DIY Bridesmaids Boxes

I really believe that every part of your wedding needs to be special. Every aspect is a way to be sentimental and stand out. I mean, you only get one chance at everything. There are no redos. So why not go all out?

That's how I feel about asking your friends to be in your bridal party. Oh sure, you can just ask them casually ... or you can be inspired and do something special that they will really remember.

That's exactly what my Twitter friend Lydia did. She asked her girls first, then she presented them with these beautiful bridesmaids boxes. I'm in love with them.

DIY Bridesmaids Boxes

What You'll Need:

• Wood boxes
• White marker
• Fake flowers
• Light up ring
• Star decals
• Ribbon
• Blue scrapbook paper
• Spray paint
• Barefoot pink moscato (That's what she used. You can grab your favorite)
• Label stickers
• Ring Pops
• Glue

What You'll Do:

Remove the little clasps on the box and fill the holes with glue.

Spray paint the boxes.

Although it looks like she used chalkboard to write the names on the boxes, it's actually not. It's a mix of printed and handwritten, so I'm going to let Lydia explain exactly how she did it because modifying her words might make it a little confusing:

The font is called KG Eyes Wide Open and I downloaded that for free from dafont.com I changed it a little in Photoshop white color then added a thick stroke so it would be an outline, printed that out, and then on the backside of the paper, shaded it with pencil, then traced it onto the scrapbook paper (this is the best and easiest way to do this and get awesome font styles!) The inside, I kept it in its regular style. Then outlined with the marker, I love that it kind of looks like a chalkboard, my cousin actually thought it was! I was able to slide the scrapbook paper into the top part of the box and fit it under the wood; I did glue it just for extra measure.

Tie the light up ring around the "diamond" with the ribbon, then glue the ribbon to the box.
Add a Ring Pop.

She even created the labels for the wine in the same font. The text up top says The Smith-Jones wedding (okay, no, it doesn't, but just pretend the bride and groom's last names are Smith and Jones and you get the idea). She put a small maraca image on both sides of the text because, if you remember, this is the same Lydia planned a Tex/Mex/Fiesta wedding (and the reason behind my Fiesta Wedding Inspiration Board). Her colors are navy, white, and pink, so it was great for her to incorporate her color scheme into these.

They're really adorable. Imagine receiving one. Is there any way you could say no to being her bridesmaid? (Actually, she told me she had verbally asked them months before this, just to make sure they wanted and were able to be a part of her big day, and she gave them these beautiful boxes later as a surprise).

In case you're curious, I "proposed" to my bridesmaids when I asked them to be a part of our wedding party. You can see that in this post.

Be sure to tweet Lydia at @lgtz85 and let her know you saw her amazing creations on A Bride On A Budget.

BRIDAL BABBLE: How did you ask your friends to be your bridesmaids?

Need a bridesmaids thank you gift?
Check out our Top Ten Bridesmaids Gift Ideas post.

Personalized Flower Girl Puzzles (and an easy DIY)

I am a big fan of making even the smallest part of your wedding special. You only get one chance at it all, so don't settle for mediocre.

Not even when you're asking a little girl to be your flower girl.

When you're asking her parents (which you need to do before you ask their daughter), fine. Be boring. Call them, which is actually pretty rare and special on its own. But when you sit down with the little girl, make it special, make it something she will remember, make it a puzzle.

My friend Danielle's brother is getting married and both her daughters were asked to be flower girls. That in itself is adorable, but the puzzles that her future sister-in-law had personalized from BoutiqueEclipse on Etsy are just so sweet.

You can order the ones above or browse through personalized flower girl puzzles on Amazon. If you're feeling crafty, I actually figured out a cute way that you can DIY these too.

DIY Will You Be My Flower Girl Puzzle

What You'll Need:

• Blank puzzle
• Markers
• Stencils
• Child's purse

What You'll Do:

In the center of the puzzle, write something along the lines of "Will you be my flower girl?" 

