Wedding Detail Series: DIY Entrance Tables and Centerpieces

Our theme was wine, so for our table numbers we collected wine bottles and removed the labels.  We then made our own labels with each table number and the names of the guests at that table.  We set them up in and around  two wine crates at the table before you entered the reception room.

At each table, we had a picture frame with the coordinating table number and names associated with that table. We wanted our wedding to feel intimate despite there being 113 people in attendance.  One way for us to initiate that was to put random facts (named Food for Thought) about the people at each table on the framed table numbers. ***On a side note, we wanted each table to be slightly unique.  We went to Goodwill several times over a few months, purchasing different frames (all in the same wood tone), 5x7 for the tables and 8x10 for the instructional pieces.  We also purchased various vases in different shapes and sizes to put as the centerpieces at each table (see below).

People really seemed to enjoy this part.  It was fun to share if they knew everyone at the table and learned a little about others if they didn't know someone at their table.  We received a lot of positive feedback about this detail.

The centerpieces on the table with the table numbers, was a glass vase (in various shapes and sizes) filled with corks we had collected over the previous year (as well some donated from friends and family) and a candle.  We ended up with thousands of corks!  We did not use them all for the centerpieces and are still trying to repurpose them (see other cork projects under the Completed Projects tab).  Surrounding the centerpiece was a vine wreath and grapes (in green and purple, in a variety of sizes dispersed throughout the tables).

The last piece at each table was our favors.  We made (yes we homemade hundreds of heart-shaped cookies a few days before our wedding) Swedish Ginger Snap cookies, Pepparkakor, using my husband's family recipe.  We purchased the bags they are in online and then made Thank You labels with our wedding date.  We also folded the napkins in a heart shape to coordinate with the cookies.  Again, yes we folded and ironed the napkins into the heart shapes...our caterer was going to charge us extra, per napkin to do this so we decided we could... :)  How we had time for anything else that week, I don't know!

Also at the front entrance was a table for sign-in.  We knew we would never look at a traditional guest book.  So, we decided to do a wedding guest quilt.  We had guests sign a square of fabric (which we pre-cut) with a fabric marker.  We made the center of our quilt as an example to display using pieces we had some of our family and friends do beforehand.

We printed our logo and wedding date on transfer paper and ironed it on to our center piece of fabric.  From there we arranged and sewed together our squares of fabric (with a lot of help and direction from my mother-in-law~ Thanks Kathy!).

On that table with our wedding guest quilt sample, we had a basket for blank pieces of fabric, a basket to put the signed pieces of fabric and fabric pens.  Otherwise, the table was decorated with a canvas of one of our engagement photos sitting on a winecrate which covered the projector displaying our slideshow on a screen behind the table.

Whew! That was a lot of information!  As I write all of this, I am again shocked that we put in this much time and effort.  However, I wouldn't have changed a thing.  We loved the way everything turned out and had so many compliments on the details we put in!

Project details:

Wine bottles~ Collected by us, friends and family; labels stripped

Wine bottle labels~ Blank labels purchased at Office Depot and then created and printed by us at home

Crates~ Free from liquor stores, just by asking

Corks~ Collected by us, friends and family

Picture frames~ Purchased at Goodwill for $.97-1.50 each

Paper for frames~ Purchased at PaperSource

Background paper in instructional frames~ Purchased from World Market

Vases~ Purchased at Goodwill for $1-2.97 each

Vine wreaths~ Purchased at Ikea on sale for $2 each

Fake grapes~ Borrowed from a friend, I think purchased from Hobby Lobby on sale

Candles~ Purchased from Ikea for $9.99 for a 5 pack of multi-sizes

Cookies~ Homemade

Favor bags~ Purchased online from www.clearbags.com $10 for 200 bags 

Favor labels~ Blanks labels purchased from Office Depot and then created and printed by us at home
Fabric for wedding guest quilt~ Hobby Lobby
Transfer paper for iron on logo~ Hobby Lobby

Cork Ball Decoration

After my last cork project, PJ left a comment telling me what she did with her corks.  It was so cool that I had to try it, especially since we still had so many corks left!  To give credit where credit is due, check out PJ's original post here.

We purchased four styrofoam balls (two that were 4", one 8" and one 10").  We painted them a shade of brown so that the white was not seen in between the corks.  I hung them to dry overnight.

Next, I hot glued the corks on one by one... This took HOURS to do all four balls.  I would not recommend starting this project unless you don't mind delayed gratification!  I finished them within two days, thankfully a Jurassic Park marathon was on to help pass the time the second day!

I glued a line of corks around the center and then filled in one half.  Then I flipped it over and filled in the other half row by row.  Occasionally the bottom of a cork had to be trimmed down some to fit into a tighter space.

Here they are finished!

We put the largest one and one of the small ones up by the wine crates we had from out wedding.  We put the other two above the cabinets in the kitchen.

Thanks PJ for sharing this project!  Even though it was really time consuming, I think it was definitely worth it. These turned out really cool!

Cork Art

My husband and I had a wine themed wedding last October.  We, along with several friends and family members, saved up hundreds of corks before the big day to use in our centerpieces.  After the wedding, all of the corks went into a box...We've been trying to decide what we wanted to do with them and finally decided to make some wall art with some of them.

My initial inspiration was from a piece of art that my parents own (partially seen behind my wonderful parents):

So, my husband envisioned something with a wooden frame, some twine and our corks.  We went to Lowe's and got the supplies we needed and got started.

We knew it would go above the pantry door so we made it so that it would fit with about three inches on each side of the wall around it.  

My husband sawed down the wood to the length we wanted and made 45 degree edges on each side to form the frame.  He fastened the wood together with corner braces.

We chose to do 13 rows of 12 corks each.  After evenly making the holes equal space apart, he drilled 13 holes through the top and bottom pieces of the frame.

We bought decorative wood to cover the frame, which he then measured, trimmed and fit to the frame.  He glued the decorative wood to the frame and secured it with clamps to allow it to properly dry in place.

While that was drying, he drilled holes in 156 corks so that we could have 13 rows of 12 corks each.  I strung the corks onto the twine however had to tape the edge of the twine to get it to easily pass through the corks.

I didn't want every row to be the same, so I would place a few corks on and tie a knot to secure them in place before putting more corks on and leaving about a half inch gap in between the previous corks.  I did a different 'layout' for each strand of corks.

When that was finally finished, we assembled the rows of corks on the frame, tying a knot outside of the frame on each side.

We trimmed close to the edge of each knot and our project was complete!

Here it is hanging above the pantry door!  What do you think?

Unfortunately we still have HUNDREDS of corks left....what cork inspired project will be should be next?

Linking up to:

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday Party 13

Hookin Up with HOH #50