DIY Paper Projects: 10 Cool Things to Create with Handmade Paper

Are you a crafting enthusiast or a DIY-er? Elevate your crafts and other projects with handmade paper to add a touch of uniqueness and eco-friendliness to your creations. Today, we’re exploring 10 DIY crafts with paper you can create for yourself and your loved ones.

The Versatility of Handmade Paper

Unlike mass-produced paper options, handmade seed and floral paper offers a unique touch to any project and adds character that elevates even the simplest crafts. Handmade paper is typically made with natural fibers like cotton and decorated with natural items like flower petals, giving each piece its own look while aligning with sustainable practices.

Handmade Greeting Cards

Everyone loves receiving cards from their friends and family—why not make your own with plantable seed paper? A greeting card made with handmade paper radiates warmth and thoughtfulness for a birthday, holiday or any special occasion.

Decorative Wall Art

Add an organic touch to your home decor with wall art made from handmade paper. Elevate your handmade paper’s already unique texture with marbling, stamping and embossing techniques; painting on handmade paper creates interesting effects you can’t create when painting on canvas.

Gift Tags

Your gifts will stand out when you give them with a gift tag made from handmade paper. Cut out intricate shapes, punch holes, and add ribbons to create fun tags that make your presents even more special.

Handmade Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns are a fun way to celebrate and a thoughtful way to memorialize those we love. Using handmade paper to create your paper lanterns adds a warm, personal touch to both the lanterns and your celebration. This unique touch will make your celebration extra special for you and your loved ones.

Paper Flowers

Create blooms that never wilt by making your own flowers from handmade paper. The unique textures and colors of handmade paper add a unique flair to your space. Paper flowers can be used as decoration around your home, bouquets and even wearable accessories.

Origami Creations

Challenge your origami skills by using handmade paper—handmade paper adds dimension to your creations, from paper cranes to intricate modular designs.

Scrapbooks

A scrapbook is already a special memento that you and your family will hold onto for generations to come; making your scrapbook with handmade paper adds both warmth and nostalgia, creating something even more personal to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Personalized Stationery Sets

If you like to send cards and letters to your loved ones, why not make things a little more unique and special by creating a personalized stationery set from handmade paper? Create a personalized stationery set from handmade paper to give letters, thank you notes and any other cards an extra bit of thoughtfulness.

Festive Garlands

Garland is an easy way to step up your holiday decorations or to add fun flavor to your living room walls, or even your back patio! Using natural, handmade paper made without harsh dyes means that whatever you make can be used year-round, not just seasonally.

Kids’ Room Decorations

Young kids’ interests can change pretty quickly, and creating decor for their rooms, rather than buying it, is an eco-conscious (and less expensive) way to reflect these interests. This is also a fun way to get your kids involved in a hobby! If they love butterflies this month, help them create butterflies from handmade paper to hang on their walls; next month, if they’re really excited about farm animals, help them make and learn about their favorite animals.

Elevate Your Crafts with Handmade Paper

In the craft and DIY world, handmade paper is a great medium that bridges the gap between creativity and sustainability. Making crafts with handmade paper adds a unique touch to any space, as well as makes every craft you make and every card you send feel more thoughtful and intentional. Learn more about our handmade Floral Expressions paper, Plantable Seed Paper and other sustainable options from Cast Paper.

When Should You Use Plantable Cards?

Plantable cards provide a delightful and sustainable way to communicate, celebrate, and create lasting memories. They can be used for various occasions, adding a unique and eco-friendly touch to your greetings. Here are some events where plantable cards can be significant:

Plantable Cards for Birthdays

Surprise your loved ones on their birthdays with a plantable card that conveys your heartfelt wishes and allows them to grow flowers or herbs as a symbol of growth and celebration. These cards are blank, perfect for a personal message. 

Plantable Cards for Anniversaries

Celebrate milestone anniversaries with plantable cards representing a relationship’s enduring love and growth. Recipients can plant the cards and enjoy watching flowers bloom, symbolizing the continued blossoming of their partnership.