Then, around the blank space, freehand (or use stencils) to draw a pretty picture. Make sure you have some part of the design on every piece. That will make it much more fun for the little girl.

Break the puzzle into pieces and put it in a small bag or purse (personally, I would do this or this one, but your choice).

Ask the child to assemble the puzzle and read (or help read) what it says. It will be so adorably cute, so get ready!

BRIDAL BABBLE: Would you DIY a will you be my flower girl puzzle or would you prefer to just buy one?

Having a flower girl?
Check out our Everything You Need To Know About Flower Girls post.

5 Bedroom Items You Should Add To Your Wedding Registry

A Bride On A Budget received a sheet set for review. Additional items were selected without compensation or relationship with the brands(s).

Pete and I, like most modern couples, lived together before we got married. It was a great learning experience for us. Those who say you don't really know someone until you live with them weren't kidding.

When we moved in together, we merged our furniture, which pretty much meant we took all my furniture and Pete's very beat up mattress. Two months after we got engaged, my grandma bought us a new sheet set for Christmas. It was great ... except she bought it based on the idea that we would get rid of Pete's old mattress. So the week after Christmas, we took all our Christmas money and bought a brand new Queen-sized mattress. We put my grandma's gift on the bed and that's where it has stayed.

We couldn't slack on washing the sheets because, well, we only had one set. We lived in a washer- and dryer-less apartment, so we would have to make sure to get the sheets to the laundromat, and wash them, in time for us to sleep on them that night. It was daunting. So when we were creating our wedding registry, we added a pair of sheets.

Sure, you're thinking about silverware and a knife set, but you definitely want to add bedroom items too. This post is here to help with that. I put together a list of the five bedroom items you should add to your wedding registry.

5 Bedroom Items You Should Add To Your Wedding Registry

1. Sheets
2. Pillows
3. Storage Cubes
4. Accent Bench
5. Wall mirror

Sheets

When you're registering, add two sheet sets for your bed. Trust me. Sometimes you just want to pull one off the bed and put another on without the whole process of washing the first set. Or maybe you just want to register for a flannel set for winter and a lighter set for summer. It's basically always summer here in North Carolina, so we didn't go that route.

A standard set will come with a flat and fitted sheet, plus pillow cases. So you'll also want to register for comforters and blankets. And, if you have a guest bedroom like we do, register for a set for that bed too.

If you're trying to decide on a pair, we had the Wrinkle-Resistant 300-Thread Count Sheet Set from Brylane Home on our bed at one point.

Pillows

I love throw pillows, probably more than any normal person loves throw pillows. But here's the thing: I won't buy them for myself. Nope. They're just one of those frivolous things that I always decide are a want, not a need, and I won't buy them -- no matter how cute they are. But, for a gift, yes please. I will happily buy you every throw pillow you put on your wedding registry.

So those cute Mr. & Mrs. pillows? They'll look adorable on your bed, but you won't buy them. So register for them. I guarantee you someone will buy them for you.

And don't forget about regular pillows too. You'll want to add a few of those to your wedding registry. Pick up pillow covers for each one too. Those aren't glamorous, and they're cheap, so you can just buy them yourself instead of registering for them. But they really will extend the life of your pillows, so pick up one for every pillow that gets slept on.

Storage Cubes

When we were having our home built, one of the biggest perks was the walk in closet in the bedroom. But when we got here, it was a little confused. Okay, sure, we could figure out where to put dresses and shoes, but there was a shelf in the middle of the closet that made less sense. Pete picked up a few storage cubes for little things like socks (which take up too much real estate in a dresser), put them on the shelf, and it made such a big difference.

We've bought a ton of storage cubes since moving, even thought we had two sets that organized our laundry room in the apartment (yes, we had a whole room to do laundry in, just no machines to do it!). So, to save you from buying them and risking them completely not matching, add them to your registry.

