2009 November | Intimate Weddings - Small Wedding Blog - DIY Wedding Ideas for Small and Intimate Weddings

Caramel Corn Recipe: Scrumptious Homemade Gourmet Caramel Corn

November 30, 2009 by Christina

homemade caramel corn

I guarantee that you will LOVE this homemade caramel corn recipe. It will become a tradition in your family. You will pass the caramel corn recipe down to your children, your grandchildren. Yes, it’s that good. Darin’s aunt and uncle make this gourmet caramel corn every Christmas. Auntie Di cut the recipe out 40 years ago from The Toronto Star Weekly. It’s one of the treats that we look forward to most around the holidays.

If you are looking for a scrumptious DIY wedding favor – read on! I am not only sharing the homemade caramel corn recipe – but tomorrow I’ll be offering up a tutorial on how to make your favors look extra lovely – along with freebie labels to go with your homemade caramel corn.

Honestly, your guests will think they’ve died and gone to heaven when they pop these gourmet goodies into their mouths. Beware: if you are making this for your wedding, store in a cool (not cold), dry place that is out of the way. You don’t want these in your range of vision. Otherwise there won’t be any left for your guests! [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Favors & Gifts, DIY Food & Drink, DIY Wedding |

IW Hot Shot!: Confetti

November 29, 2009 by Christina

wedding confetti

Now that’s a confetti shot! Photo by Becker.

Filed Under: IW Hot Shot |

Glass Chapel in the Woods

November 27, 2009 by Christina

garvanthebecker3 forest church

A glass chapel in the woods? Can you believe how beautiful it is? Breathtaking. That’s what it is. Imagine getting married here? Where is it, you ask?

This gorgeous glass chapel is at Garvan Woodland Gardens near Hot Springs, Arkansas. The wedding was shot by Becker.

Filed Under: Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Venues |

Real Weddings: Dale and Chris’s Beach Wedding on the Washington Coast

November 26, 2009 by Christina

Dale and Chris got married this past August in a little town called Moclips on the Washington Coast. Their beach wedding had only 35 guests – and lots of DIY touches. Thanks to Mosca Photo for the lovely photos!

beach wedding couple

beach wedding

getting married on the beach [Read more...]

Filed Under: Real Weddings |

The DIY Corsage: Move over Flowers, the Corsage Ain’t What it Used to Be

November 25, 2009 by Christina

When I hear the word ‘corsage’ I’m instantly transported back in time to the high school prom I didn’t attend. The smell of carnation and baby’s breath fills my nostrils, along with a hint of rose. And then I am reminded of elderly ladies in church.

The corsage does not have a sexy image.

But corsages ain’t what they used to be.

Although fresh flowers are still an option, many creative brides and grooms are turning the corsage on it’s head – using everything from felt and ribbon, to berries, leaves and acorns.

Here are a couple of DIY corsage ideas that I thought were fun!

Planet Mithi made ribbon brooches instead of traditional corsages for the members of her wedding party, and also for her immediate family.

diy corsage

She writes:

“The photo frames are little dollhouse frames that I spray-painted white. The whole thing is stuck/sewn to a backing piece of felt onto which I attached a safety pin. Fairly straight forward you would think – but it took a long time: sourcing the right colours and combinations of ribbons; doing all the sewing – especially sewing all the names on; sourcing all the photographs; and just in general putting it all together.”

But Planet Mithi says it was worth the effort.

“I am SO happy with these,” she says, adding that she is going to frame some of them.

Mark Montano’s The Big-Ass Book of Craftscreated an Urban DIY Corsage that’s worn around the wrist and made of recycled materials.

diy corsage

Get the full instructions on how to make an Urban DIY Corsage over here.

And then there is always Martha who offers some lovely DIY corsage ideas in her book Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration. I bought this book a few months ago, and it’s a must-have for anyone with a penchant for DIY. There are oodles of craft projects that can be incorporated into your wedding.

Filed Under: DIY Flowers, DIY Misc., DIY Wedding |

Real Weddings: Adina & Whitman’s Intimate Backyard Wedding

November 24, 2009 by Christina

Adina, 29 & Whitman, 29

Los Angeles, California

Wedding Date: March 31, 2009 (10 year anniversary from their first kiss)

Number of Guests: 3

Wedding Cost: $7,000 (includes rings, dress, suit, officiant, flowers)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Silverlake, Los Angeles at bride’s great-grandmother’s garden

Wedding Reception Location: The SmogShoppe, Culver City on June 27, 2009

bride throwing petals

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Whitman and I have been together for so long, it was as if we were already married. We wanted to have a private ceremony because we wanted to keep it simple and intimate. Having too many people around would be distracting to both of us and we wouldn’t be able to enjoy ourselves. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Real Weddings |

DIY Escort Cards: Birds and More Birds

November 23, 2009 by Christina

diy escort cards love doves

Got some clothespins kicking around? Some white paint? Paper? You just might have yourself some super cute DIY escort cards in no time. The Wedding Co. has offered up the complete instructions to make these Love Doves. You can download the instructions here.

diy escort cards birds theme

And if you are crazy about birds, check out Martha Stewart’s
DIY Wedding section. It’s got dozens of bird-themed DIY projects, like these stamped escort cards.

bird place cards

These Martha Stewart bird escort cards that sit on the rim of your wine glass are so fun! You can check them out here.

