options during the summer. So wish me luck as I break out my cake pans!

April 26th, 2009

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:51:00 GMT
New Project! Check Out Silk Sunflower Centerpiece ! This incredibly SIMPLE centerpiece is going to look amazing in the dimmed light of an evening affair. Modern, easy to create and the BEST part? Affordable! This centerpiece was originally designed for Nicholes wedding in South Carolina, which is coming up on May 1st. We wish lots of luck to Nichole and her groom (as well as her mom Rhonda and their friend Melanie, who will be setting everything up!). Coming Soon As I promised before, Bride Craft is about to post several informative articles on all types of wedding related topics. While the majority will be submitted by moi, in the future I will be inviting guest writers to submit valuable (free) information to Bride Crafts article collection. I know I said this before, but definitely keep checking back to see how Bride Craft grows. The goal is to be as useful to todays budget bride and groom as possible. That being said, if you have a comment or suggestion, dont hesitate to Contact Us and let us know about it! Wedding Gab As usual, these last two weeks have been full of weddings for me. What stands out in my mind the most? RAIN. I had the pleasure of working with a florist/event planner who just knew when to over step her bounds. Being as I am in South Florida, you can imagine how many outdoor weddings I see. And you can never count on the weather. Sure enough, the outdoor ceremony that was scheduled to take place on the ballroom terrace of an upscale Miami hotel was unexpectedly moved inside due to rain. The Bride had never discussed a rain plan, but this savvy pro was wise enough to bring a back up plan anyways. Long story short, the decor that was planned for the outdoor ceremony was totally not possible to recreate indoors. So the florist/planner whipped up a chiffon backdrop that was flanked by tall vases of curly willow and roses. She then also incorporated the Brides centerpieces into the ceremony backdrop (not in the original plan). It was breathtaking and totally transformed the new ceremony space flawlessly. But I shudder to think of what would have happened if she hadnt decided to over step her bounds and chance putting into effect this never-discussed back up plan. The moral of the story? Dont dwell on all the possible things that could go wrong. Just be creative and consider possible solutions in advance!

April 10th, 2009

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:17:52 GMT
Special Thanks...
I would like to take a moment to thank a Bride and Groom (NOW a brand new Mrs and Mr!)for helping to host some brand new projects. Annie and Greg have been working with me on their wedding plans since late 2008 for their wedding this past March 15th, 2009 in Miami Beach, Florida. I had the pleasure of being their florist (and I hope a friend!) during their wedding planning. The Bride and Groom came equipped with some really great ideas which we were able to blend together into a beautifully decorated event. With no little amount of credit going to the Bride! She did her homework, researching and double checking everything to make sure that her guests enjoyed the best celebration possible. I think Annie and Greg ended up with an absolutely glam Florida affair! They have been gracious enough to allow me to share with Bride Craft readers the chuppah and wedding card box that I custom made for their special day. And as usual, we took step-by-step photos and paired them with basic instructions so that you can create your own wedding day master pieces. Annie, Gregthanks a bunch! Wishing you lots of happy healthy years together. New Projects! Check Out How to Build a Wedding Chuppah! An intense tutorial on building an easy travel, fabric draped chuppah. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely a wedding day show stopper! Also Check Out Craft a Satin Card Box for Your Wedding! This elegant wedding day detail will make you smile when you see how easy and quick it is. Enjoy!

February 9th, 2009

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:40:28 GMT
New Project! Check Out How to Make a Beach Bouquet Cascade! A neat new project in the Bouquets section this week Check out our Beach Bouquet Cascade! An alternative from flowers, its a unique idea for the bride who is into the mystery and beauty of the ocean and the beach. Wedding Gab Wow, its a busy start to the week for me! Spending a lot of time at a large flower shop, helping to bring them through what they hope is a good Valentine holiday season. And is it ever busy already! This year Valentines Day falls on a Saturday. Due to the holiday being associated with intense romance, there are of course lots of brides and grooms who jumped at the chance to say I Do on V Day. What many may not realize is how expensive flowers become around holidays (Mothers Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, to name a fewthey all bring floral prices up). But rest assured theres always a creative solution. Keep checking back at Bride Craft for the launch of our new helpful article section! This new section will have lots of wonderful, quality ideas and solutions for some of those budget busting problems. All for free, as usual!

April 8th, 2009

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:40:28 GMT
New Project! Check Out How to Make a Carnation Bouquet! Carnations are a GREAT flower to work with for a DIY wedding. A DIY Bride, Dana, actually emailed us and requested this project late February as a guide for her upcoming wedding. We wish her good luck and hope she finds this tutorial useful! :) Do you have a project you would like to see? Go to our Contact Page and let us know about it! Coming Soon... A special thanks to a recent Bride Craft Bride and her new Hubby...and two AWESOME projects. Check back soon, as this update may be this Thursday or Friday! Wedding Gab Lots of things going on for me lately...I've just been working a lot. And some of that work includes Bride Craft updates! Pretty soon we'll be launching an article section to the site. And we're going to be focusing on filling up some of the empty project sections with some incredibly fun project goodies. Keep checking back as Bride Craft grows.