Perhaps one of the most (if not THE most) important party you’ll ever have the pleasure of throwing in your life, a wedding is a profoundly intimate occasion.Tess Gibney & Hannah Brissenden

As a reflection of the life you and your partner intend to build together, it’s no wonder there’s been resurgence in the popularity of the humble DIY (Do It Yourself) wedding in recent years. Spring especially provides the perfect backdrop for a low-key, garden wedding with a homemade twist: think longer nights, blooming flowers and balmy air.

1. Floral drinks

So you’re going to throw a spring garden wedding. Regardless of whether you’ve hired a venue with a lovely outdoor space or are ambitiously revamping your own backyard, there’s no reason you should leave food and drink all to the caterer. Individual floral cocktails or clear pitchers of fruit sangria are not only delicious and easy to do – aesthetically, they’re beautiful too.

Clear pitchers are fantastic if you’re catering for a slightly larger crowd. If not, you can fill each glass individually with your drink of choice. Classic spring favourites such as pink lemonade can be dressed up for the occasion with rosewater and a pink rose garnish. Simply mix rosewater, tart lemonade, basic sugar syrup and vodka (measurements depending on desired quantity) and fill the clear pitcher. Place a pink rose in each glass (make sure roses are organic so as to prevent the run off of pesticides in your drink) and fill glasses.

Visit:http://www.designlovefest.com/2014/08/floral-drinks/

 2. Invitations

Though they may not be the easiest feat to accomplish if you’re planning on having an extensive guest list, DIY wedding invitations add a distinctly personal touch to a day that is distinctly personal by default. Sites like Pinterest are great for accessing a range of ideas, with ‘pin boards’ collated by theme. If you’re feeling particularly handy and have the time, you could make the cards completely from scratch – try playing around with different paper textures, and choose a colour theme that matches your bridal bouquet. Start with basic white cardstock and build from there.

To make things easier, DIY websites such as Dizzi Dezine have a collection of both professionally made invitations and DIY invitation kits and supplies, including printed washi tape (decorative Japanese rice paper tape), twine, netting, mesh, seals and stickers (among other things).

Visit:https://www.dizzidezine.com.au/

 3. The Centerpiece

Swap the over-the-top floral centrepiece – in the classic generic clear vase – for a quaint, ‘just-picked’ floral look to suit your DIY wedding. Medium sized jam jars, vintage bottles and even quirky old jugs are especially perfect for small bouquets of wild flowers.

We recommend jam jars if you’re after a more consistent look in terms of size and shape: once cleaned with the label cleared, the jars can be decorated with fancy twine, hessian netting and placards.

An alternative idea is to try dipping the bottom of the jam jars in paint. Fill a bowl with half a cup of paint, angle jars to the side and begin slowly turning the jar as it touches the paint.

If you are making the centerpieces yourself, be sure to order the flowers well in advance from a reputable seller – don’t underestimate the time needed for buying, preparing and storing flowers. Leave the large-scale arrangements to the experts – table arrangements should be casual and eclectic; something you can create yourself.

Image credit: JamJar Flowers (UK)