Monday, October 21, 2013

Bathroom Basket

Wedding Bathroom Basket

A small element in the grand scheme of things

that can help a grateful guest out in time of need   




Wedding Bathroom Basket

This is another project you can tackle early on and set aside.  It takes about an hour to buy the basket and supplies and about 30 minutes to make the basket look pretty and assemble it.

How to put together a bathroom basket



Step 1: Print your list of needed supplies
  • Tampax Tampons
  • Carefree Pantyliners
  • Hair Elastics
  • Bobby Pins
  • Singer Sewing Kit
  • Safety Pins
  • Spray Deodorant (because no one wants to share a gel or solid)
  • Hair spray
  • Advil
  • Mints/Gum
  •  Dental Floss
  • Tums
  • Clear Nail Polish
  • Lint Roller
  • Lotion
  • Perfume/Body Spray
  • Bandaids
  • Tide to go pen


 Step 2: Take your list to the store (Walmart, Target, Kmart) and buy supplies (keep in mind, if the supplies aren't used up, you will be stuck with them so don't go crazy & try not to spend too much)
Step 3: If you don't have a basket (or 2, depending on how many bathrooms are at the reception) Look at JoAnn Fabrics, Michaels, AC Moore, Tuesday Morning, etc. for baskets. (Again, get something you like because once the wedding is over you can use these somewhere around your house!)
Step 4: If you don't have craft supplies to make the sign for the basket, buy some ribbon, cardstock and craft paper while you are at the store.


Step 5: Type up or write out the saying for the sign
So happy you’re here sharing our special day
But just in case something should go astray:
Please help yourself to the contents within
Band-Aids, hairspray or ibuprofen
Use what you need, and just leave the rest
For it may be useful to some other guest!
Repair the damage that may have been done,
Then hurry back and join in the fun!
Step 6: Jazz up the sign
I printed mine on cardstock and backed it with light blue paper and then on black and white swirly paper.
Step 7: Weave the ribbon through the basket
Step 8: Attach the saying to the ribbon/basket (double stick tape works wonders with projects like this)
Step 9: Assemble the basket with all the supplies.  Take everything out of the plastic and packaging (your guests will be more likely to use them) Place tallest items in the back and try to configure everything so it can all be seen.
Step 10:  Don't forget to bring the bathroom basket to the reception site with you when you set up or to the planner (depends on who sets up)
Tip- If it is a Men/Women's bathroom, you don't need women's body spray and tampons in the men's basket ! ;-)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Table Name/Number Banner

Table Name/Number Banner

Table Number/Name Banner

This is a perfect way to incorporate your theme. 

I went to my cousins wedding where all the tables were named after cities in Texas, where they were going to be moving to. I thought 'what a creative idea!?' So much better than 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. Since Matt and I met swimming we decided this would be our theme.  Early on in our planning phase we thought it would be fun to name our table numbers after swimming events. Not only would this be different, but it would possibly start a conversation at the table. The table numbers fit perfectly with our swimmer ribbon place cards.

Once we had the table names figured out, we had to find a nice way to display them.  I had heard of people 'jazzin up' dollar store frames, but when I went to look at them, they looked soo cheap. 

After looking online and racking our brains during an afternoon of wedding planning my mom found a banner coming out of the centerpiece. Can you say perfect!?
Banners/flags are all over the place in swimming.
DIY Table Number/Name Banner

** One thing my mom and I learned while planning was to always toss an idea out there.  If we didn't use the original idea, it got the 'wheels turning' and came up with a greater one.  There were so many times one of us would say something and the other person would say "umm no, oh but what about this?" **

HOW TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE TABLE NAMES

Ask yourself questions

&

 

Tie it in with your theme and interests

  • Are you a couple that travels? Name your tables after cities you have been to.
  • Do you love a sports team? Name your tables about players with their number or football stadiums. Love golf? Name the tables about holes and have holes on flags.
  • Did you meet at college? Name your tables after the halls.
  • A fun spin on number 1, 2, 3, etc. is framed pictures of the bride and groom at that age. Talk about a conversation starter!
  • Love to read? Name your tables after books and incorporate this into your centerpiece. It is so easy to get your hands on cheap books! *DIY project* love it!
  • Run marathons or do triathlons? Name your tables after all the races you have done. Rock N' Roll Marathon, Pittsburgh Marathon, etc. Then make little number bibs for place cards!
  • Love gardening or flowers? There are hundreds of flowers you can use to name your tables after. Each centerpiece could be a bouquet of that flower.
  • Love dogs? Name your table after breeds.
  • Are you getting married at an art museum? Name the tables after famous pieces of art.



DIY Table Number Banners

Table Number/Name Banner
You will need a computer with photo shop, a printer with ink (make sure you have enough, you don't want it to look faded), cardstock, scissors, thin sticks of wood, wood stain, brush, and double sided tape. The cardstock, thin sticks of wood, and double sided tape were from Michaels.

Step 1: Find an image of a banner you like on www.dreamstime.com
Step 2: Edit the banner in Photo Shop. Play around with the banner to make it look 3D.
Step 3: Print several pages to make sure you like it.
Step 4: Add the table numbers/names ((100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 500 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, etc.) *Print 2 copies (so you have a front and back to glue together)
Step 5: Carefully cut the banners.
Step 6: Stain the thin sticks of wood. Wait for them to dry.
Step 7: Once the sticks are dry, put the banners at the top using double sided tape.

Step 8: Make sure the banner isn't too heavy on the thin wood stick. We brought the banners to the florist along with the wood boxes (the week before the wedding)

Monday, October 7, 2013

Newspaper

One of the reasons I love Pinterest is the ideas it gives you. 
One night I found a pin with wedding rings on the newspaper and thought great idea! I immediately pinned it and added to the comment 'get the newspaper on wedding day, on the To Do List!' Even with a million things going on, on the morning of my wedding my brother was running out to get milk from the store and asked "Does anybody need anything?" "Yes!!" I shouted. "Grab today's paper!"

15 minutes later..He comes back and we burst out laughing...

Grab a Newspaper On Your Wedding Day




YUP, Pot Raid on the front page of the newspaper.  I thought "guess we won't be getting any nice pictures of our rings with this newspaper."

It's a great idea for a fun picture with your wedding rings. Grab a paper on your wedding day and if it's a nice front page, ask your photographer to get a picture like this pin I found...