Celebrate Holidays with Plantable Cards

Plantable cards make lovely additions to holiday greetings, whether for Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, or any other festive occasion. They provide a unique way to send warm wishes while allowing recipients to cultivate plants during the holiday season.

Plantable Cards for Classroom Education

Teachers racking their brains for ways to help students understand the life cycles of plants or want a unique way to celebrate Earth Day can give their students plantable cards. These cards can become an interactive activity as they cultivate and watch their plants grow, allowing students to understand the science behind the concepts taught in class. 

Welcome New Babies with Plantable Cards for Baby Showers

Welcome a new life into the world with plantable cards that symbolize growth and new beginnings. These cards can be a meaningful way to celebrate the arrival of a baby and provide a sustainable keepsake for the parents.

Plantable Cards for Thank You Notes

 Expressing gratitude becomes even more special when accompanied by a plantable thank you card. Whether you want to thank someone for a gift, support, or an act of kindness, a plantable card conveys appreciation while offering recipients the opportunity to nurture a growing plant.

Plantable Cards for Sympathy and Condolences

Plantable cards can also be thoughtful for sending condolences and sympathy messages. These cards can provide comfort during difficult times; recipients can plant them to nurture hope and renewal, creating a memorial garden where they can go and remember those that they have lost.

Congratulate Grads with Plantable Graduation Cards

Celebrate academic achievements and new beginnings with plantable cards for graduates. These cards can serve as reminders of growth and transformation as they embark on their next chapter in life.

Celebrate Friendship and Just Because

Plantable cards can be given to friends or loved ones on any occasion or just to brighten their day. Whether to express friendship or love or simply to say “thinking of you,” a plantable card adds an extra touch of nature and beauty to the gesture.

When Should You Send a Plantable Card? 

Plantable cards are versatile and can be used for almost any occasion, whether it is sent in celebration of life or as a congratulation on an accomplishment. Remember, plantable cards can be customized to suit any occasion, allowing you to share your sentiments uniquely and sustainably. Whether it’s a joyous celebration or a time of reflection, plantable cards offer a beautiful and eco-conscious alternative for expressing your thoughts and well wishes.

​​Wedding Trend Predictions for 2022

Wedding trends come and go, and here are some of our predictions for 2022! Due to COVID concerns, we think some things from 2021 will stay, but we also think plenty of things will change! Continue reading for our picks, and let us know what you think!

More Outdoor Weddings

There are still plenty of concerns surrounding COVID-19, leading many couples to still opt for outdoor ceremonies. While there are risks with planning an outdoor wedding (the biggest one being weather), outdoor ceremonies and receptions are less restrictive and offer more freedom for both the couple getting married and their guests. Having the option to spread out gives you and your guests the chance to be more comfortable. 

When you have an outdoor wedding, decorating can also be so much easier—depending on where you hold your ceremony, you might not even need to decorate much! Surround yourself with beautiful trees, foliage and flowers, and have a laid-back, fun ceremony with your loved ones!

Dried Flower Bouquets and Decor

This became a very popular trend in 2021, and we expect it to continue! Dried florals offer a unique look and fit with any theme! Dried pampas flowers are perfect for a boho bride, and make beautiful bouquets, centerpieces and other decor. 

You can also create great dimension by mixing your dried flowers with greenery! Dried flowers are also a great option for the budget-conscious bride—they can be a more cost-effective option than fresh bouquets and centerpieces.

Portrait Paintings

Weddings and wedding receptions have become a lot more intimate over the past year or two, with many couples limiting their guest lists to only their closest family and friends. A live portrait is a great way to capture all of the sentiment of your day. A painter captures big moments of your ceremony and reception and something special you can keep forever. 

Leaving Some Traditions Behind

Your and your partner’s wedding day is just that—your day! If there are wedding traditions you’re uncomfortable with, get rid of it! Plenty of couples are opting out of wedding traditions like the garter toss, formal reception introductions and toasts at the beginning of their reception. Think about what you want, and make it happen!

Cast Paper’s Sustainable Wedding Products

Cast Paper’s sustainable wedding invitations, guest books, favors and more are the perfect addition to your wedding day!

