DIY: Build Your Own Chuppah

No, I am not Jewish...but I loved the concept of having a chuppah (which symbolizes the home that the couple will build together) at my wedding ceremony, so I made one (with some help). You can click on the picture, to get a better view. I had previously posted about having a chuppah before my wedding. Here is what you need to make one of your own:

• PVC pipe
• 4 PVC joint connectors
• 4 Paint buckets
• 4 Quick drying cement

You will need to start this a day or so before you need it. I assembled most of mine the 2 nights before the wedding. I thought it was really easy to do. Here are the steps:

• You will need to measure your space to see what length that you need to create the chuppah. I used 4 ten foot PVC polls and 4 five foot PVC polls. Make sure that you have your measurements when you go to the hardware store to obtain your pipe, so that the you get the hardware stores staff to cut it to the length that you want. I could have used shorter polls ones, but wanted a grand effect.
• Mix the quick drying cement. Be mindful of what the temperature is when mixing it. You do not want it to be too runny or too thick.
• Fill the paint buckets half full. Place the long PVC polls ( for me the 10 foot polls), in the center of the bucket. Make sure that you secure the polls with rope or wood to ensure that the polls dry in the cement straight. I thought that I had them straight, but when Mr.Broomjumpinggroom came home he immediately said that they were not and got busy making sure that they were.

Once at the site....

• Space the buckets with the polls in them where you want them.
• With using the connectors, connect the shorter polls to the longer polls. Once connected you should have created a square.
• Decorate how you want. I used fabric, ribbon and flowers on my chuppah. The only issue that I had was ensuring that the numbers printed on the PVC pipe were covered up. To fix this I turn the buckets to the back of the altar and covered the polls with ribbon. You may want to use light fabrics because extra weight may not work well on the PVC polls. Make sure that you have good tape and/or stick pins to attach your decor to the PVC polls.

In creating a chuppah, make sure that you have many hands to assist with assembly at the site. It is quite helpful. Depending on the height make sure that you have a ladder, it makes it so much easier. At the end of the night, taking it apart was easy....my husband (who was ready to to leave) pulled on one of the polls and it just popped apart. Even though it came apart so easy, the chuppah was really strong. If you want to ensure that it does not pop apart you can always, use constructive adhesive to link the PVC connectors and pipes together. In the end, the buckets and polls that I used went in the trash, mainly because I do not have anywhere to store it after the ceremony and I kept all the decor.

Cost:

• PVC pipe $3.22 a piece ( the 4 short pieces was two pipes that were cut in half)
• PVC connectors $1.55 (4 connectors)
  
• Quikcrete $ 2.77 (4 bags)
  
• Paint bucket $ 1.00 (4 buckets)
  

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Total $40.60

( I love this picture. It shows my mom's handy work off. She made the table cloth, chair bows and the napkins for my sweetheart table. Thanks mom!!!)

There will be additional cost for the decor that you want to add to it. I loved the way that it looked for my wedding. My husband and I stood under it with our minister for the ceremony and had our sweetheart table underneath it for the reception. It added so much to our wedding. I was proud that I made it.

Decor: reception, wedding ceremony, bathroom?

The place that I am having my ceremony at, my mom is concerned about the bathrooms. It is an older building and the restrooms are nice but small. My mom has stated since booking that we needed to do something to make our guest more comfortable, well I think that I have found it.

On the Bona Fide Preppy Bride she made these wonderful baskets for her guest at her reception. She made one basket for the ladies and one for the men (sample pictured above). With the baskets she has these wonderful signs:

Ladies signs:

We're so happy you're here to share our special day,But should something happen to go astray,Please help yourself to the contents within,Hairspray, hand lotion and even aspirin!Use what you need and leave the rest,It may be useful to another guest.So repair the damage that may have been done,Then hurry on back and join the fun!Compliments of the Newlyweds

And the men's' sign reads:

If you've stained your tie, your hair is out of place,You've got bad breath or whatever the case,We've put together a basket to help you along,Now hurry back out before you miss the next song!

