Affordable Utah Weddings

Image via Max and Ellie

Image Via Max and Ellie

Okay lovelies. I know we can’t all spend a ton on our wedding day, but we still want it to be magical. What’s the answer? DIY.

 I know the time leading up to your wedding can be the busiest time of your life. Have no fear. There are plenty of quick and easy projects you can do to make it your own. One of my personal favorites is the DIY cake plate courtesy of Max and Ellie. If you want a chic display for all the yummy goodies on the big day but don’t want to spend a couple hundred dollars on chargers, here’s your solution:

• Go to any second-hand store and look for plates. They don’t have to be very cute, but if they have a nice, raised design or a scalloped edges or something interesting going on along the edge, it’ll turn out really cute. Also look for candlesticks. Make sure they have a nice, fat bottom and a flat top. I didn’t pay attention to the tops when I bought mine, and one of my trays is wonky because the top of the candlestick wasn’t flat to begin with. None of your pieces have to match at all!

• If you don’t already have spray paint, go buy some in the color of your choosing. I bought a bunch of Krylon for $3.27 a can at Walmart.

• Remove the price tags and all of that nasty adhesive with Goo Gone, then wash all of your plates and candlesticks in hot, soapy water. Let them dry.

• I skipped this step, but it probably would have been helpful, which is why I’m including it: using a measuring tape or ruler, find the center of the bottom of your plate and mark it. I’m a notorious eyeballer. I never measure anything if I don’t have to. And pinning when I sew? Let’s just say I’ve had to pick out many a crooked seam. Ahem.

• Get some really tough glue. I LOVE E6000. Seriously, I use it all the time. Crafts, home repairs, you name it. Anyway, carefully squeeze a thin line of glue all the way around the top of your candlestick. With your plate face-down, place your candlestick (glue-side-down) on the plate. Let it all sit, untouched, for the amount of time prescribed by the glue bottle. If you want to make a tiered cake plate, make several individual cake plates and glue them together after the initial application is dry.

• Take your cake plate into the backyard, put it on something like an old cardboard box that you don’t mind covering with paint, and spray away. Continue adding coats of paint until you like how your cake plate looks. Let the paint dry completely before touching

• If you want to put food directly onto your plate, you need to seal it with something, but I didn’t have any luck with that, so I can’t help you there! The clear acrylic I put on my lovely turquoise stand made the paint blister. My plan is to use my stands for things like cupcakes where the food doesn’t directly touch the cake plate, or to put a cardboard cake circle or a doily or something between the cake stand and the food.

 Tip: For some added charm, get some pearl or lace trim to embellish the edges. Get creative.

Hope this “How-To” was useful!

Check out Max and Ellie’s blog to see these instructions with step by step pictures:

http://maxandellie.blogspot.com

And their adorable Etsy shop:

http://www.maxandellie.etsy.com