These are just a few of our predictions for the upcoming year—let us know what your thoughts are too! 

How to Address Your Wedding Invitations

You’re almost done with your wedding invitations. You finally nailed down the wording. You’ve chosen your stationery. You and your fiancé have been badgering family and friends for their mailing addresses for days. Now, it’s time to address your wedding invitations.

You may not think addressing an envelope is a big deal (unless you’re a Millennial or Gen Z who never had to learn how to address an envelope) but your wedding invitations are a much bigger deal than mailing in your bills or sending a random letter to a friend. There are specific rules you should follow. 

We know this is probably the least exciting piece of planning your wedding—you’re probably dreaming about your cake tasting right about now—but it is so important! Give yourself plenty of time to verify all of your guests’ addresses so you can send out your invitations in plenty of time—typically 8-10 weeks to give everyone ample time to respond. 

Traditional wedding invitation etiquette says your outer envelope should be more formal with proper titles and full names, where the inner envelope can be more informal. Here we will outline how to address guests of varying ages, marital statuses, family sizes and living conditions so you can be sure everyone’s invitations are addressed properly!

Addressing Invitations to Married Couples

Put a married couple’s names on the same line (unless they don’t fit; then, separate them). If the couple has the same last name, it is easy to address their envelopes.

Outer Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Johnson

Mr. Steven and Mrs. Michelle Johnson

Steven and Michelle Johnson

Inner Envelope

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson

Steven and Michelle

If you are inviting a married couple with different last names, list the guest who you are closest with first; if you are equally close with the two, list their names alphabetically. 

Outer Envelope

Mrs. Sarah Howell and Mr. David Smith

Inner Envelope

Mrs. Howell and Mr. Smith

Sarah and David

To an Unmarried Couple

When sending an invitation to couples who are not married, you address your invitation to both of them, listing who you are closest with first.

Outer Envelope

Mr. Joshua Davis and Ms. Amanda Harrison

Inner Envelope

Mr. Davis and Ms. Harrison

Joshua and Amanda

To a Single Female

If she is over 18, use “Ms.” when addressing her, and if she is under 18, use “Miss.”

Outer Envelope

Ms. Taylor Wright

Miss Taylor Wright if she is under 18

Inner Envelope

Ms. Wright

Miss Wright

Taylor

To a Single Male

You only need a title for men over the age of 18.

Outer Envelope

Mr. Patrick Thomas

Inner Envelope

Mr. Thomas

Patrick

To a Married Couple Where One Person is a Doctor

Your friends didn’t spend 10 or more years in school to not be recognized! Make sure you spell out “doctor” on the outer envelope, and abbreviate on the inner envelope.

Outer Envelope

Dr. Emma Harres and Mr. Alexander Matthews

Inner Envelope

Dr. Harres and Mr. Matthews

Emma and Alexander

To a Family, Including all Children

When you invite family and friends with children, it is important to let them know early on whether their children are also invited, or if you are having a child-free ceremony. An easy, effective way to let them know their children are invited is to include their children’s names on the inner envelope.

Outer Envelope

The McKinney Family

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan McKinney

Mr. Ryan McKinney and Mrs. Emily McKinney

Inner Envelope

Ryan, Emily, Jace and Miss Lillie

You may not think invitation etiquette is important but trust us. After all is said and done you will be so happy your invitations are going out properly to all of your guests. They will appreciate the time and effort you put into making them feel special and welcome for your big day! 

The Top 6 Details to Include in Your Boho Wedding

Your mom wants an elegant, classic church wedding. Your sister wants something modern and clean. Your soon-to-be mother-in-law? She wants a barn wedding. And you’ve never even set foot in a barn before! You and your partner want your wedding day to be, obviously, beautiful and inviting for all of your guests. You want it to be outdoors. To feel welcome, more laid-back and have plenty of flowers and greenery, with lots of earthy, natural details. If this sounds like you and your partner, tell everyone you are opting for a boho-inspired wedding!

For the more laid-back couple, a boho wedding is perfect: dreamy, romantic and more low-maintenance than ice sculptures and a dress with a hoop skirt. If you are a boho bride-to-be, continue reading for the top details you should include on your wedding day!

