Can DIY-ing really come out the way you want for your wedding day? Sometimes, it's hard to say whether it will come to life the way we are expecting it to or not. As a fellow DIY-er I know the feeling. You have an idea in mind, seems easy enough.. but then you run into some hiccups, lack of or different materials and boom you feel like a DIY failure. This can make it daunting to DIY for big events, especially your WEDDING day of all things! Not to worry, I will be taking on various DIY's for you and photographing them. Hopefully, at the end we will have a beautiful result that you can feel confident adding into your decor plans!
Here's how I will do it; I will keep track of all the details - where I bought things, their cost and how I brought it all together. Then I will photograph the finished product with just my phone and then with my professional gear. This way you can see the result as I saw it in real life. Then see it jazzed up as the finished product. Don't worry, if something is a flop I'll be sure to report back on that too!
For today's DIY series we have : How to DIY Pumpkin Centerpieces!
So I don't have an inspiration picture for this one. I am always on the hunt for fresh details whether it be at home, in photoshoots or the latest in wedding trends. This time around my best friend is getting married in October and she is my fellow fall lover. She got engaged in the summer and came to me to brainstorm so immediately my mind went to all the fun fall DIY decorations for her future bridal events.
This is where my brain went:
Years ago, my sister brought home flowers and pumpkins to make centerpieces for Thanksgiving. It was so much fun and they all came out so beautiful! Easy enough to do together right on our dining room table and who doesn't love a small pumpkin? So naturally I'm running with it and trying to keep it bridal... okay, white pumpkins, rich fall colors, in season greens. It looked gorgeous in my brain! Then my addiction to Pinterest swept me up into pumpkin center pieces- there I am scrolling and scrolling absorbing all that I could. My friend told me she'd love to do small white pumpkin table numbers. I'm thinking, well of course! But how can we elevate the idea to stand out for her big day? That's when it all started to fall together with the vision. She's a cottage core kind of girl but make it fall. Then I'm thinking candle sticks, real ones? Could we really do actual burning candles? Why the heck not, we will just have something below to catch the wax. Ahhhhhh, a pumpkin. So I thought of putting a candlestick in the small pumpkins to keep with the theme. Then I threw it all together.. just like that you made it through my brain spins to the final product. This journey started as pumpkin table numbers and evolved into pumpkin center pieces that will look absolutely dynamite at your wedding! Take a look!
Now if you like what's pictured, here's a list of everything you will need to recreate it! Be sure to share and tag me if you give this a try!
All in cost came to a total of $100 for florals, foam, one large pumpkin , two medium and 3 small pumpkins, and candle sticks.
For the pumpkins... Don't be afraid to mix up the sizes anddd the colors! There are so many different varieties of pumpkins. We know they are orange and using ones that aren't as traditional will make for a great conversation piece if nothing else. There's of course white pumpkins that might be the perfect aesthetic for a wedding. If you need a TON and aren't willing to risk waiting to see what the farms get - reach out to them! See if they can specifically order what you are hoping for. Make a list of how many tables you have, (don't forget cocktail hour tables, sweetheart table and dessert tables) how many of different sizes and variety, then place your order! Make sure to get them about a week before your event. They will hold up not carved and in cooler spaces. Then you can carve them a day or two before your event. All I did was carve out the top. For the big pumpkin I scooped out the guts just to help with the overall weight. After the hole was carved I made sure I could fit my plastic cup inside. You want it to be somewhat snug so the cup doesn't move around. Measure and cut the cup so it's not sticking up out of the pumpkin. If the pumpkin is taller than the cup shove some filler (or the pieces you carved out of the top) so the cup doesn't sink down and bring the flowers down with it!
The flowers for the pumpkin centerpieces were from Trader Joe's and they are so far, unmatched. I don't have many florists by me so finding original flowers to jazz these up was a win! I was actually floored by the variety! I'm sure I was being judged taking different combinations, putting them back and starting all over again, ha! It's all for the cause, dear! At the end I got 10 different bunches and each ranged around $4.00, you can't beat that! I spent around $40 and did one big arrangement and two smaller ones. Plus, I had some left over for a vase! Here are the flower types I got: Chamomile buttons, White Limoniums, Mum varieties, Yellow Gerbera Daises, Eucalyptus and Sage. Floral arrangements don't need to be intimidating, the flowers will be beautiful all on their own! For this instance I used the floral foam in the cup that's within the cutout. I did this so I could give it some volume in different directions other than just upright. You might not need the foam if you just want the pumpkin to act as a vase. Try putting an arrangement together and placing it in the cup without foam. You'll then know if the flowers will stay on their own and if you like how it looks! Remember to always cut flower stems on an angle it helps them drink up water better! As you go through you might find some flowers are heavier than others or that some stems are weaker. Keep this in mind as you go to cut the length of the stem. You can always cut more off if you need, so trim carefully and with a height in mind! Practice with the flowers before you stick them in place. Play around with what will look pretty next to it, shimmied in between and how they hold up with just you finger tips. Then the fun part, stick them in the foam! As you go use the original stems as building blocks and you'll have an unshakable arrangement! You'll feel how rigid it is as you put the stems through the foam and then you can gauge if other flowers can rest on it or if they will need some support! I started with my White Limoniums since they were "branchy" and would be good support for the softer flowers like the Gerbera daises. The important part is to have some fun with it. There is no exact science to it. You can use my pictures as something to inspire you but remember nothing will ever look exactly the same - even if I made it all over again!
That's really all there is to it, guys! I kept watering them every other day or so and mine are going strong into week two! I would say this DIY for Pumpkin centerpieces is a win!
You could absolutely use these as wedding day centerpieces and even send people home with them! Place a marker under one plate at each table and that's the lucky winner. You could also use them on just main tables like the sweetheart table and food service tables. The flowers could be incorporated throughout your decor in different ways to tie it all together. Maybe some bud vases and pretty candle sticks. Or even greens running along the table with flowers stuck in it for a more "natural" look. The possibilities are endless! If you're a visual person be sure to visit my Pinterest Board for more inspo - or should I say "Pinspo" ... ha!
Pinterest DIY Pumpkin Centerpiece Inspiration
Keep in mind, these can be jazzed up for a formal affair or used as a great way to elevate decor for any party! These came out beautifully I ended up using them at my best friends engagement party. These DIY Pumpkin Centerpieces are sure to impress people at any event!
