A few days ago I posted a blog about how to turn paper and string into wedding decorations. I know a lot of modern brides are looking for do-it-yourself, budget-friendly options but let’s be honest, not all brides are crafty. You may love these little do-it-yourself project but don’t have the time, tools or patience to actually do it yourself. Fear not, as always Etsy will come to the rescue.

use these mini garlands indoors or out

Decorate with paper streamers and garlands without owning your own sewing machine thanks to the kategreiner shop. She makes an assortment of adorable sewn decorations that are just as affordable as a do-it-yourself project. Check out her circus decorations – these little cuties can be used almost everywhere outside the big top.

origami wedding flowers

Marthastewartweddings.com loves to share do-it-yourself paper flower directions. Having wedding flowers that don’t need to be in season and will last forever is tempting, but those directions can be daunting. Box64Studios creates adorable origami paper flowers in your wedding colors for a completely affordable price. I love the bright papers!

Your wedding day lasts just that long – one day. It’s the pictures that last a lifetime. I know I’ve already emphasized the importance of a quality wedding photographer. But if you pour over pictures on stylemepretty.com you know good wedding photo props are key. These things usually don’t happen by accident – I mean you may pose in front of a street sign as a last minute decision but those oversize ampersands don’t just appear on the scene. You need to come prepared.

Shopping for wedding photo props is fun! Look through your wedding day inspiration folder – I’m sure you have a physical binder or dedicated folder for these photo downloads you’d like to duplicate. Choose the props that come up most often in your photo folder or the ones that stand out most to you. Here are a few of my favorites:

Ampersands. Your wedding day is about unity – two people becoming one married couple. Ampersands represent the essence of that bond and a wedding in general.

Mustaches. These simple little details add so much fun to your photos.

Chalkboard. You can write anything from you wedding date, a simple heart drawing or thank you for your cards.

I’ve already shared a number of untraditional guest book ideas with you. But why not try something completely different? Get your guests more involved than a signature in a book to share in your big day. Have your guests write marriage fortunes for the happy couple – you’ll have better luck getting good fortunes than from a standard cookie.

love notes in a bottle

Or have your guests write messages, roll them up, and seal them in a bottle. Open your message in a bottle guest book on your one year anniversary.  Or use it as decor in your home!

design mad lib cards to match your wedding stationary

For a really fun activity, create a wedding Mad Libs for your guests to fill out! Write a paragraph and leave blanks for details such as name, how long they’ve known the couple, a word to describe the couple style and other customizable details. The cards would look great on your reception tables and are a unique memory from your wedding day.

Decorating on a budget? Nothing comes cheaper than paper and string. It’s what you do with those materials that can transform a room into a wedding venue any bride would be jealous of, regardless of her budget.

looks much fancier than wax paper to me

Grab a couple of extra rolls of wax paper at the grocery store for this project. Wax paper ironed together (3 layers on a dry heat setting) looks very similar to shells, like in this lamp. Stick with the original DIY decorations for hanging chandelier-style decorations, just skip the light bulbs. Or string the wax disks together with plenty of spacing and hang layers from the ceiling for curtain decorations.

streamers add an element of fun

Make a quick trip to the local party store for streamers to extend the paper and string theme to your wedding stationary. Fanfold the streamers and stitch them together then cut into pieces a few inches long. Glue these pieces onto cardstock to decorate table numbers, buffet food labels or escort cards.

bright vellum mobiles

Or splurge on some fancy paper and string and pick up colored sheets of vellum. Cut them into strips and use a sewing machine to run a line down the middle for an easy garland that will brighten up any table.