Happy Halloween from DIY Divas!  Now, on to the fun.

This week we are featuring DIY Hair pieces, which can cost upwards of $200 if you purchase them from a retailer.  Rachel, our ever-crafty coworker, has found a way to completely bypass the bridal boutique and instead make gorgeous, chic hairpieces that are perfect for a bridesmaid or even a bride!

Step 1: Head to your nearest craft store and peruse the faux flowers section.  You’ll be surprised at how realistic and beautiful many of them are.  Once you’ve found the perfect flower, you’ll also need a hot glue gun, a small square of felt cut into a circle with a hole in it, and a little clip (also available at any craft store).  You can also purchase any sort of adornments to add to your flower, such as feathers, lace or jewels.

Step 2:  Open the clip and slide it through the hole in the felt.  This will be the back of the hair piece where you’ll attach it to your hair.

Step 3:  Place a dollop of hot glue on the back of the felt between the clip and the felt.  This assures that the clip will stay on and not detach in the middle of your wedding!

Step 4: Take the hot glue gun and use it to attach your flower as well as any additional accessories you’ve purchased to your felt backing.

Step 5:  Finally!  You have a beautiful hair piece worthy of a princess.  I love the look of this one with the exotic feathers.  It’s very vintage and modern at the same time.

Whenever I get an invitation to a wedding, the first thing that pops into my mind is, “What should I wear?”  When thinking about this, you have to take into consideration so many things: is the wedding during the day or at night? Is it formal or semi-formal? Are there any cultural traditions that might offend someone? The whole process can be pretty stressful for a wedding guest.

So, I was excited when I discovered The Knot’s Wedding Guest Attire Cheat Sheet.  This is a great guide for someone who is trying to determine the meaning of terms like white tie, beach formal and dressy casual.

Also, to avoid any major faux paus check out the article that was featured today on Yahoo’s homepage: “9 Things You Should Never Wear to a Wedding.” Below are just a few of the recommendations that caught our attention:

1. White is Not Right - It is still the case that only the bride should be dressed in white.  Period.

2. Limit the Sparkle - The article recommends that you avoid anything lame, sequined or glittery. Let the bride shine at her own event.

3. Jeans are Not Dressy Under any Circumstances - Forgo casual fare unless the invitation specifies that the event is casual.  This also goes for engagement parties–never wear jeans to event like this. It is just a big no-no.

Every bride and groom faces stress as their big day approaches. There is always some little detail that won’t work itself out. In my case, we faced the challenge of having a groomsmen who refused to wear a tuxedo. We tried everything we could think of to get him to conform, even made appointments for him at a local suit shop the day before the wedding, but it was hopeless. Many of my bridesmaids suggested that we kick him out of the bridal party altogether, but he was our friend and we wanted to include him.So, I had to learn to forgive his stubbornness and forget that all of our wedding pictures look like we are playing a game of “which one doesn’t belong?” I guess the lesson to learn is that if you are gonna put “black tie optional” on your wedding invitations, make sure you mean it! And to remember that when things are put in perspective, sometimes the little details really are just little challenges that shouldn’t ruin your affair.