Paper Chains

Paper chains: they’re a classic kid’s craft that has been gaining in popularity at parties and events recently. After seeing so many colorful images on Pinterest and around the Web, I was inspired to make a paper chain ceiling installation in my son’s room. All you need is paper, scissors, a stapler and thumbtacks, and you could do the same. Best of all, it’s quite inexpensive, especially if you use paper you already have around the house (newspaper, maps, music sheets, etc.).

My inspiration came from these delightful images:

Above: Snippet and Ink

Above: SweetBee Photography (left), Style Me Pretty (right)

Above: Michelle March Photography

Above: MEF Photography
This last photo shares a clever way to do a guestbook, too! Guests wrote words of wisdom on slips of paper then added them to the chain, so it grew in length as the night progressed.

Ideas to Inspire: Quilts!

It doesn’t take much to create a colorful photo backdrop. Using your grandma’s patchwork quilt will do the trick! Hang it vertically and set up your tripod – the quilt adds a great amount of color and a vintage vibe.

This first quilt feature comes from Tami Siriani of Siriani Photography. The bride and groom used this colorful quilt as the backdrop to their wedding ceremony, then used it once more as their photo booth backdrop at the reception that followed. A vine-covered arbor at the wedding location made a perfect photo booth stand; they simply tacked the quilt to the backside. The bride decorated the front of the arbor with paper chains made from book pages.

Siriani Photography / Facebook

Below are a few other examples showcasing pretty patchwork patterns. There are so many possibilities!

Above: Christina Block Photography

Above: amelia + dan photography

Above: Jordan Weiland Portraiture

Above: Mandy Lynne Photography

Don’t already have a quilt? Etsy has a variety of beautiful options here.