1001 Cranes
Obviously folding a 1001 origami cranes was a HUGE part of my part of my DIY projects. My 5th grade class in Mongolia taught me how to fold the cranes, but here's a good video if you'd like to learn.
I was about 65% done when we left Singapore. I finished folding them all during the 6 weeks I was home before the wedding. I then set about trying to figure out how I was going to hang them. Using a silver thread, I pushed a really long needle through the little hole in the bottom of the crane through the top point. I then tied it the end off using a faux pearl.
Mizuhiki Knots
Mizuhiki knots are a symbol of togetherness and connection and usually decorate gifts in Japan. They are made from washi paper into cords. I used this template to "tie" the knots for the men's boutonnières.
found here
Paper Poms
I turned to Martha Stewart to teach me how to make the paper pom poms that decorated the pews and the door. I used white tissue paper and then sprayed the paper poms with one part cranberry juice, 2 parts water for a very subtle pink. I then hung the poms upside down so than any liquid would accumulate on the tips of the "petals", giving my paper poms a kind of peony look.
Centerpieces
I went back and forth on this one. At first, I was going to make the centerpieces. Then I decided that I was going to be uber busy the day before the wedding and I wouldn't have time to put something together, so I enlisted my florist to make them. The above was my design all along: one hydrangea bloom in a paper box with a few of the cranes. It took us FOREVER to get an estimate from the florist and then when we did ( a mere 10 days before our wedding), the centerpieces alone blew the flower budget. $15 a bloom plus about $8 for the box and florist foam for 25 tables! Since I had originally planned to DIY the centerpieces, I'd already sourced everything and so I moved on to Plan B.
I ordered 30 stems of the giant pink and green antique hydrangea from Fifty Flowers.com (for the bargain price of $189), went to the dollar store where I bought out their supply of silver and gold chinese takeout gift boxes, and stopped by WalMart for some Ziplock bags and blocks of florist foam. The flowers arrived right on time the day before the wedding and they were GORGEOUS! I even got a phone call an hour after they arrived to making sure I was happy. (Seriously great customer service. I cannot recommend them enough. ) After the rehearsal dinner, my mom, bridesmaids and I barricaded ourselves in my hotel room and put the centerpieces together. We soaked the florists foam in water, then put it in the ziplock, which then went into the box. Each box got one bloom and three cranes on a toothpick. Voila! And it only took us like 30 minutes to make them!