Accent Bench

Multi-purpose items are your friend, especially when you're worried about space. So an accent/storage bench is exactly what you need in your bedroom. You can fill it with extra sheets and blankets, and use it as an extra sitting area.

And if those home shows have taught me anything, it's that you need a sitting area in your bedroom. It's a way to make your bedroom more than just a room to sleep in at night. It gives it a few extra functions, just like this bench.

Mirror

When we were still in New York, Pete had this great wall mirror in his apartment. It was right by the door of his bedroom, and I would use it to double check my hair before I left. It was great. We moved that mirror with us to North Carolina, then I ended up painting it purple and hanging it in our guest bedroom. I'm thinking of redoing it a shabby chic for the guest bedroom in this house.

If you want a nice wall mirror, add it to your wedding registry. Eventually, you'll probably upgrade your bedroom set and a dresser mirror will be included, so you don't need to register for one of those right now. But a wall mirror, or even a full length mirror, add one.

If you are registering, all of these items (with the except of the Brylane Home sheets) can be purchased on Amazon. Which means you may want to create an Amazon wedding registry. It's completely free, and I have no affiliation with it. I'm just trying to make your life easier.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Are you putting a sheet set on your registry?

How To Throw The Perfect Brunch Wedding

Today is Monday, a very Monday Monday actually. So I've been spending all day thinking about and drinking coffee. And I feel like coffee goes with brunch. And there's something so fun about a brunch wedding.

I'm laughing at myself, though, because Pete and I had a stretch where we brunch quite a bit -- and when we went, I never ordered coffee. I would have coffee in the morning, go to church, then meet him at brunch. But a brunch wedding has to have coffee. And a few other brunch necessities because what would a brunch wedding be, really, without a white powdered doughnut cake?

That's just one of the items in our post to help you throw the perfect brunch wedding. 

How To Throw The Perfect Brunch Wedding

There are a few things to keep in mind when planning a brunch wedding. The timing of your wedding is really important. You want to have it early enough for brunch but late enough that anyone who may want to go to Sunday mass can make the ceremony and reception. Plus, if you want to get married at a church, some may not even do a ceremony early enough for a brunch wedding.

Also, a Sunday wedding may save you a little on the venue (our venue was only $1,000 different between Saturday and Sunday), but you don't have to have a Sunday brunch wedding. If you want, you can have a Saturday brunch wedding. That might be a little easier on your guests because a Sunday wedding that runs late might mean guests who have to work Monday morning will duck out a little early.

And, a brunch wedding (or really, any afternoon wedding) comes across as more casual than an evening wedding. If your attire isn't casual, you'll want to communicate that to your guests.

If you're planning a brunch wedding, our favorite brunch wedding ideas are below:

1. Mimosa Bar
2. Yogurt Parfaits
3. French Toast Dippers
4. Crossword Puzzles
5. Mini Newspaper Wedding Programs
6. Coffee Bean Candle Centerpieces
7. Powdered Doughnut Wedding Cake
8. Pancake Cake
9. Personalized Coffee Sleeves
10. Personalized K-Cups

Mimosa Bar

You can have so much fun with your brunch wedding drinks ... and save a bit of cash without your guests even noticing. Almost everyone loves mimosas at brunch, so put together a mimosa bar. I had one for my bridesmaids with orange juice and champagne, but you can set one up with champagne and multiple fruit juices.

You can also set up a Bloody Mary station with all the fixings (like celery, horseradish, etc.). Your guests will love these action stations and you'll love the fact that you don't need to have a full liquor bar available. Plus, people don't really get bombed during brunch, so you'll need less beer and wine (if you choose to offer that too).

Yogurt Parfait

Your brunch wedding menu can be so incredibly fun. You can have a full omelet station (make sure to have everything from bacon to cheese to tomatoes for your guests to mix in). If you want something that doesn't require an attendant, you can have a waffle bar.

