Easy to make chair covers - step by step video

From Charming bows

Parasol Seating Cards - perfect for a beach themed wedding

From Martha Stewart Weddings

These cheerfully colored umbrellas sporting seating assignments dot miniature sand dunes at the entrance to a summer reception.

You'll need a 1-inch-deep tray, a sheet of 1/4-inch foam board cut to fit into bottom of the tray, and some sand. Lay the foam board in the tray, and cover with sand. Drizzle sand unevenly, sifting a bit more here and there to form dunes. Print your seating assignments onto colored paper, and cut them into strips; glue strips to the shafts of the umbrellas. Poke the umbrellas through the sand into the foam board at an angle so guests can easily find their names.

Save the date ideas

From Elizabeth Anne Designs

Scrabble: Spell out your save the date card on a scrabble board. Include the words “Save the Date”, names, wedding date and city, and your wedding website. Take a photo and mail prints as your save the date card!

From Off Beat Bride

I love these save the date cards! Visit a photobooth and use your imagination! Hold up a sign, write on your hand...the ideas are endless

Bookmarks

Remind guests of your wedding with every page they turn. These bookmarks were printed on lightweight card stock, five per sheet, and trimmed to 2-by-7-inch strips. Punch holes; add store-bought tassels. Mail in glassine envelopes with card-stock inserts bearing the address.

From Martha Stewart Weddings

Ribbon Reminder

Open this card, and the details (literally) come spilling out. Cut date from card stock using number punches; pierce tops with a hole punch. Slide onto 1/4-inch ribbon, tying bows before and after each pair. Cut two slits in a note card; thread ribbon through, and tie a bow. Download envelope liner here, or use a word-processing program to cut and paste words in different colors all over a page; print out. Cut to size (use unfolded envelope as template); affix with glue stick.

Fortune cookies

From HomeHints

These are a great idea for a bit of fun at your wedding. The guests will love opening them up to read their 'fortune'

Makes 45

What you will need

• 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 2 eggwhites, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
• 45 messages on 1 x 5.5cm pieces of paper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, combine well. Add eggwhites, 1 at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in flour and a pinch of salt until smooth.

2. Using an 8cm pastry cutter as a guide, trace 4 circles, 4cm apart, on to a sheet of baking paper. Flip paper over and place on a greased oven tray. Using a metric measuring spoon, spoon a slightly rounded tsp of mixture on to each circle. Use the back of a spoon to spread batter to fill circles.

3. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until cookies begin to brown around edges. Working quickly, slide a spatula under each cookie to loosen, then place a message on top of each. Fold hot biscuits in half to enclose, pressing edges together, then bend in half the other way, over the edge of a glass, to create crescent shapes. Hold for a few seconds. Place on a wire rack to cool.

4. Repeat with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes & tips * Cook's tip: Baking paper can be reused up to four times; any more and cookies won't be as smooth.

Funny messages -

He who throws dirt is losing ground.

You can always find happiness at work on Friday.

Do not mistake temptation for opportunity.

A woman who seeks to be equal with men lacks ambition. Ouch!!!

The greatest danger could be your stupidity.

He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.

He who laughs last is laughing at you.

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

A cynic is only a frustrated optimist.

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind, and won't change the subject.

It doesn't matter. Who is without a flaw?

The world may be your oyster, but it doesn't mean you'll get its pearl.

Flattery will go far tonight.

Love Messages -

A warm smile is testimony of a generous nature.

A secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection.

Love asks me no questions, and gives me endless support. Shakespeare

In the end there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Don't forget, you are always on our minds.

Love is for the lucky and the brave.

If you continually give, you will continually have.

If you want the rainbow, you must put up with the rain. D. Parton

If you would be loved, love and be lovable.

The one you love is closer than you think.

Love always and deeply.

Your heart will always make itself known through your words.

Love begets love.

We cannot do great things; only small things with great love. Mother Teresa

Love is like wildflowers...it is often found in the most unlikely places.

Love is the only medicine for a broken heart.

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. H.L. Mencken

Much more grows in the garden than that which is planted there.

One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes.

Only love lets us see normal things in an extraordinary way.

The greatest gift is love.

The time is right to make new friends.

There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.

Those who have love, have wealth beyond measure.

To love is to forgive.

Hearts are not to be had as a gift, hearts are to be earned. W.B. Yeats

Your heart is a place to draw true happiness.

Love conquers all.

Count your blessings by thinking of those whom you love.