Compliments of the Newlyweds!

These are so neat. I have already told her I was using these ( with her permission of course) for the baskets that I plan on putting in my baskets. Now that I have the idea, now I have to think of what to put in them. The Bona Fide Preppy Bride has given me some ideas like:

• Tylenol


• Advil


• Hairspray


• Q-tips


• Breath mints


• Mouth wash accompanied with mini cups


• Contact lens solution


• Hand Lotion


• Dental Floss


• Deodorant Spray


• Eye Drops


• Band-aids


• Rolaids


• Tums


• Tide Pen


• Disposable combs

I am sure I will think of some of ideas for mine, like tissues, extra toilet paper, nail polish remove and a sewing kit. I would like to say thank you Bona Fide Preppy Bride.. you have taken one more thing off of my mind.

Aisle Decorations

When thinking about aisle decor for your wedding, consider some of these.

Information found here.

Escort Cards

I am not sure if I will be using escort cards or not for my wedding, but here are some cool ideas for them. Are you using escort cards? How are you using them?

Information found here

They Are Here!!!

They're hereeeeeeee!!! Anyone else remember this from the movie Poltergeists. Well, I am not speaking of ghost, but about the vases for my tables at the wedding reception. I talked about them in previous posting. I bought these on the Bride to Bride Boutique website from a woman named Jill, who used them for her wedding. Jill was nice enough to bring them to me and drop them off at my home instead of me paying for shipping. I am sure shipping would have been more than what I bought the vases for. I got them for a great price.My basement is starting to get full with all of the goodies I have purchased for the wedding. If you are still in need of stuff check out the Bride to Bride Boutique website, you might find something that you are looking for as well.

Recent Purchases

I have picked up a few things for the wedding over the last few weeks....take a look!! I got these square aqua colored gems at my local Dollar Tree. Yep, they were only a dollar. I bought 20 bags. I have my mom on the look out for some more at the Dollar Tree near her. I think about 20 more bags will do. I think that I am going to mix them with clear gems for my centerpieces.

For my wedding I wanted to have a variation of vases for centerpieces at the reception. I think that it would make the environment more interesting. I had been looking all over for these vases. First I would find the shorter ones at stores like Jo-Ann's and Michael's, but they would be two small. I found the shorter vases at a store called the Flower Factory. It is kinda like a Sam's Club for crafts. You had to have a membership to able to get in there, but there was one catch..you had to have a vendors license to get one. One day my mom was driving past and saw a sign that individual memberships were available for a limited time. You know what I did on my lunch hour...I went and got a membership. After I got my membership, I found them. I believe I paid $1.75 a piece for 15 of them.

The taller vases I had found in other stores as well, but I had refused to pay $10-$12.00 a piece for them. Well, thanks to the Budget Savvy Bride, I was on the Bride to Bride Boutique and located these vases from another bride who no longer wants them. I am getting 21 of them from her for $5.00 a piece. What a deal. If you have not been on the site, you must go.

Other items that I recently purchased are a ring pillow that I bought at the Dollar Store and am going to cover with some aqua satin that I got off the clearance rack at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Plus when I bought the fabric, I had a 40% off coupon so it made it an even better deal.

I am slowly but surely moving along with projects for my wedding. Have you purchased anything lately?

Sweetheart Tables

Among many bridal trends in weddings, the sweetheart table is a recent one. I know when I mentioned to the broomjumpinggroom that I wanted one he stated that he wanted the tradition set up. This long table, where people who sometimes do not know each other are asked to sit next to one another for hours on end while their date sits at a table with cousin Joey. I know that it has been done for years, but I think that long table set up is out dated. I have been to lots of weddings were I have watch the bridesmaids and groomsmen running back and forth from the head table to where their date is sitting. I just did not want that for my bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Another reason that I like a sweetheart table is because it offers a time that the bride and groom can enjoy each other for a little alone time. They will be kissing Aunt Sally and hugging their mom's boss the rest of the every and not spending time together. Have some time away amongst their family and friends. I will be having one at my wedding and I am sure after the broomjumpinggroom sees it he will appreciate it.

