How to Make Swags & Garlands for a Wedding

Engaged couples with tight budgets can create do-it-yourself decorations for the wedding or the accompanying reception. Depending on your color choices and your wedding theme, you might find that some craft materials suit your preferences better, but you can create your very own swags and garlands to hang from a ceiling, to embellish walls and archways, and to lay across tables.

Things You'll Need

• Tulle netting
• White light strands
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Artificial floral pieces like ivy, flowers and ribbon embellishments
• Craft polystyrene foam

Instructions

1. 

   Craft Store

   Gather project supplies according to your preferences. Wrapping strands of white lights in colored tulle netting or carefully arranged artificial ivy and floral pieces can provide a romantic ambience. Identify your color palette and obtain materials accordingly.

2. 

   White lights

   Spread out your tulle fabric as you line the light strands along the tulle. Enclose the light strands by wrapping the tulle around them. Fasten a small yarn tie around every few horizontal feet of these homemade swags. Plug light strands into one another when creating long swags to hang across the ceiling.

3. 

   Artificial flowers

   Insert the stems of your selected floral pieces into the craft foam. Trim the stems, as necessary, when building your garland, and position the pieces to hide the foam. If creating matching garlands, craft them at the sametime to better ensure that the results will be identical.

4. 

   Wedding Venue

   Visualize the venue, mentally placing your swags and garlands according to your preferences. Determine what other décor elements you wish to implement and create additional flower, fabric and light embellishments as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Plug in your light strands before wrapping them in tulle to ensure that they function properly.

• When working with swags that need to be plugged in, pay close attention to the venue's outlet capabilities and keep extra extension cords on hand.

References

• Save on Crafts: "How to Make a Bridal Fern Swag Garland"

Resources

• 5 Star Wedding Directory: "Swags and Sashes to Decorate Your Wedding with Style"