Outdoor Wedding Decorations That Are Easy to DIY

The beauty of an outdoor wedding is, well, the beauty of the outdoors. Gardens, farms, and beaches provide a picturesque backdrop to your nuptials without much effort. But if you want to add a little something extra to your celebration, try one of these easy-to-make projects.

Revel in the sunshine—and the heat that can accompany it—by offering handmade fans that can kick up some soothing breezes. Ours features a floral motif on one side and a quote—"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep"—from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" on the other.

Line your ceremony aisle with fresh blooms. These runners enhance the feeling of being within a garden, no matter the setting.

Even the smallest flower girl will make a big, big entrance when she carries a Wonderland-size blossom down the aisle. 

Put your drinks (here, booze-free gauva juice with sparkling water) on ice. Have your servers carry them in on a tray filled with a frozen sheet made all the more pretty with flowers. Each glass is accessorized with matching cubes and a monogrammed stir stick. 

Spell out a warm welcome. Hang signage made from boxwood leaves, which are available year-round, and frame the doorway with sculptural topiaries.

Breezy fabric in a sunny palette will keep a subtle nautical theme afloat near the ocean. Drape striped cloth over a rope, and secure it with fabric tape to turn whitewashed dowels into a billowing ceremony backdrop. Then fold a flag over each chair, and hang matching banners along the aisle.

Silk flowers spell out intertwining initials on a silk faille banner, symbolizing the couple's union. Hang it over your ceremony location or unfurl it at your sweetheart table at your reception. 

An alternative to tin cans tied to a car bumper? Hop onto a bicycle built for two with a trailing pennant spelling out your new status.

Show guests where to go (and which way the fun is!) with these directional signs.

Even if you party late into the night, the sun will never set on your drinks with these celestial stirrers. 

Potted lavender plants that resemble mini trees are fragrant and enchanting—and become even more personalized with a gift tag attached with braided twine.

Weddings are full of flowers, but sometimes the littlest arrangements make the biggest impact: Guests will be delighted to find cut flowers tucked into their dinner linens. To keep the blooms from wilting during the cocktail hour, slip the stems into little vials of water (available at floral shops).

No need to staff your table with a friend to encourage attendees to write well-wishes; when a book is being guarded by these little guys, they'll hop to it.

Enamel pails overflowing with dahlias are charming for an informal reception table. The buckets do double-duty as table numbers with the addition of self-adhesive vinyl numbers that are available on the Internet in many sizes, colors, and typefaces. 

Instead of having flower girls scatter blossoms as they amble down the aisle, have them be the blossoms by carrying these petal-topped rice-paper umbrellas! Added bonus? After the ceremony, they can tote the pretty parasols home as favors.

These pretty candy pouches look festive enough to hang around as decorations before they're handed out as takeaway treats.