Filed Under: DIY Escort Cards & Table Numbers, DIY Wedding |

IW Hotshot!: Up

November 22, 2009 by Christina

bride on stairs

Love this image by award winning photographer Ryan Schembri.

Filed Under: IW Hot Shot |

Small Wedding Snobs and Snubs: Have you been shunned?

November 20, 2009 by Christina

We had our small wedding reception at home, so we did not have to deal with venue owners snubbing us for having a small wedding. But judging by what I’ve read from other brides, it’s not an uncommon occurence. Take Naoimi for instance.

Naoimi is a reporter over at TimesUnion.com, and she’s planning a wedding of 50-75 guests. Naomi is searching for a venue for her wedding and decided to check out an area country club. When she arrived for the tour she was cordially welcomed – that is, until she informed the tour guide that she was having a small wedding. She writes:

Fifty to 75 people, I told him. Not good. Their ballroom seats 300, he said; the space would dwarf our party. I believed him, but I was still curious. We didn’t get to see it, though. Instead, he showed us a section of the dining room that was partitioned off and empty. The dining room could be used for smaller events, he said, but it wasn’t a good space for wedding receptions.

“Fifty to 75 … ehhh,” he said several times, shrugging. The tour was clearly over. After he walked away, toward the club’s inner sanctum (no handshake this time), I realized my coat was still in his office. Luckily, the door was open, so I retrieved it and left as quickly as possible.

Judging by the flood of comments that Naoimi received, this topic clearly struck a nerve with her audience.

But there is hope for Naomi. Plenty of it. There are small wedding friendly venues out there. Beautiful venues that welcome intimate guest lists. I don’t mean to toot my own horn here (okay, maybe I do.. just a little), but that’s the beauty of the Intimate Weddings Venue Finder. The venues listed are ideal for small weddings. And there’s always the possiblity of an at-home wedding - whether it’s your own home, or a rented private residence.

Have any of you had similar difficulties finding a venue because of your small guest list? Have you been snubbed? I would love to hear your comments.

Filed Under: Wedding Planning |

Paper Pom Poms: DIY Wedding Decor

November 19, 2009 by Christina

Paper pom poms are all the rage lately. No wonder. They’re pretty, inexpensive and easy to make. (That’s what people are saying, anyway. I haven’t attempted to make them myself.)

Planet Mithi made Martha Stewart paper pompoms for her wedding. And here’s what she had to say about making the paper pom poms:

“It turned out to be extremely easy to do and so I set about sourcing enough tissue paper in colours that I wanted to make at least 50 of them! 1 is easy; 50 is a bit more demanding … It took me a whole day and a half of solid work to fold and tie them up.”

Here’s how they looked:

DIY paper pom poms on vines are also an attractive way to dress up the outdoors for a garden wedding.

diy wedding pom poms

Wouldn’t these be a fun DIY project for a backyard wedding? There is a pom pom vines tutorial over at OnceWed.com.

There are also paper pom pom napkins.

diy pom poms

You can learn to make these pom pom napkins over at YumSugar.

Filed Under: DIY Wedding |

Vintage Crockery For Hire? Vintage Weddings and Afternoon Tea Parties

November 18, 2009 by Christina

vintage crockery for hire

tea party wedding

I go to yard sales. I go to rummage sales and flea markets. I go to second hand stores. I see dishes. Beautiful antique dishes – going for a song. But I don’t buy them because I don’t own a China cabinet and my cupboards are already busting at the seams. But someone could do wonderful things with these lovely old dishes. Like rent them out for vintage weddings.

Maybe I don’t get out enough, but until a couple of days ago I had never heard of such a thing as a vintage crockery rental business. Judging by the number of vintage crockery rental businesses online, it looks like it’s a hot little trend in the U.K. Are there similar businesses here in North America? If so, I’d love to hear about them. If not, what are you waiting for ladies? What a fun and creative business idea!

U.K’s My Vintage Party, for instance, hires out vintage crockery, linens and accessories for vintage weddings and afternoon tea parties. Each piece is priced individually. London’s The Crockery Cupboard and The English Tea Party also offer a similar service.

But My Vintage Party offers something unique to go along with the crockery rental; a vintage caravan! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Unique Wedding Finds, Wedding Trends |

Real Weddings: Dani and Richard’s Florida Beach Wedding

November 17, 2009 by Christina

Florida has some pretty stunning beaches that are perfect for saying ‘I do’. Like the one at Deer Lake State Park in Santa Rose Beach, Florida. Gorgeous. Dani and Richard had an intimate wedding there a few weeks ago. Amanda Suanne shot the lovely photos of the couple’s beach wedding.

[Read more...]