5 DIY Presents You Can Crank Out for Anyone’s Wedding

If you're in your mid- to late 20s, chances are you're inundated with friends' and cousins' weddings just like I am. It seems everyone and their mother of the bride is hitting the nearest wedding show (what up Freeport Wedding Show, March 25th!), updating facebook with how stressful their planning process is, and a posting a constant countdown until their big romantic day.

At 8 weddings and counting taking place in Cape Cod, Ohio, Illinois, and Idaho to name a few, my schedule and bank account are already feeling a bit stretched. In the interest of pinching pennies while still gifting my loved ones with congratulatory wedding presents, I took to Pinterest to find some inexpensive DIYs for wedding registry alternatives. Behold the least lame ideas I could find:

1) Distressed Wood Name Sign

There are a million ways to artificially distress a plain piece of wood from the hardware store. If you employ one of these techniques, coupled with a stencil and some paint, you could craft a nice "The Hayes est. 2018" sign with minimal effort. Please note if doing this craft - the plural of a last name SHOULD NOT have an apostrophe in it. The Hayes, not The Haye's.

2) Aspen Initials

Similar to the last craft but for the artsier folk among us - try painting an Aspen or two with a sharpied heart and initials, perhaps even their wedding date. Who could go wrong with the old "carve it in a tree" confession of love?

3) String Art

You can take any image up a notch with some nails and string - but my favorite is the outline of your couple's state with their wedding venue highlighted with a heart. Who doesn't love representing their home state in a new way? Plus - the finished product looks way harder than the process. Ideal!

4) Personalized Kitchenware

Whether it's mugs, plates, or something else, every couple has some kind of kitchenware on their fancy shmancy wedding registry. Why not class up a less expensive version of their Crate and Barrel glassware with an oil-based sharpie and a simple design? This may be best suited for someone with a background in lettering or calligraphy, as your couple may not want something that looks like a Kindergartner made it before they have kids of their own.

5) Invitation in a Ball

Symbolism aside, I think this is a great idea. Quick, cheap, and meaningful. Take the couple's invitation and cut it into strips, each with a line of the invitation clearly visible. Wrap each strip around a pen to gracefully curl them, tuck all the strips into an empty glass ornament ball, and add a unique embellishment (like a ribbon or a meaningful charm that represents their wedding) to the top. Voila! A keepsake ornament that looks classy and complicated when in reality it was cheap and easy. Need I say more?