Non-Traditional Wedding Party Attire

Boho weddings offer more freedom than traditional weddings, meaning brides typically wear flowy, lace wedding gowns with flower crowns or other fun headpieces, and grooms might wear a casual suit, or khakis and a dress shirt. The bridal party will follow suit and be more casual than is traditional, with women wearing more casual bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen wearing dress shirts rather than tuxes. 

The Perfect Location

This is a great time to get creative with your wedding venue! A national park, the beach, a ranch or farm, gazebo, orchard—the list goes on! Natural settings are perfect for a boho wedding and require minimal—if any—decoration. Being outside in the middle of your beautiful venue will create the perfect light, airy atmosphere you are looking for.

Unique Florals and Greenery

Boho weddings often boast neutral tones like beige, dusty rose and sage and like to throw in pops of bold colors like rust, browns and deep emerald green. Your bouquets and centerpieces can be more organic and less structured—think only greenery with a mix of sage, ferns, natural grasses, or even opting for dried flowers and grasses for something extra special and different! 

A Funky Alter

Where you and your partner say your vows should be a reflection of the two of you! Go for something geometric like a drape or flower-decorated teepee to stand under, or decorate a chuppah in your wedding flowers, drapery, or something that will complement your surroundings.

Mismatched Decor

Let your tablescape be as fun and whimsical as the rest of your day. Mismatching certain pieces of your table is a fun way to give your table some dimension. The key, however, is don’t go overboard! Rather than mismatching your chairs, glasses, plates and flatware, opt to mismatch only your chairs or only your drinking glasses. If you mismatch your glass colors, try to keep the shapes the same, and vice versa, to keep a cohesive look. Obviously, if you have an eye for design (or a great wedding planner), go as far as you want! But for the not-so-crafty DIY bride, keeping it to one or two elements is safest. 

Incense

Start your ceremony or reception off on the right note by greeting your guests with incense sticks! Burning incense releases negative energy from your space, purifies the air around you and cleanses your space to create a positive atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.

At the end of the day, your wedding is just that: your wedding. Keep the things you want, and leave the rest—make sure all of the details you include in your special day are important to you and your partner and don’t worry about what everyone else wants! To all of our boho brides: happy planning!

A St. Louis-Themed Wedding Day

To quote a young Margaret O’Brien as Tootie Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis, “Wasn’t I lucky to be born in my favorite city?” There’s something about St. Louis and the people from here—everyone is proud to live here and seldom want to move away. City pride comes in many forms, from the area’s history to the food, sports, attractions and everything else St. Louis has to offer. Born here or a transplant, there’s something for everyone to be excited about. To live here is to love it here, which is why so many couples want to highlight the things that make St. Louis so special at their weddings!

What’s your favorite part of being from and living in St. Louis? Do you love the big attractions like the sports, the arch, the museums? The food scene (we’re looking at all of you on the Hill)? Or do you have little hidden treasures here that no one knows about? Whether your favorite things are big and bold or a little more muted, there are countless ways to incorporate—or even highlight—your favorite parts of your favorite city in your new favorite day. Finding local vendors is fairly easy, but what about the couple that wants a St. Louis themed wedding? The best, easiest ways to do this are through your venue and your food! Keep reading to get some idea inspiration!

Your Venue

If you’ve lived in St. Louis for any length of time, you and your significant other more than likely have a place that’s special and important to both of you. Did you meet on a run in Forest Park? Go on your first date at the Hill? Think about these things and every place you can see the two of you, your family and friends enjoying celebrating your big day together! We’ve put together a small list of uniquely St. Louis venues to kickstart your search!

For the Cards Fan Couple

The Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Hotel – The Hilton offers a huge space for a large reception, overlooks Busch Stadium, the Arch and the rest of downtown St. Louis for a view that will blow everyone away!

For the History Buffs

The Worlds Fair Pavilion in Forest Park is a huge piece of St. Louis history! Built in 1909 with funds raised from the 1904 Worlds Fair, the Pavilion overlooks all of Forest Park and its open-air structure offers unparalleled views of Forest Park and is a great mix of an elegant indoor ceremony and a fun outdoor ceremony!