Your passed hors d'oeurves can be so fun too. Just look at those cute yogurt parfaits. There's yogurt, granola, and a raspberry up top. Just be sure to serve them with mini spoons so your guests have a way to eat them. Be sure to add personalized monogrammed tags to them too for a nice touch.

French Toast Dippers

If you want something unique to eat, try these french toast dippers. You serve a piece of french toast with a shot of syrup. Your guests dip the bread in the syrup and enjoy.

We actually went to a wedding where the couple had grilled cheese dippers, so a triangle of grilled cheese served with a shot of tomato soup. It was so good, really fun, and definitely stood out. Your french toast dippers will do the same with your guests. And, honestly, you want to plan a few unique things so your guests will always remember parts of your wedding.

Crossword Puzzles

If you have a bunch of action stations, it might take a while for your guests to get their food. Give them something to distract them from waiting, like these super cute crossword puzzles. You can make them with clues about yourself, your city, or just general knowledge. Plus, they're perfect. Who doesn't like to do the Sunday crossword during brunch?

Mini Newspaper Wedding Programs

Speaking of the Sunday paper, these unique mini newspaper wedding programs are adorable. They're completely customized. You can add the story about how you fell in love, your proposal story, a who's who of the bridal party, and some fun photos and games.

Coffee Bean Candle Centerpieces

Don't forget to dress your tables for a brunch wedding too. Check out these cute centerpieces. Now, if I was making them, I would add coffee beans to a coffee cup (I feel like that's a big missed opportunity here). Light a tea light in the center and the smell of coffee will fill the room.

But that DIY is so easy!

Fill a white coffee mug halfway with coffee beans.
Put a tea light in the center.
Fill to the top with coffee beans.
Light.

Powdered Doughnut Wedding Cake

This powdered doughnut wedding cake is the exact reason I think a brunch wedding is such a good idea. I mean, just look how incredibly adorable that doughnut cake is. You can still have a full wedding cake that you cut and feed to each other, but this would be such a fun side item. Plus, who doesn't look at this and think brunch wedding?

Stack the doughnuts, add some sugar flowers, and you're good!

Pancake Cake

Not into the doughnut cake? That's okay. There are so many other round objects that will make a great brunch wedding cake. Try pancakes. Or waffles. Or Nutella-filled crepes. Yum.

The key to one of those less visually-stunning ideas (read: golden brown) is to have a really cute cake topper on them. You want something to wow your guests and have them look, and a stack of golden brown waffles might not be it.

Personalized Coffee Sleeves

And coffee. We can't forget about coffee. That's how this whole post started, right?

You can design personalized coffee sleeves, which are adorable and practical. Put a cute saying and your wedding date on them and they really dress up your coffee mugs. Personally, I would purchase a ton of reusable travel cups, add these coffee sleeves to them, and have those be your wedding favors.

Personalized K-Cups

If you want a favor that's a little cheaper (but equally as sure to be taken  at the end of the night), go with personalized K-Cups. I'm sure you'll have coffee in pots at the wedding, so your guests can drink that then take these K-Cups home with them. You can put a saying and your wedding date on them and your guests can think of you next Sunday, when they're home, enjoying your wedding favor while doing their own Sunday crossword puzzle.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What do you think about having a brunch wedding?

DIY Personalized Bridal Party Bottles (with strawberry-infused water)

If you love this recipe, be sure to Yum it here: Yum

I love anything personalized. Add a photo, a monogram, a name ... I'm in. It just makes everything a little more special.

In fact, right now, I'm drinking strawberry-infused water out of a bottle with a letter L on it  -- and it's amazing.

Okay, spoiler alert. I made that bottle for this post. It was actually super easy to make and definitely a craft you should put together for your bridal party.

DIY Personalized Bridal Party Bottles (with strawberry-infused water)

You should have these ready to go on wedding morning. Make one for each bridesmaid, with her initial, and then any for anyone else coming over -- your mom, grandma, dad, whoever. They'll really appreciate it, plus they will look adorable in photos.

