Lace-Inspired Wedding Ideas

Beckon guests to a festive candy buffet adorned with lanterns (add battery-powered mini lights if desired). To create the lanterns and jars, we employed a mix of vintage and designer fabrics from one of our favorite sources, Mood Fabrics. Spray the prints onto sheets of paper, then cut them out and fold in to cones. Use the scraps from that project as wraps for the containers.

Fancy linens, watch out! Humble building paper goes haute couture when it's overlaid with Chantilly lace. At three feet wide, red rosin paper (lifeandhome.com) is an ideal size for a table. The napkin holders are made from yatsuo paper (hiromipaper.com); For scalloped edges, cut carefully around the curvy design.

You can master these escort cards just by laying a piece of lace over colored paper and coating it with clear spray paint. The resulting two-toned relief highlights the design of your fabric, which can be reused like a stencil. And the sky's the limit when it comes to style: From simple and graphic to intricate and romantic, lace can be found in myriad patterns.

Calligraphy: Paperfinger

These Envelopments pillow boxes come flat, but stuff with bonbons, and watch them live up to their name. The paper's matte finish soaks up the clear coat beautifully, showing off prints of petals made from a scrap of flowery tulle. For similar remnants, check out the offerings from LaceWorld.

A cloth or paper-covered blank book goes from plain to pretty when enhanced by lace and your new monogram. Have it calligraphed first (polyurethane repels ink). Then, center a square of card stock over the lettering to block out a paint-free "window." Add lace, and spray paint. Once it's dry, peel away the lace and card stock, and behold your handiwork.

To pull off a memorable getaway, hitch this lacy sign to the back of your car. Download our clip-art calligraphy, print onto 11-by-17-inch paper, and carefully cut out the stencil. Arrange it and Yesteryear Glam vintage lace appliqués on top of a piece of bogus paper—which is similar to kraft or butcher paper— cut to 30 inches, and spray. Mount the bogus paper on foam core, tape monofilament to the back, and affix the sign to the car by shutting the strings in the trunk's hinges.

An airy lace from 1900 is reimagined here as a uniquely contemporary cake. The white sugar-paste floral appliques, cut with a craft knife, look almost pixelated when affixed to the nettinglike grid imprinted onto the ivory fondant below. The end result appears delicately antique one second, strikingly futuristic the next.

Cake by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes.

Straight-edged and simply presented, the lace napkin rings strike a modern note. Our napkin-ring clip art can also be used to dress up favor boxes.

When printed on translucent vellum in soothing colors, lace appears even dreamier and more ethereal than it already is. To make square luminarias beautiful enough to be centerpieces, we simply magnified the lace pattern. Placed in a row, with no extra flourishes, the presentation positively glows with sophistication.

We printed clip art onto heat-transfer paper and ironed the designs onto fabric for these clutches. When embellished with faux lace, plain cotton-canvas clutches become great bridesmaids gifts.

An organdy corsage looks beautiful with an added lace flower that was printed on heat-transfer paper and then ironed on to fabric.

Lace details on a flower girl's petticoat can be made by printing on heat-transfer paper and ironing on to the petticoat fabric.

Frame your invitations and requests with a playful lacy pattern. Just type your big day details into a file with our clip art. One letter-size sheet makes two invites or four response cards. And here's a great tip: Use magnetic paper for the save-the-dates.

This project is not only a piece of cake to construct but also incredibly budget-friendly. Print our clip art borders (we used text-weight paper) and cut them to fit an assortment of round boxes and lids. Then, build tiers out of the boxes and wrap the trim round and round them. After you have filled each level with diminutive cupcakes peaked with white frosting, the playful castles are transformed into edible art. You can construct as many boxes as you need -- just be sure to mix and match tall and short stacks.

Stuff cotton candy into white favor bags folded into a bold new shape and imprinted with an intricate lacy pattern -- just run the bags through a printer and fold them on the seam side. Our hand-punched round gift tags give small favors an abstract touch (we used a 2 1/2-inch punch). For the cracker favors shown here, we filled a number of clear acetate tubes with assorted candy, wrapped them in gold tissue paper, and topped them off with our clip art.

Bag, Paper Mart. Cardboard jewelry boxes, BOXit. Acetate candy tubes, Frontier Candle Packaging.

Create your own photo booth with an oversize lace-patterned canvas backdrop. Download this design and take it to a copy center that can print the large file (we went to FedEx Office). Then hang it up at your reception and have your photographer or friends capture candid moments that you can add to your guest book.

This sweet flower-girl accessory is a wonderful option for a youngster who may not be ready to sprinkle petals from a basket. We made gathers in eyelet trim, then coiled the trim (securing with a few stitches as we went) to create the layered "petals" of a lush bloom; a piece of eyelet trim secures it to her wrist.

Establish a gentle ambiance with centerpieces that glow like moonlight. Enchanting for an evening reception, these votives are made with clear glass cylinders (we used several sizes), white lace, and white candles.

Wrap amaretto cookies in contrasting squares of tissue paper, twist ends, place a strip of cotton lace trim on top, and then tie the ends off with colored twine.

Gather eyelet around favor boxes to create elegant pouches for guests. For a tailored look, we sewed wide eyelet trim to cotton fabric, then wrote "thank you"; trim edges with scalloping shears and a mini hole punch.

For napkin ring, lay 6-inch-long trim on 5 3/4-inch ribbon; align ends, with eyelet inside; sew with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out.

Unify your event by matching favors to the day's color scheme. Mix up the offerings, and you'll have even more opportunity to emphasize the motif. Here, soaps tied with dainty lace, candles bundled with eyelet ribbon, and doily-trimmed paper bags all reflect the black-and-white palette.

