7 Designer-Approved DIY Wedding Decorations

“Forgo the logo on the dance floor and bring it to the pool,” Fritz says. Whether your reception area has a pool, you’re hosting a float-worthy welcome party, or your brunch send-off is lido-side, make a splash with an unexpected underwater graphic. Go with a simple monogram, your wedding date, hashtag, or, if you have one, a personalized logo from your invitations and other paper goods. Fritz recommends working with a company like Fast Signs to create a custom vinyl decal of your monogram. Apply the decal to an acrylic sheet that will sit at the bottom of the pool. “We recommend at least half-inch-thick clear acrylic, as it’s heavy enough to sit on the bottom of a level pool and shouldn’t move too much with all the activity or pool floats passing over,” Fritz says.

To make a pool monogram, you’ll need:

• Two 3-foot x 4.5-foot sheets of clear acrylic (0.25-inch thick)
• Clear waterproof tape
• A custom decal to cover the finished 6-foot x 4-foot acrylic sheet

Step 1: Using the waterproof tape, attach the two acrylic sheets at the seam, creating one larger 6-foot x 4-foot sheet.

Step 2: Attach your decal to the acrylic sheet, starting at the top and unrolling down. Use a paddle to smooth out any air bubbles. If your decal is smaller than the acrylic sheet, measure for centered placement and mark with painter’s tape for easy removal.

Step 3: Using a few sets of hands, carry the finished piece to the pool and sink it into place.

Herbal cocktail table decor

To save on floral expenses, shop the local grocery store for potted herbs. The more casual flora is perfect for cocktail tables: Not only are the plants petite, but if you choose rosemary or basil, you’ll have natural aromatherapy. Frischkorn recommends two ways to spruce up the presentation. One option is to cover the plastic containers with brown lunch paper bags. “Trim the top, crinkle the whole bag, then cuff the top like you’d do to a pair of pants,” she says of the rustic look for a backyard wedding DIY. 

Alternatively, pop the containers into a decorative pot, such as two-tone concrete bowls, fluted planters, cylindrical pots, or earthy clay vessels with saucers. For the finishing touch, cover the exposed soil with Spanish moss.