When I was planning our wedding, I found a million and one reasons to hate the wedding industry, so I tried to make as much as possible by hand to avoid some of the crazy costs tagged to all things wedding — and to make our day feel unique to us. I wasn't a big blog reader back then, but ironically, now (married) I read a few wedding blogs that I love to follow for inspiration. What I hadn't stumbled on was a book that captured that same modern crafting spirit, until now. Leave it to the Hello!Lucky sisters and an ex-Martha style editor, Shana Faust, to create a gorgeous book full of handmade inspiration. What I love most about Handmade Weddings: it's a resource for those of us who aren't in wedding planning mode, too. Here are a few of my favorites from the book.
+ Fabric-covered favor boxes: Love this idea for any gift-giving occasion — how sweet for a baby shower where you're wrapping lots of wee things.
+ Yarn-wrapped bottles: Perfect for a cozy winter party. Inexpensive and easy.
Test-tube favors: Love those tags, though I think I'd fill with candy!
+ Pegboard seating chart: I'm inspired to riff off this idea to create a message board in our new apartment. The pairing of pegboard and japanese tape is hard to resist. (Remember my kitchen pegboard from the last apartment?) I'm lucky to have pot cabinets in this kitchen for storage, so I think I may repurpose my blue pegboard for use in my home office.
Photographs: Joseph De Leo, courtesy of Chronicle Books
Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of Handmade Weddings from the publisher — though I can guarantee I would have bought one for my library otherwise. The book is awesome!