For the Couple that Wants a Unique Outdoor Ceremony

Tower Grove Park offers four different locations to hold your ceremony or reception. It is a unique venue in a trendy, historic neighborhood. You don’t even have to plan much for decorations because its brick detail, pond, beautiful trees and flora will complement any theme you have planned!

For the Couple that Wants a Unique Indoor Ceremony

When you walk into the Jewel Box you might forget you’re in the middle of St. Louis! Full of exotic, tropical trees and flowers, the Jewel Box creates a fun, whimsical feel for your big day, and your guests will absolutely love it!

Your Food

We know how important the ceremony itself is, and all of your guests will be excited to celebrate your big day, but let’s be real: everyone is waiting for the food. Whether your wedding is black-tie or a little more casual, you can find the perfect St. Louis food to complement your St. Louis wedding!

St. Louis-Style Pizza

What’s more St. Louis than St. Louis-Style pizza? No matter if it’s with your main dinner or a late-night snack, it’ll be a hit!

Gus’s Pretzels

A fun appetizer that everyone will love!

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

Yes, a cake is traditional at weddings, but why not have both?! This is especially fun if you and your partner have a special custard or concrete mix you always get!

Gooey Butter Cake

Why have only the traditional cakes when you can also serve Gooey Butter Cake (or possibly give Gooey Butter Cake Cookies as part of your favors or welcome bags!)?

Anheuser-Busch Products at your Bar

This one’s a no-brainer! Stock your bar with your favorite Anheuser-Busch beer and seltzer, and you’re set!

The Hill

If you’re looking for something a little nicer and more elegant, have your dinner catered from any of the amazing restaurants and bakeries on the Hill!

A St. Louis-Themed Wedding

If you and your partner want a St. Louis-themed wedding, you don’t have to look far to find something incredible for your big day! Going all local will be fun for the two of your and your guests and will create a light-hearted atmosphere for all of you to enjoy!

Planning an Outdoor Wedding: Details You Might Have Missed

Outdoor weddings can really show your and your partner’s personalities, especially if you are an outdoorsy couple. If you love to hike and camp together, having your wedding amongst a lot of trees and foliage just makes sense. If the beach is your favorite vacation destination—no matter the season—why not opt for a beach wedding instead of something inside?

Your wedding day is just that—your wedding day. If you and your partner (and your guests) would enjoy being outside for approximately 5 hours for your wedding day, an outdoor venue is perfect for you!

There are so many pros to planning an outdoor wedding (hello, beautiful foliage and scenery!). There are also plenty of things to take into consideration that you normally wouldn’t even have to think about for an indoor ceremony. Keep reading for an outdoor wedding planning checklist, including things that may have slipped your mind!

First things first: prepare your guests for an outdoor event—allow them to dress appropriately and prepare for the weather. State it clearly on your invitation if any part, or all of your ceremony, will be outdoors.

Plan for inclement weather.—allow them to dress appropriately and prepare for the weather. State it clearly on your invitation if any part, or all of your ceremony, will be outdoors.

Rain: Choose a venue with ample outdoor and indoor space so you can switch gears in the days leading up to your wedding if need be. Many venues offer both indoor and outdoor spaces for you to hold your event. When you are touring venues, make sure you can envision your wedding day in either setup: it’s easy to get lost in the details, but the most important thing is that you are marrying your partner! Ensure the venue is what you want, outdoors or indoors, and everything else will fall into place.
 
Another option is renting a tent with walls. If the forecast is clear and you can cancel, you might take a hit on your deposit, but your peace of mind is priceless. If the forecast looks bad leading up to your wedding day, check with your venue to see if you can set up your tent early to keep the ground dry. This way, you will still have the unique feel of being outside without the risk of your guests getting drenched before you say, “I do.”
 