For more pictures of sweetheart tables check out the postings on African-American Brides: The Blog and The Wedding Decorator. What are you going to have at your wedding? The traditional head table, a sweetheart table or something new?

Meet the Florist

I went to my first florist appointment on Saturday. Well, it was certainly obtained lots of information of new flowers that I had not thought of. I went in with the thought of just looking at hydrangeas (my favorite), tulips and peonies. Well learned that their are some flowers called cabbage roses (which I am not much of a rose girl) that look like peonies, but are a little cheaper. I also learned that carnations can take a liking and keep on ticking. The florist at
Cua of Columbus, stated that someone in your bridal party could throw their carnation bouquet before the ceremony and it still will look brand new. I definitely will be getting my bouquet there and maybe the Broomjumpinggrooms boutonniere, I will have to look at the budget to see if I will be getting real or silk for the rest of the wedding party. I am going to look at one or two other florist to see what their pricing is. Below is what I am looking at for my bridesmaids to carry and for chair decorations, but in carnations.
What are you doing for ceremony? Real, silk or combo? I will keep you posted on what I decide.

Deal or No Deal...I Got a Deal !

What did we do before the Internet and the dollar store? I do not know...but I love the Dollar Tree and Ebay. I always find good stuff when I either go into the store or I am shopping for bargains on the Internet. Here are some of my latest finds. I got these candles for my the unity candle holder. I bought for my mom and my future mother-in-law and of course one for myself and the Broomjumpinggroom to use during the ceremony. There were a whole $1.00 for all 4.

I thought these were a great deal. If you are using silk flowers in your ceremony or anywhere in your decor, I would definitely check out your local dollar store. I bought 14 packages ( I think I got enough) of these white silk rose petals that have 300 count per package to put into petal cones for guest to throw at Broomjumpinggroom and I when we walk down the aisle after we are pronounced as husband and wife. They were $1.00 per bag.

You can not see me, but I am doing the happy dance. I have been bidding for months for a unity candle holder and have been losing. Until a few weeks ago, I won this baby for the low, low price of $7.00 plus shipping. It is brand new. Go Dana!!

I need to keep finding deals like these, to keep wedding cost low and my pockets a little full. I do not want to end up like one of those brides on Rich Bride, Poor Bride or on Wedding SOS trying to figure out where all the money for the wedding went. What cost cutting ideas are you using?

Wedding Tip of the Week: Chuppah

When looking at decor, you may want to add a chuppah to your ceremony. A chuppah is a canopy that is usually used during Jewish ceremonies. I have found two main representations of what a chuppah means, the home that the couple will build together. The second is that it represents the covering of God over the couple.

In the past the chuppah was made of the tallit or pray shawl was used for the top of the chuppah. The tallit is attach to for poles with all four sides open. When using the chuppah in the past, it was carried to the ceremony site by four attendance.

Many brides are choosing to use a chuppah in their ceremonies, even if they are not Jewish. There are several cultures, like African, have canopies which they call wedding tents.

I know that I am going to have one during my ceremony. The person that is assisting me with my flowers is going to decorate the structure for me, since I am building it myself ( I am sure I will receive assistance from the Broomjumpinggroom.

Below are some pictures of how different chuppahs can be.

If interested in creating one yourself, check out these instructions.

Monogram

Well, I finally sat down and played around with creating a monogram for the wedding. My best friends husband Michael helped me create one of the them (thanks, Mike) and I created the rest. I am not sure which one that I like the best. I might end up using two, one with the full names on it and one with the initials. I was going to pay someone to do it for me, but I think by me creating it makes it more special, even though it took a little longer. I plan on using the monogram on the invitations, the aisle runner, programs, maybe napkins and chair tags (something neat that I saw on a wedding show on this weekend). What do you think? Are you using a monogram in your wedding?

More Aqua and Brown Inspiration

As I surf the net for wedding items, I have found some more inspiration for my wedding color scheme. Enjoy!!