Downloadable wedding bits and pieces

Gift boxes

Engagement notice

Photo cubes

Also check out Microsoft Office Templates. They have a heap of invitations, save the dates, programs and more that you can download and print out.

DIY Boutonnieres

From JR Roses

If you are craft-inclined and want to add a handcrafted touch, try making the groom's boutonniere. We suggest using a hardy flower with a big head such as a rose or miniature calla lily; they can survive being handled. You can make a boutonniere the day before the wedding, and be sure to get extra flowers for practice. Here's a step-by-step guide on do-it-yourself boutonnieres.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Blooms for boutonnieres

Bucket

Floral wire

Green waxed floral tape

Ivy leaf, fern frond, or other greenery

Pearl-tipped corsage pins

Pencil

Resealable plastic sandwich bag

Ribbon in a complementary wedding-day color (optional)

Stem cutter or sharp knife

Stem stripper

Wire cutters

STEP 1: Selecting & Preparing the Bundles of Blooms

Pick your bundles of bouquets. Remove excess foliage and thorns, and pull off damaged petals. Fill a sink or bucket with water, and holding the stems underwater, use the stem cutter or knife to cut the stems at an angle about two inches from the bottom. Allow the flowers to drink for a few seconds with the stem ends underwater, then place the stems in a bucket filled halfway with cool water until you are ready to use them. Note: If you are working with roses and the heads aren't open yet, you can force the blooms open by placing the stems in a bucket of hot water; do this only for a couple of minutes just before you are going to use the roses, otherwise you might kill them.

STEP 2: Choosing & Preparing Particular Flowers

Choose a particular stem and/or flower for the boutonniere. Use a stem cutter or sharp knife to cut the stem to a length of approximately three inches. Create a bed for the flower: Take an ivy leaf, fern frond, or other bit of greenery and place it behind the flower. Knot Note: The bed should not extend much beyond the top of the flower and should be visible from the sides. Place a six-inch piece of wire behind the stems.

STEP 3: Crafting the Boutonniere

Prepare the stems: Starting from the top of the stems, begin to wrap floral tape down the stems in a spiral to secure them together; wrap until about 3/4 of an inch is covered. Trim away the excess stem and continue to wrap floral tape around the wire about three inches down, then wrap the tape back up toward the flower head. Once you're back at the top, wrap tape around several times to be sure it's secure. Trim the excess tape.

STEP 4: Securing the Boutonniere

Finish the boutonniere stem: Trim the wired and wrapped stem so the total length is about 1 1/2 inches. Curl the end around a pencil point and pinch the tip to finish it. Attach a ribbon bow (if you like). Depending on the weight of the boutonniere, insert one or two pearl-tipped pins into the stem to use later for attaching it to the lapel.

The boutonniere is now complete! Mist it with water and place it in a resealable plastic sandwich bag (blow a puff of breath into the bag before you seal it to provide airspace around the boutonniere). You can place up to two boutonnieres in the same bag.

DIY Bouquets

From JR Roses

A simple single-flower arrangement is not difficult to make, and the classic dome shape of this round bouquet complements most wedding gowns. Be sure to stick to hardier flowers like roses, which are easier to arrange and can endure a little manhandling. To make a bridal bouquet about 8 inches in diameter, just follow the instructions below. This bouquet takes between 30 and 60 minutes to construct, and about 30 to 60 stems.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

30 to 60 stems of a hardy flower like the rose (20 to 40 for each bridesmaid bouquet)

Bucket

Paper towels

Ribbon (in a complementary color), 1 to 2 inches wide Rubber bands or green waxed floral tape

Stem cutter or very sharp knife

Stem stripper

Straight pins or pearl-tipped corsage pins

STEP 1: Preparing the Flowers
Use your hands or a stem stripper to remove excess foliage and thorns, and pull off damaged or unattractive outer petals. Fill a sink or bucket with water, and holding the stems underwater use the stem cutter or knife to cut the stems at an angle about 2 inches from the bottom. Allow the flowers to drink for a few seconds with the stem ends underwater, then place the stems in a bucket filled halfway with cool water until you are ready to use them. Note: If you're working with roses and the heads aren't open yet, you can force the blooms open by placing the stems in a bucket of hot water; but only do this for a couple of minutes just before you are going to use the roses, or you might kill them otherwise. Keep the stems long while you work with them and trim them to a shorter length when you've finished constructing the bouquet.