Be sure to supply straws too. You don't want anyone ruining their lipstick before the ceremony.

What You'll Need (for the bottles):

• Glass milk bottles
• Glass etching cream
• Foam paint brush or small paint brush
• Stencils

What You'll Do:

Affix the stencil to your bottle. You can tape it down if you want or just hold it down. Whatever works.

Paint the glass etching cream over the stencil using a foam paintbrush. Be careful, though. The glass etching cream is very unforgiving, so you want to make sure this isn't blotchy or spreading. You can use a small paintbrush for this if you feel more comfortable, but you may have to go over it a few times.

Let it sit for at least five minutes.

Rinse the cream off with water. Repeat for additional letters or images.

Now, I'll be honest. I did the two lettered bottles using stencils and then I freehanded the bride one. 

I wrote the word bride on a piece of paper, placed the bottle over the paper (since it's clear, it's easy to see through) and then I painted the word on it. I even made a heart over the i instead of the dot.

Let these dry completely.

What You'll Need (for the strawberry-infused water):

• Strawberries
• Water
• Ice cubes
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Completed personalized bridal party bottles

Fill each bottle with water.

Clean and cut the strawberries. Add a few slices into each bottle. Put them in the fridge overnight. Add an ice cube before serving.

I actually really like fruit-infused water. It's a good alternative to plain water and will hydrate you on wedding morning. If you want something a little more celebratory, you can always go with mimosas.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What would you fill your personalized bridal party bottles with?

Free Wedding Printable: Be Wise, Don't Drink & Drive Owl (for taxi cab phone numbers)

There's a good chance that if you're having a wedding, you're having an open bar. And if that's the case, you want your guests to enjoy themselves. You don't want your invitees to turn into drunk messes who are making bad decisions ... and you especially don't want that bad decision to be driving when they shouldn't.

You can see if the local hotel has a shuttle service they can offer for your guests or you can book a shuttle service yourself (we did ours through our limo company). If that's not available, at the very least, you should provide your guests with numbers for the local taxi services.

But of course, if you know me, I can't do anything that isn't cute or punny. And this one, it's both. I created a printable where you can add phone numbers for taxi cabs.

I put this one together in just a couple minutes. It'll be that easy for you too, since I already designed the printable for you. You can save it from the end of this post so you don't have to create your own.

What You'll Need:

• Be Wise, Don't Drink & Drive free wedding printable
• Picture frame
• Dry erase marker

What You'll Do:

Print the photo. Personally, I printed this one at Walgreens. I actually print a ton of photos there because you can order online, pick up in an hour, and I have one in walking distance.

Place the photo in a frame. You can use a frame from the dollar store if you want to keep this project budget friendly. If you want to keep it practical, what I would suggest is buying a really pretty wedding frame. That way, instead of having an unneeded dollar store frame after the wedding, you'll have a really nice frame for one of your wedding photos.

Use a dry erase marker to write the names and numbers of cab services in the blank space. You can easily erase them after (that's why you wanna use a dry erase marker over a permanent one). Then, you can lend this to your friends who get married after you, since their location might be serviced by a different cab company.

To get the printable, just right click the image below. Save it to your computer, then upload it to a site to print it, like Walgreens.com. 

We have a few other wedding printables available for free, too. They're all listed below:

• Bridal Shower Word Search
• Mason Jar Hot Chocolate Mix Favors
• Lucky Duck Wine Rehearsal Dinner Gift
• DIY Bridesmaids Cards
• DIY Thanks A Latte Coffee Wedding Favor
• Honeymoon Packing Checklist
• DIY Bridesmaids Wine Bottle
• Famous Couples Bridal Shower Game
• Thank You For Being My Groomsman Cigar Gift
• DIY Wedding Sparklers & Free Printable Tags
• Tears Of Joy Envelopes
• Bridal Bingo

BRIDAL BABBLE:Are you paying for a shuttle for your guests?