Here are eight things to think about when planning your rustic wedding!
1. Not everything is or should be DIY. Unless you have five years to plan your wedding, then doing everything yourself is nearly impossible. You should pick a few personal touches such as your centerpieces, signs, gifts or bouquets to create yourself. Keep in mind, that every interior designer will tell you, spaces look best with both new and old elements. If you have twine covered mason jars, add a little glitz and glimmer by either adding candles, shine or sparkle. Keep opposites in mind and blow your guests away. Smooth and Rough, Bright and Dull, Hard and Soft, Tall and Short, Wide and Thin.
 |
| http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/centerpiece-help-what-to-do/ |
2. Stay away from craft stores except for the basic necessities i.e. glue, wire, tape, ect… literally, only buy items that you absolutely cannot make yourself or find at the dollar store. The whole point of DIY is to save money and craft stores have become pricey. Scour flea markets, garage sales, discount stores and thrift stores and don't forget to bring creativity. As for online. Visit sites like Freecycle, Pennysaver, Craigslist or the Backpages and look for unwanted items. Sometimes you can even find items that other rustic brides used for their venues that you can use for yours.
5 things to look for in your used/cheap item
1. Can it be easily modified for your colors/theme
2. Is it high quality? No one wants something that will fall apart before the wedding.
3. Is it more expensive then buying it new?
4. Is it a very inexpensive product, that I can easily redesign for very little
5. Does it need shipped/mailed ect…
3. Say yes to handmade paper, lace and fabric flowers and and no to fake flowers. Fake flowers unfortunately look like, well, fake flowers. Everyone knows their fake, perhaps it's their plastic stems or unrealistic sheen that give them away, but most of the time they come off looking tacky. If you don't have the time or the patience to create your own flowers. Enlist some of your family and friends with green-thumbs to help grow you flowers. Keep in mind which flowers bloom when and also if anyone in your party has allergies to certain blooms.
Here is my tutorial for Pretty Paper Flowers:
4. Rust is good, mold is bad. It's ok to use something a little dirty or rusty as decor for a rustic wedding, but if there are traces of mold which can be black, white or green, it is best to stay clear. These can add to allergies, be irritating to your guests and even cause illness.
 |
| Green Mold on Antique Carriage |
5. Rustic Restrooms are a no-no. It is not ok to go rustic here. There is nothing worse to watch than a $5,000 white, hand-beaded bridal gown being stuffed into a porta-potty. Yes, many barns have no bathrooms, so you should either upgrade to a deluxe porta suite with sinks and flushing toilets or switch venues. Unfortunate, but true. Everyone is paying to attend, some guests are even flying from out of state, so treat them like a welcomed guest, not like their there for a camping retreat. Not saying you should eliminate the porta-potty idea completely, just make sure it is a secondary option.
6. Rustic doesn't necessarily mean cheap. Forgo plastic cups, silverware and please, refrain from paper plates, there are very inexpensive ways to plate your dinner including mis-matched plates with a similar theme, buying used plates from someone who recently thru a wedding, or if push comes to shove renting plates and silverware from your caterer. Paper plates blow away, plastics silverware just can't take the pressure of cutting any type of meat, and plastic cups should be left for the fraternities. Oh, and absolutely no RED SOLO CUPS (except during the song ; ) )
 |
| No! Photo from http://www.teamjimmyjoe.com/tag/wedding-photography/#.U3fgz8bd5g0 |
7. Beware of Picnic Tables. I love the look of picnic tables. They have a certain charm and look like a great option, however, the women in your family might not agree. Many of your guests will be dressed up and many women will likely be in dresses. This means that women have to lift their leg over the seat to get into their spot at the table and could leave some guests with more unforgettable memories of your wedding then you would like to have. Also, picnic tables are nearly impossible to enter for the elderly. Think about your dearly beloved grandparents who can't make it up a flight of stairs, let alone try and climb over a picnic table. If you do still chose to use a picnic table, make sure you cap the ends with a couple wooden folding chairs for easier access.
 |
| http://blog.tgkdesigns.com |
8. Think outside the box. If you have been Googling rustic weddings you have probably fallen in love with mason jars, chalkboards, wood log bases for your centerpiece, radio flyers and of course lanterns! I am not saying that you should cut these ideas out completely, I'm certainly not, but you should add your own elements. If you love books concentrate on creating items using the pages and spines of books, if your hubby loves fishing, use old fishing rods, tackle boxes ect… the point is, take the basic ideas and then make them your own. You've chosen DIY and Rustic which means you have the opportunity to make it personal.
 |
| http://blog.myweddingreceptionideas.com |
