DIY Framed Chalkboards & More

My wedding website just told me that our wedding is 23 days away. 23 days. That's the craziest thing I've ever heard?! I mean, really--where did the past year and a half go? Or even the past month? Or even the past week? Yikes! Good thing I've blocked out the entire day today to tackle wedding projects, or I might be freaking out a bit ;) On the agenda? Finishing the  seating cards for both the rehearsal and the wedding, writing up the programs, going through the final timeline with my planner, and finalizing the bridal party gifts. Exciting stuff!

In the meantime, I wanted to share a few super easy, fun projects that I've been working on over the past week or so...

Project #1: DIY Framed Chalkboards
I'm using chalkboards as the main mode of communication at the wedding. There will be a chalkboard at the bar listing all of the drinks, a chalkboard denoting the guest book, the seating cards, etc. Thus, I needed some cheap chalkboards in cute frames! Here's how I made them.

Step 1: Pick up some cheap yet acceptable frames and some chalkboard spray paint. I found my frames on sale at Tarjay, and the paint at Michaels. Then I got home and took the frames apart.

Step 2: Find a place OUTSIDE and lay down some newspaper. Place the glass from the frames on the newspaper, shake up your can of chalkboard spraypaint, and spray down the glass in even coats. I did 3 separate layers (letting each one dry in between) in order to ensure that the entire piece of glass was covered evenly. Let the glass dry completely.

Step 3: Use chalk to write your message on the glass, and then put it back in the frame. Voila! SO easy and super cute!! I can't believe how much money I saved by making these, and am excited to be able to use them for other events after the wedding, too :)

Project #2: DIY Ring Bearer Pillow Decorations

One of my fellow yoga teachers gave me this plain ring bearer's pillow, because she didn't end up using it in her wedding (thanks, Jamie!). I knew that I wanted to dress it up a bit, but had no idea how. So, I just got out some materials and started playing. Although I don't have any pictures of the process because it was literally so quick and easy, I'll tell you that all it took was a glue gun, some grey burlap scraps, and some ribbon. It took me about 10 minutes to make, and look! So much cuter than it was before, plus it matches our wedding theme! Yay. 

Project #3: Cake Serving Set

I'm embarrassed to be sharing this, as it's really not a project at all. All I did was tie a bow around each of these items and then I was done. So it was nothing. But, I wanted to write about it because I feel like the Cake Serving Set (along with the Toasting Glasses) is one of the most unnecessary expenditures of a wedding. I think they're cute, and buying a nice set--if you have an endless budget--would be great, but when I started looking for them, I was really sad to see how ugly most Cake Serving Sets are--and how much you have to pay for a really nice one. So, I decided we weren't going to pay any more than $20 for ours, and that's what we did. It's not a nice set, but it will work. And by tying a bow around each piece, I feel like they look a little more appropriate. So you see? Not really a project at all, but I valid point, I hope ;) Not everything for your wedding has to be crazy expensive...

So there you have it! Now I'm off to get to the rest of my wedding to-dos for the day...

Namaste!
Mary Catherine