Product Description

- A multitude of ideas for a variety of wedding styles. - Makes a great shower gift.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #586911 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 189 pages

Amazon.com Review
Perhaps the best-looking and most complete guide to creating wedding accessories, Handcrafted Weddings demonstrates that you can achieve exactly the wedding look you want for less than the store-bought price, and you need only a modicum of crafting experience to accomplish most of it. Organized by theme, the five sections detail projects involving stationery, bridal party accessories, ceremony accents, reception decor, and memorabilia. In addition to dozens of beautiful traditional creations, there are wonderful touches of whimsy, such as the gold-accented white sneakers and baseball cap that the bride can swap for the formal veil and shoes at reception time; the card holder constructed from a white mailbox adorned with pine branches and papier-mâché birds; the mirror-tile centerpieces that double the effect of candlelight; or the fairy-tale fantasy of a twig arbor (surprisingly simple: anchor branches in buckets and swath in tulle and twinkle lights). There are so many eye-catching ideas that the hardest part may be choosing which ones to make or finding the time to do them all. --Amy Handy

From Booklist
With the typical wedding estimated at $19,000, it is no wonder that this book will quickly find an eager and appreciative audience. And even those readers with allergies to sewing machines will find projects that speak to nostalgia, individualism, and, yes, savings. The more than 100 ideas are more than amply illustrated, including step-by-step photographs whenever necessary and possible variations. Appealing mainly to brides-to-be are the accessories (veils, headpieces, and decorated shoes and gloves); ceremony and reception accents, from corsages to slipcovered chairs; stationery (to stencil or emboss or die cut?); and memorabilia, such as frames, photo albums, and even a showdown box. Too bad dollar comparisons weren't made between store bought and handmade, though. Barbara Jacobs

From the Back Cover
Handcrafted decorations and accessories give personal meaning to your wedding day.

Design and create your own original wedding stationery. You'll be amazed at how easy it can be!

Accessorize the bridal party from head to toe with beautiful handcrafted items. Make any style of veil for a fraction of the purchase price.

Create one-of-a-kind ceremony accents, like a ring bearer pillow, flower girl basket, elegant bouquets, or a stunning floral arbor.

Decorate the reception site in high style at low cost. Delight your guests with unique centerpieces, table favors, a fancy card box, or a floral cake top.

Discover innovative ways to preserve and display your cherished wedding memories. Make picture frames, album covers, wreaths, and shadow box displays.

Step-by-step directions with nearly 300 full-color photos inspire and guide you in creating your perfect handcrafted wedding.

Customer Reviews

A disappointing purchase
Inspite of the book's relatively good reviews, I found that it covered my expectations not at all well. Everything was too much. The stationery examples were too elaborate, the accessories were too old-fashioned and of a poor taste, the colors were mismatched, the bouquets were too fancy and poor at the same time for a wedding in style, the memorabilia section was nothing nice and special as well. Fortunately, I have purchased two more books. I will keep this book for a very few reasons, that I feel I have to state them: the stationery gave me ideas for other invitations, the twig ball on page 91 gave me an idea of how to use pot pourrie, the twig arbor on page 123 is fantastic for Christmas and the directions of how to make a wreath at the "Staging a reception" section. I really don't want to be bad, but I was really, really disappointed.

A must for the DIY bride, a wealth of inspiration!
This is perhaps the most elegant Do-It-Yourself wedding accessory/decoration/floral book I have EVER seen. (And I own a lot of them...lol) It has lots of step-by-step photos and a very complete project list. Also at the end of every project, it shows variations of that project, so that you can truly personalize these items for your wedding. The floral chapter is wonderful in and of itself. There is a beautiful ribbon embroidery heart-shaped ring pillow which I plan to make as an accent pillow for my bedroom...it is too pretty! Whether you will be DIY out of budget considerations, or would just like to personalize your wedding with some extra special handcrafted touches, or surprise a bride-to-be with a special gift of your love, this is the book you will want to have!

No budget handcrafting
A beautifully illustrated book with great instructions, but I found most projects were created with no budget in mind. When I think handcrafted I think of saving money on the project, I didn't think that was the case with this book. Great traditional ideas and instructions for decorating from cakes to veils but not with a small budget in mind. Well worth buying if you are looking for the personal touch of doing it yourself without being on much of a budget.