STEP 2: Assembling the Flowers

Take one stem at a time with one hand, and use your other hand to hold the flowers in place. Assemble four flowers at an even height in a square shape -- these will be at the center of the dome. Arrange the other flowers one by one around the center flowers to create a dome shape. Note: To better see what the bouquet will look like in your hand, stand in front of a mirror as you construct the bouquet to observe how the shape is progressing.

STEP 3: Securing the Bouquet

Use a rubber band or floral tape to bind the stems at the spot where they naturally join (about 3 to 4 inches below the flower heads). Repeat the binding toward the end of the stems, leaving about 2 inches of excess stem beneath the bind to trim later. Either place the stems in water and wrap them later or continue to Step 4.

STEP 4: Finish the Handle

Cut the stem ends so they are all the same length, about 7 to 8 inches long. Dry off the stems with a paper towel. Cut a length of ribbon about three times as long as the length of the stems. Tuck the end of the ribbon inside the top bind and start wrapping in a spiral down the length of the stem. When you reach the bottom, wrap in a spiral back up the stem. At the top, tuck the cut end of the ribbon underneath and secure with a couple of pins pushed through the ribbon and into the stems. If you'd like a bow, cut a separate length of ribbon and tie it just beneath the flower heads.

STEP 5: Preserving the Bouquet

Wrap the bouquet in tissue. Store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to leave for the ceremony. For ultimate freshness, it's best to make the bouquet the morning of the wedding. Once the bouquet is constructed, keep the bare stems in water as long as you can and mist the heads well. Then when you're ready, wrap the stems.

Chocolate Truffles Topiary

From Betty Crocker

Materials -

• 1 round florists foam topiary with dowel and base, 5 inches in diameter
• 1 flower pot to fit topiary base, about 6 inches in diameter
• Rocks to weight the pot
• Toothpicks
• Around 50 truffles (with firm centres)
  
• Glad wrap or aluminum foil
• 3 cups of fresh raspberries
• White & Gold ribbon

Directions -

• Press topiary base securely into flowerpot (glue if necessary) Fill pot 2/3 full with rocks
• Insert toothpicks into topiary ball and then push the truffles onto the toothpicks.
• Line top of pot with glad wrap or foil and then cover with raspberries.
  
• Tie the ribbon into a bow on the dowel
  

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Hearts and Flowers Topiary

From BHG

You Will Need

• 6-inch block of florist's foam
• 6-inch clay pot
• (2) 9-inch cinnamon sticks
• 7-inch heart-shape plastic foam (Styrofoam) form
• Miniature dried roses
• Glue gun
• 2-inch piece of hanger wire
• Dried moss

Instructions

1. Wedge the florist's foam inside the pot, trimming as necessary to fit.
2. Hot-glue two cinnamon sticks together and push them into the center of the florist's foam.
3. Hot-glue dried roses to heart shape.
4. Push the wire piece halfway into the pointed end of the heart shape. Push remaining end of wire into the top of one cinnamon stick. Secure with glue.
5. Cover the base of the topiary with moss.

Paper Fans

From BHG

What You Need:

• 12 x 12-inch sheet of patterned scrapbook paper
• Scissors: scallop-edge and straight-edge
• Crafts glue
• 1/8-inch hole punch
• 24-inch length of 1/2-inch-wide seam-binding ribbon

Instructions:

1. Trim opposite edges of the scrapbook paper with the scallop-edge scissors. Beginning with a straight edge of the paper, make accordion-style pleats every 3/4 inch across the paper. Firmly finger-crease each pleat.
2. Fold the pleated piece in half to form a fan and then unfold. To eliminate bulk where the unit folds in half, use straight-edge scissors to cut away a piece of the paper about one inch long on the inside pleat.
3. Refold the fan, spreading out the pleats, and slip one edge of each inside pleat over the other; glue in place. Use the hole punch to make a hole at the bottom of the center pleat. Insert the ribbon through the hole and tie a bow.
4. Use the hole punch to make a hole at the bottom of the center pleat. Insert the ribbon through the hole and tie a bow.

Not budget , but still pretty cool

I came across this site while looking for something else and thought I would share. Custom Printed M&MS

It's based in the US but does have a number you can call to enquire about shipping internationally.

You can choose from a heap of different colors and then personalise it how ever you like! One side has a picture of the bride and groom on it and the other side has text. You can also make them with text on both side rather than a picture. They make great favors.

Even if custom printed M&Ms are out of your price range, they do have some pretty cool ideas on how to decorate cakes with M&Ms so check out their page.