DIY Wedding Projects

DIY Wedding Projects: there are a number of DIY projects throughout this site varying in size, complexity and the amount of time required to undertake them. As this site is huge and not exclusively DIY, the (site map) will save you a lot of time and assist you in finding the topic you are interested in. If you cannot find the DIY wedding project you are looking for then email me. In return I will provide you with a solution, or if I am unable to do so, will point you in the direction of someone who can. (The solution will not cost you anything apart from the time it takes you to email me.)

The bride and grooms silhouette may be used on the front of DIY invitations, as a header, or background, for menus and wedding stationery, as a logo for wine labels, etc. Its use is as varied and flexible as your imagination. Here’s how to make your silhouette.

DIY Wedding Projects: Materials And Equipment You Will Need For Silhouettes

- Profile photograph of the bride and groom (this could be two individual photos)
- Oval photo mounts for invitations (number depending upon the number of guests)
- Sticky labels for wine bottles (or other preserves)
- Pencil
- Craft knife, or small sharp scissors
- Cutting mat, or flat smooth cutting surface
- Black permanent marker
- Spray adhesive
- Cards for invitations (this could be coloured card in your wedding colours)
- Pinking shears if available
- Paper glue and brush
- Access to a scanner, computer, printer and photocopier
- Photocopier paper in your chosen wedding colour

DIY Wedding Projects: Making Your Silhouette For Wedding Invitations

- Take a side profile photograph of yourselves to include the top part of your torso to give a “bust” outline
- For the wedding invitations, enlarge the photograph on a photocopier to fit your card, or if choosing to use a mount, to fit your oval (or other shaped) mounts
- Using a craft knife (or sharp scissors depending upon preference) and cutting mat, cut very carefully around the faces . Cut an extra bit around the hair.
- Turn the cut out over and colour it evenly with a black marker pen. Do not overwork the edges as every dent will show. Pay attention to the hair, the extra allowance will let you incorporate more detail.
- Repeat this process several times (using duplicate photographs) if having a small wedding (not recommended for large weddings)
- Glue the finished image directly onto your wedding invitation card, or mount on a plain cream or white oval background and then stick it onto your card
OR DIY Wedding Projects: Making Your Silhouette For A Large Wedding
- For larger weddings scan this image using a scanner and either print onto quality card, or print onto your mount. Check the thickness of card that your printer will take.

DIY Wedding Projects: Oval Mounting
- To create your oval background mount, first make your template. Take a smaller piece of paper (than the front of your invitation card) and fold it into quarters. Using an upside down saucer (or other shaped object of your choice) trace a curve between the two outer points. Cut using the pinking shears. You do not have to have an oval, you may choose a circle, square, etc.
- Glue the cream/white mount (upon which you have glued the image) onto the card.

Tips: Cream/white offsets the black silhouette to best advantage. You may, of course, decide to use different dark colours for the silhouette, e.g. brown, navy, mauve, moss green, scarlet, etc. and a lighter complimentary mount.

You could even extend the colour theme to your printing. However, remember that light or pastel colours can be difficult to read.

DIY Wedding Projects: Making Your Silhouette For Your Stationery

- Use the same process as above to make your silhouette.
- For letter heads or logos use a scanner to scan the silhouette and save using Microsoft “paint” as a “.jpg” file. Reduce to size, cut and paste, as appropriate, or use as a “watermark” for background. If this is double dutch to you then ask a computer literate friend to help.
- Alternatively, using the spray adhesive, stick your silhouette onto one piece of stationery. Be exceptionally careful not to let your silhouette pucker as this will mar the finished effect.
- Prior to doing a print run, test the photocopy/reproductive quality.

DIY Wedding Projects: Making Your Wine Labels

- There are a number of sticky labels on the market, in various sizes, shapes and hues. Select the one to suit your wedding theme.
- To produce the logo use the same process as above (i.e. scan the silhouette, save using Microsoft “paint”, etc.)
- Write some appropriately worded text to go on the label and print.
- Then you have the choice whether to give your labels an “antique” effect. Here are a couple of methods. Dab the edges of the label with a damp tea bag. Alternatively, scorch the sides of the label with a lit match. Be careful not to burn yourself or set light to the labels!

Prior to sticking the labels onto the wine bottles, you may wish to soak off the existing wine labels. This will give a more authentic effect.

DIY Wedding Projects: Other Silhouette Ideas

You need not end here. Using the base idea of creating your silhouette you may then transfer it onto other objects, for example:

DIY Wedding Projects: Etch Your Silhouette Onto The Wine Glasses

These can be used and given as a wedding favour. You will need to purchase some plain wine glasses and an etching pen for use on glass. Pay attention to the quality of the glass – too thin and it may shatter when you commence etching. Continue as follows:

- Make your silhouettes as above, but you need not colour it in. Reproduce the silhouettes on the photocopier. Extra attention should be given though, to the cutting of the silhouette. When tracing around an object the trace is marginally larger. You may choose to factor this is when preparing your silhouette. Also bear in mind the shape of the glass.
- Decide whether to have both silhouettes on the same glass, or whether to have “his” and “hers”, the groom on one and the bride on the other. To reflect married and single guests, you may have a mixture of both.
- Using the spray adhesive, glue the silhouette(s) onto the glass.
- Resting the glass on a padded surface, e.g. folded towel, carefully etch around the silhouette.
- When finished soak off the paper silhouette. Dry and buff the glass. You may decide to add some extra details to the hair, or add an eyelash or two to the profile, perhaps give the groom a bowtie and the bride a necklace of pearls, etc.

This project is time consuming due to the attention to detail required and its intricacy.

DIY Wedding Projects: Etch Your Silhouette Onto A Napkin Ring

Materials Required:
- Napkin rings
- Etching pen for use on wood
- Fine nibbed black biros
- Cocktail sticks
- Black India Ink
- Clear varnish

Purchase some wooden napkin rings. DIY stores sell them made of balsa wood that are easy to etch onto due to the softness of the wood. The process for producing a silhouette you will be familiar with now! Having affixed the silhouette to the napkin ring you have a couple of options:

- Either etch the soft wood with one of the fine nibbed black biros. Be careful not to thicken the profile if you have to go over the etch. Instead just use some India ink, but be very careful that it does not “run” due to the softness of the wood.
OR
- If the wood is not balsa, then use the etching pen.
- Having completed the etch, remove the silhouette
- Take a cocktail stick, dip it into the India ink and carefully trace over the etched silhouette. This will give a clear profile.

Finally, whichever method you use, finish by applying a layer of clear varnish.

Have fun!