Plan for it to heat up or cool down: If you’re planning an outdoor July wedding, odds are you know it’s going to be hot. Plan for the heat by offering tents to gather under, hats for your guests to wear and fans so they can keep cool during the ceremony. On the other hand, if you get married in spring or fall, there’s a chance for the day to be chilly. Offer blankets or pashminas for guests to use during the ceremony, and set up space heaters in your tent.

Offer some form of shade for your guests. —The sun can be overbearing, no matter the season. Have umbrellas over dining and gathering spaces, and even offer parasols for guests to use during the ceremony. Pretty much anything you can do to keep your guests as comfortable as possible!

Keep your guests hydrated. —Especially if it’s supposed to be hot, you want to make sure your guests can enjoy the day without the risk of getting sick from dehydration. Offer a variety of (non-alcoholic) drinks to keep your guests cool: plain water, fruit-enhanced water, lemonade and iced tea are all great options to keep your guests hydrated and happy throughout the day.
Plan for unexpected costs. —Inside, you don’t have to think about things like having to power your lights—your venue already has electricity. If your venue offers outdoor electricity hookups, great! Not all do, though, so this is something you need to confirm when initially touring venues. If your venue does not offer this, you need to reserve generators for your caterer’s appliances (and lighting if you have an evening wedding) and amps and speakers for your band or DJ. No matter the season, you will likely need fans, air conditioning or heaters on-site—temperatures can drop 20 degrees after sunset! Have an electrician survey your venue and setup to know the exact amount of power you need.
Make sure you have easily accessible restrooms. —If your venue allows you to use their indoor facilities, make sure they are easily accessible for guests. If not, never fear, for gone are the days of ugly porta-potties! There are plenty of companies that offer nice, portable restrooms that will not detract from the look of your day, complete with granite countertops and other details to match your event.

No matter if you choose an indoor or outdoor wedding, there is a lot to plan. Don’t let the logistics of planning an outdoor ceremony or reception detract from your dream wedding day! Take it all in, relax and enjoy your day getting to marry your partner! 

Just Three Months? A Wedding Planning Checklist

Recently engaged and just can’t wait to get married?! Or…literally can’t wait to get married due to a move, fiancé in the military, or other reasons? 

Depending on the amount of planning you have to do, a 12-month engagement can feel short—but 12 weeks? Some might say it’s impossible, but we’re here to tell you it’s not!

To plan a wedding with a short timeline will take a lot of diligence, patience and help from those around you, but it’s not impossible. 

If you’re on a short wedding timeline, keep reading for a checklist of what you should have done and when.

10-12 Weeks Out

Talk to your fiancé about what you both really want versus what everyone else thinks you should have; make sure your day is about what you two want, cut out things you don’t and only keep your essentials. Use this time to create your budget, and create a spreadsheet or download a budgeting app to make sure you stay on track.

Find your venue

Make sure you stay open-minded and receptive to finding other options than your top choice—some venues are booked out months or even years in advance, and you may need to look for another one with such short notice. 

Tip: try booking your wedding on a day other than a Saturday. A venue’s “off days” are typically less busy and you may even get a better rate for your ceremony!

Arrange the legalities

Make sure you know what you’re going to have to do to make your marriage legal, especially if you are getting married out of state or in another country  

8-10 Weeks Out

Choose your wedding party

Make sure they know well in advance about any attire they will need to purchase, events they will need to attend and an estimated amount they will be spending on these things so they are aware and not caught off guard.

Make your guest list and send invitations

First, you need to decide if you want a small or large ceremony. A small guest list is more manageable on a shorter timeframe, but whichever you decide, you need to make sure to give them ample time to make travel and lodging accommodations. Also, the sooner you have your guest list confirmed, the sooner you can get final numbers to your venue and caterer.

Find your outfit

Whether you go for a designer gown, something from a vintage store, or something off the rack, you will need time to find your outfit and, more than likely, have it altered. Make sure you leave ample time for these alterations so you aren’t scrambling close to your wedding day.

6-8 Weeks Out

Book your vendors

Your officiant, caterer, photographer, florist, DJ or band, and your stylist all need to be booked well in advance to ensure you have them reserved and that they can do everything you are hoping for

Book your rehearsal dinner

Make sure the restaurant you want can accommodate a large party, and give anyone who wants to give a speech plenty of time to write it.

