10 DIY Origami Ideas for Your Wedding

No, this isn't the paper fortune teller you and your fourth-grade friends obsessed over. It's actually the first step to creating décor for your celebration. Read on, and you'll see the shape of more wedding crafts to come.

If you've got an afternoon (and a few willing bridesmaids), you can whip up this cheery backdrop for your photo booth, ceremony marker, guest-book table—or wherever your venue is in need of a little pick-me-up. Make some of these multifaceted beauties, thread them onto string or monofilament, and voilà! Décor is served.

Bonus Tip: To make your garlands really shine, cut a triangle from metallic foil paper to cover one side of each diamond and attach with double-sided tape ("Mirri" gold foil wrap paper, $4 per sheet; nycentralart.com).

Snip to it! Each of these items can be made in five steps or less.

Clockwise from top left:

Leave a paper trail that guests won't forget, starting with your save-the-date.

Revelers will easily spot their seats when geometric table numbers are perched among the place settings.

At the ceremony, delight attendees with string-tied programs whose corners unfold to reveal all the need-to-know info.

Come reception time, let partygoers unwrap giftlike escort cards.

A single bow can turn a cake into a showstopper—especially if you pleat the same paper and wrap it around each layer. (To create a gold border as we did, use double-sided tape to layer a smaller strip of paper on top of a metallic one before creasing.) And while this is the trickiest fold we've got, it's worth it. The result is so eye-catching that once you master the technique, you might find yourself making bows to adorn everything from gift boxes to chair backs.

When it comes to parting gifts, a cleverly packaged treat is sure to sweeten the deal. Plus, any of these containers can be made larger to accommodate whatever favors you fancy; just increase the size of the paper and folds used.

Clockwise from left:

A string-tied "mini purse" is perfect for packing candies to go.

Watch cupcakes or snowballs bloom inside a flowerlike dish.

Slip slender sticks of chocolate in an envelope reminiscent of a pencil case or crayon box.

Stack smaller snacks in goodie-filled pyramids—check out Bayley's Boxes for nearly identical options in a choice of more than 35 colors (79¢ each; bayleysboxes.com).

In Japanese legend, cranes are thought to mate for life—and to live 1,000 years—making them a powerful symbol of fidelity. Traditionally, the father of the bride gives sen bazaar, 1,000 origami cranes, to use as wedding décor. We can think of a few ways to incorporate this lucky token: Attach the birds to tree limbs for a gorgeous ceremony marker, or turn a smaller group into place cards, with the guest's name on one wing and the table assignment on the other.