Weathered and Worn : Rustic Themed Wedding

I have helped numerous brides in some way, shape or form before they get married. I was a bit afraid that these past experiences would taint the joy of planning my own wedding. But thankfully, I couldn't have been more wrong. I am loving just about every minute of it as I finally get to put touches on a day that perfectly fits Joe and me! Be forewarned in advance that we are going to be blogging a decent amount about wedding ideas and fun this year. I know blogging will be an outlet for my ideas and also for all the creative inspirations that I wish I could incorporate. I mean seriously, Joe and I could have 10 weddings and I would never run out of color schemes, decorations and creative thoughts for each day. And I know Marie has a head full of ideas from her own wedding in 2012!

One of the most popular wedding styles today is having a rustic wedding look. While this isn't the route that we chose for our big day, I couldn't resist writing about it since there are endless amounts of cute ideas out there. If you are already married, you could use this theme for a birthday party, summer barbecue or an anniversary celebration. Since the rustic look is popular, you can find some great items at craft stores for at very affordable prices. The main ingredients for a rustic look are mason jars, burlap, wooden chalkboard signs and more mason jars.

Decor:

• Incorporate wood into the centerpieces to help create the perfect visual. You could use
  
  round wooden tree slabs or come up with some creative words for each table with scrabble pieces.
• Mason jars are perfect for tea lights or floating candles. Add some twine or ribbon on the lip to spruce them up even more. If you browse Pinterest or are a DIY freak like myself, you can't help but come across hundreds of ideas for mason jars. Check out some more awesome ways to use these popular jars here.
• Burlap table runners bring the look together and are easy to find. Michael's and Walmart sell whole spools of burlap or find some runners on craigslist from a former bride.
• Using flowers in a rustic wedding look helps to make guests feel like they are fully immersed in the farmhouse, summer fields and shabby chic vibe that you are going for. Fill a few mason jars or bud vases with some wild flowers throughout the ceremony and reception space. You could even wrap the bouquets with some burlap ribbon or twine.

Creative Touches:

• Another rage these days is chalkboard paint. You can turn any surface into a chalkboard with a bit of this magical stuff. Grab some old serving trays, frames or wood pieces from around the house or a thrift store and give them a quick coating. These make for sweet rustic signs for your beverage table, dessert table, menu or the schedule of the evening events. Or for your photobooth like my cousin had at her wedding, pictured at the top of this post!
• Weathered, old or refurbished wood pieces are perfect for hanging a "Mr&Mrs" sign on the back of the bride and groom's chairs, to point out directions to the reception area or as sweet sayings around the reception space.
• Twine is inexpensive and makes a sweet little clothesline look with pictures of guests or for name cards. Hang in different layers to fill the space and give your guests something a fun visual display. Some couples ask that guests replace their name card with a picture of themselves or a fun note for the bride and groom's future guestbook.