3-6 Weeks Out

Buy rings if you haven’t yet!

They don’t have to be expensive, just something special for you and your fiancé. Make sure you have these or have them ordered so they make it in time.

Order or make wedding favors for guests

If you choose to DIY your favors, make sure you have plenty of time to get all of your supplies and make your favors. Enlist your partner, wedding party or family to help you put them together if it is too stressful to do on your own. 

1-2 Weeks Before

Confirm day-of plans with your wedding party and family

Team up with your partner, a parent, a bridesmaid, etc. to confirm different aspects of your day, such as arrival times and number of guests, with your vendors.

Confirm your final guest list for your venue and caterer

Also, use this time to arrange your seating chart so your guests don’t worry about where to sit and can enjoy your reception! 

Lay out and pack all of your wedding day items in the days before your wedding

Don’t forget your rings, marriage license and all of the things you are afraid of forgetting! 

Last but not least, and most importantly, take a deep breath! Relax! Have fun! You’re about to get married, so you should appreciate the time you have with your soon-to-be husband or wife, and enjoy your big day! 

To DIY or Not To DIY for Your Wedding Day

Raise your hand if you’ve ever maybe-kinda-sorta gotten too ambitious with a Pinterest project and it might have ended up looking more like an episode of Nailed It than you were hoping. Anyone? Yeah, us either. 

The last place you want to “nail it” is your wedding day. DIY-ing various elements of your wedding is a great way to save money and stay on budget, as well as flex your creative side. 

If you’re planning your wedding and have a crafty itch, read on to find some practical do-it-yourself projects and things you should probably leave to the professionals.

DIY

Your Wedding Stationery

Save the dates, invitations, programs, place cards, menus, seating plans—all of it! If you have access to a computer and a design program—either a paid service like Photoshop, or a free template service like Canva—you’ve got an easy, affordable way to create any kind of stationery for your wedding day. Creating a personalized set of stationery will be a unique added touch!

Wedding Favors

Rather than design and buy a monogrammed something that will sit in your friends’ and family’s junk drawers (you know we’ve all got one), offer a more sentimental favor for when your guests leave. Things like seed packets, small plants or homemade jam you and your new spouse made are functional and, more importantly, incredibly personal to you and your wedding. Making your wedding favors is a fun project for you, your fiancé and your wedding party, and your guests will appreciate the care and thought put into it!

Confetti Poppers

Looking for an alternative to throwing rice or birdseed at your wedding? Opt for confetti poppers instead! They are a safe, low-cost option that offer a fun pop of color as you’re leaving your venue. Find confetti in your wedding colors, watch a few online tutorials and grab your fiancé—making your wedding confetti poppers is an easy, cost-effective project you can knock out months in advance and forget about until your big day.

Your Flowers

Even if you aren’t a flower expert, you can learn how to create beautiful bouquets and centerpieces through a few internet videos and a little practice. Making your bridal bouquet can be as simple as picking up a few bunches of flowers from your local farmers’ market or grocery store or even picking wildflowers for something a little more rustic.

Hire Professionals

Photography

These days, a “fancy camera” (read: anything with a detachable lens) is not hard to come by in your family or friend group. It seems like everyone you know has a DSLR, and everyone thinks they’re a photographer…but you should probably still opt for a professional photographer instead.

A professional photographer will probably take a big chunk of your budget, but will also be able to get every shot you want, move quickly to get those unexpected, candid moments, and, possibly most importantly, will not be in the way of you enjoying your day.

The Cake

Can you bake your wedding cake yourself? Sure! Do you want the pressure of baking and decorating enough cake for your entire guest list in the days leading up to your wedding? Probably not.

Wedding cakes are expensive, but with good reason: a professional baker bakes for a living, and you do not. They are better equipped to bake cakes for 100+ people, are better prepared for a mishap and aren’t worried about other wedding details, so they can be 100% focused on making your cake perfect.