Leaning on an easel or hanging on a wall, a framed display of eyelet-inspired seating cards is charming (make as many as you need). The cards are cut from card stock and embellished with easy-to-find craft supplies -- a rotary cutter with scallop and zigzag blades, and decorative punches.

This eyelet "sampler" -- with its cutouts, flowers, and pristine whiteness -- evokes summer as prettily as a billowing cotton dress. Each fondant-covered tier presents a different eyelet. The second layer is inspired by the table runner; the cake's crown by the bottom layer (which has a sugar-paste ribbon "threaded" through it). Styrofoam disks, wrapped in fondant, lift the top layers. Tiny eyelet cutters and small pastry tips were used to make the holes; the embroidered effect comes from piped royal icing.

Cake by Wendy Kromer.

This soft-hued mound of peach garden roses, ballet-pink sweet peas, and enkianthus almost runs the risk of being too old-fashioned. But by adding some trimmings from your veil -- like little bits of lace, shiny ribbon, or these shimmery silver rosettes -- the bouquet becomes not only refreshingly whimsical, it also happens to completely pull together your wedding day ensemble.

The beauty of this cake is punctuated by the purity and simplicity of one giant flawless rose perched on the top. The white tiers are decorated with confectionery bands inspired by the lace of a bridal gown.

Andromeda blossoms call to mind beautiful sea plants washed ashore as they spill from this sun-dappled cascade. Their pebbly texture contrasts nicely with plump parrot tulips, ruffly lady's slipper orchids, dainty hyacinth florets, and trumpeted narcissus. Their shape is repeated in the vintage white-lace ribbon that envelops the stems.

A ring bearer will be all the more adorable carrying a pillow accented with eyelet and slim ribbon. These designs sew up in minutes.

Subtly personalize a pair of elegant full-length gloves with a floral organza lace. The edging, available from fabric and notions shops, can be tacked onto the gloves using small invisible stitches in matching thread, and removed later if you wish.

Flower girls look enchanting with butterflies fluttering on their dresses. The lace appliques are easy to attach with a needle and thread. Ribbons streaming from their bouquets are decorated with the same butterflies, which appear to fly through the air when the girls walk.

The intricate patterns shining through these luminarias (paper-bag lanterns illuminated by votive candles) are courtesy of doilies glued inside.

Envelopes made from folded square doilies contain special missives for your guests -- their reception seating cards. On the outside, notches cut into the lace pattern hold small name cards calligraphed in gray ink; table assignments are written on larger cards nestled inside the folds. Lay them out on a linen tablecloth, propped on the lacy points of the top flaps.

Doilies and silk ribbons combine to make graceful garlands to be draped over pews at the wedding ceremony or festooned along reception tables.

From top:

• Lacy circles are laid flat and threaded directly onto ribbon, then slid close to overlap.
• Accordion folds add a cheerful cadence to paper trim.
• Folded pairs of heart-shaped doilies create a three-dimensional effect.
• Round doilies are gathered into frilly puffs, then wired to a ribbon.
• A scalloped edge comes from folding circular doilies in half, then pressing them close as they're strung together.

A row of enchanting luminarias is composed of large glass candleholders surrounded by screens made from square and rectangular doilies mounted on sturdy translucent vellum.

A waxed round doily rests beneath a glass charger. The calligraphed place card is sandwiched between paper lace disks: To make, fold two 2 1/2 -inch-diameter round doilies in half, right sides in; fix the back half of each doily to either the front or back of the calligraphed place card with a glue stick, and fold down other halves to make a base, affixing a 2-inch-diameter round label to the underside for stability; stand the charming result atop the plate.

A flower girl in an eyelet dress holds a nosegay of blue hydrangea in a prim doily cuff; flowers made of trimmed and gathered doilies enhance the bouquet and the barrette in her hair.

Send guests off with candies packaged in deftly folded paper lace. The "crackers" on the stand are clear tubes filled with candy, rolled in waxy rectangular doilies, and tied at the ends with ribbon; a scalloped sticker stamped with the bride's and groom's initials is a becoming seal. At right, doilies of various shapes are folded into imaginative containers for paper cups brimming with traditional blue almond dragees.

During the reception, the newlyweds can stand beneath this capacious bell of papier-mache and paper lace, surrounded by breezy white garlands of Mexican cut-paper flags. The pinata surrenders its lighthearted treasures with a simple tug on the tassel clapper -- no blindfolds or stick-swinging required. A delightful shower of confetti results -- white candies, flower petals, and strips of white paper inscribed with good fortunes -- to be distributed among the guests.

Homespun white cupcakes are crowned with fondant hearts cut with a cookie cutter and imprinted with the bride's and groom's first initials using a new rubber stamp. Those bearing one letter are paired with napkins marked with the other, and vice versa. The cake stand is made of Styrofoam and boards, with a 3-inch-wide doily trim.

Delight guests at a wedding or shower with their own tiered "cake." For these fudge treats, which can be made with white or dark chocolate, cookie cutters form bite-size layers resembling those on a wedding cake. Pink sanding sugar serves as icing, and paper doilies enhance the dainty display.

Doilies fashioned into envelope liners look chic when paired with stationery in sophisticated, muted colors.

Eyelet-patterned paper lanterns float above a modern (and economical) table setting. Candlelight flickers through eyelet-covered hurricanes and votive holders, casting colorful shadows through underlays of green vellum (secure vellum and trim to outside with double-sided tape). The candles are elevated on cake stands ringed with trim and grosgrain ribbon.