DIY - Do you?

This weekend M and I did absolutely nothing wedding-related.  We probably should have gone to see some more venues, but I think we were both burnt out and needed a weekend off.  Plus, I'm tired of writing about the never-ending venue search.  So let's do something a little more fun!

Let's Get Crafty!

I think one of the reasons I was so excited to start planning a wedding (um, aside from my love of M and how much I want to marry him of course) is that I love craft projects, but never get to do them.  They always fall to the bottom of my to-do list - where I spend a bunch of money on supplies and then get bogged down with the reality.  While I know that my wedding DIYs might end up the same way, that doesn't stop me from dreaming about all the cool artsy decor I can incorporate into our day.

[source]

When I first saw this sweet design on WeddingBee it was love at first sight.  I'm huge into fonts and lettering (don't get me started on how excited I am to design an invitation suite) and love this simple monogram featuring that curvy beauty, the ampersand.  I already use M and I's initials for, uh, everything (have you noticed?) and feel like this will be an easy and cheap way to add some fonty flair to our decor.

[1, 2, 3]

Without really realizing it, I've always been planning a vineyard-themed wedding.  And even though I'm not sure if we'll actually have our reception at a vineyard, I still love these cute winery touches.  I know there are several options for wine-themed escort cards, including the ever popular (and daunting) wine cork holders, but I like wine charms the best.  We're also considering etched wine glasses as favors, to tie the theme together.

[source]

And speaking of wine-themes DIYs, aren't these wine bottle luminaries gorgeous?  I imagine using a mix of dark and clear bottles to accent our centerpieces and other tables.  This is easily the hardest project I'm considering, since I have no idea how hard it will be to collect all the bottles I'll need and cut the ends off (though I have several friends who would be glad to come to a "bottle collecting" party...).  We don't own any saws or sanders, so I can see this being the most expensive project as well, though we might be able to borrow tools.

[source]

I love the romantic look of these lacy candle holders.  They're super simple to make (Bellenza has the instructions on their site!) and offer the impact of a fancy candle at a cheap-o price.  Plus, it perfectly matches the ivory and gold wedding colors we're using in addition to purple.  

What, if any, crafts are you planning for your wedding?  Have you attempted any of them yet, and did they turn out well?  Do you see DIYs as a way to add personality and save some money, or an added stress?