The Food

You, your family and your future in-laws are all great cooks, but how many of you have—successfully—cooked dinner for 100+ people? Unless you are having a small, casual backyard or beach wedding with your closest family and friends, it is a safer bet to have your food catered. Ensuring everything is cooked properly and on time, as well as set up at the venue is a huge undertaking that you don’t want your family or bridal party worrying about.

Your Hair & Makeup

Unless your cousin Tina is a professional makeup artist, we recommend not doing your hair and makeup yourself or having a family member or friend do it. Professional makeup artists understand the intricacies of photography makeup while also making sure you still look like yourself. And if you choose to be a June bride, your makeup and hair artists will make sure your makeup and your ‘do stay for the whole day no matter the humidity.

Entertainment

Music streaming services have made all of our lives better, and we have been able to move away from things like iPods (and CDs for all of our Millennials out there). You can easily set up a laptop and a few speakers and have a playlist set for the evening. But live entertainment, be it a band or a DJ, can re-energize your crowd when they’re partied-out and take requests. You also don’t have to worry about a live act glitching or buffering mid-event. 8

Your Wedding Day is Your Wedding Day

Like any rule, there are always exceptions. If you’re having a small backyard wedding with only your closest family and friends, queuing up a playlist and sitting down to a homemade meal makes sense and will be very personal. If you are up for a challenge, you can choose more things to DIY for your wedding day, and if you are not quite Martha Stewart, you can opt to hire professionals for more pieces of your wedding.

3 Unique Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Unique Valentine's Day Gifts

Valentine’s Day is coming up again—already. Have you thought about a gift? 

While flowers and chocolates are standard, they aren’t all that thoughtful. Not anymore. And especially not when they can be picked up at a convenience store on your way home! 

You know what the love of your life really wants? Something truly thoughtful. Something that’s simple, but romantic. Something that will remind him or her of the love you share for years to come. 

This Valentine’s Day, consider a gift that doesn’t wilt, isn’t devoured, and won’t get tossed in the garbage after a day or two. Here are our suggestions. 

(1) Stationery that Reminds Your Valentine of the Day You Said “I Do” 

This one’s for the married couple. Think back to your wedding. Can you picture the flowers? Maybe they were red roses, pink peonies, or hydrangeas and lilies in bright colors. 

Now, imagine how charmed your spouse would be if you presented her with handcrafted stationery in those colors, on paper that’s softly textured and unique. 

At Cast Paper, we take bridal boutiques and use them to create our Floral Expressions Stationery. These notecards, handcrafted from your wedding flowers, make beautiful notes that your sweetheart can use. 

All it takes is a bouquet. Send us your flowers, and they will be combined with 100% cotton fibers and cast by hand into eco-friendly stationery. 

(2) Love Notes for the Dreamy Romantic in Your Life 

It doesn’t matter how old or young a person is; everyone enjoys a handwritten letter. In an age of texts and emails, there’s something about putting pen to paper that feels special. 

This Valentine’s Day, consider putting your love into words—ideally, in nice handwriting—on artisanal paper. Our paper is made from cotton and natural fibers, and each sheet has a full deckle or feathered edge. It’s not just stationery—it’s a keepsake. 

We know how much your words on this one-of-a-kind paper could mean to the person you love. Trust us: she’ll hold on to it forever. 

(3) Plantable Products for the Valentine Who Loves to be Out in the Garden  

Want to know how committed we are to going green? Our products aren’t just made from natural, recycled materials. They’re also plantable. 

Crafted with twelve varieties of perennial wildflowers, our plantable seed paper will bloom when planted in moist soil. So, your Valentine’s Day gift will continue to produce beauty! Your favorite person will be reminded of how sweet your love story is as the flowers return year after year. 

Products by Cast Paper Art Make a Thoughtful and Unique Valentine’s Day Gift

At Cast Paper, we make all of our eco-friendly products by hand, using the same technique that has been successful for hundreds of years. Each sheet of our paper is crafted using recycled fibers and other natural inclusions like fresh wildflowers and other plants. Every single piece of paper we produce is different. 

As you think about ideas for Valentine’s Day, consider giving the person you love a true work of art. Give us a call for more ideas about how we can create a beautiful gift for the love of your life.