A Party Fit For A Lumberjack

Hello Bloggers!  I recently started working as a Social Media Manager for a company called The Woodworking & DIY Shows.  It is a company that puts on woodworking/do-it-yourself trade shows across the nation.  At these shows you can find everything woodworking and DIY related – from vendors, to products, to educational seminars and more!  I have been diligently maintaining the Facebook Fan Page for the show and it inspired me to write a wood-related post!  Who else would I recommend these wood-themed party ideas to?

For an earthy feel this sign could be a funky touch to any wood-themed event!  This specific sign is made from recycled wood with the words painted on.  One of the most important things to keep in mind when planning a themed event is to make sure that you carry the theme out through the entire event.  How would you do that with wood, you ask?

Decor like the wood slice wall above would be an excellent way to carry out the wood theme.  All you need to complete this look is a hot glue gun and flat, clean wood slices!  It would even be fun to use slices of various diameters to add some depth to the look.  Depending on your venue for your event, you could put together boards of luan (a light, inexpensive plywood that can be cut into small pieces) and adhere the wood slices to that – creating a portable wall that can be leaned against a tent, placed against a main wall within a venue or create a wall in an outdoor setting!

Why not get your caterer or server involved in the theme?  Provide larger wood slices that are clean and flat to be used as serving trays!  You could also cover them with doilies or something else lacy and inconspicuous if you are hesitant about placing your food directly on the wood!

No matter what type of event you’re having – whether its a wedding or another kind of celebration – your guests will always need a way to find their seats (if you’re having a sit-down dinner or program).  This is another way to incorporate wood slices into your wood-themed event!  You can either write the names on yourself or bring them somewhere to get them done in script.  Lay them out on a table close to the entrance of your venue – or you can spice it up a little by laying down moss or leaves and placing the escort slices on top for a more woodsy feel.

If you decide to go with a more traditional escort card (made of paper or card stock), you can utilize one of these great wood-themed ideas for place card holders!  The first would be used at an escort table – medium sized, clean logs with saw slices every 3 inches is perfect for holding escort cards until guests can pick them up and take their seats!  The second would be best used at the table for each guest.  This design glues together two twigs with a sprig of pine tree stuck in alongside the escort card with the guest’s name on it!

What about your tables?  If you’re going to put on a wood-themed event, you need to be sure to have ample wood-themed decorations and accessories to carry it out!  This wood slice vase is easy to make (DIY!!) and gives such a unique look to this flower arrangement!

Another popular party decoration is candles!  Votives or pillars can add a soft, warm touch to your event.  Above are a couple of wood-themed options that can cater to whatever size candle you’re looking to use!  You could either place large pillar candles on top of a sawed-off log and cover with a hurricane glass OR you could create or invest in something like these awesome votive holders made of twigs fastened with natural colored twine and accented with some greenery and pinecones.

When I think wood-themed, I also think natural simplicity.  A nice simple table decoration could be using burlap or another natural textured fabric as your linens.  You could even use plain polyester linens and use the burlap as an overlay for an added touch of woodland texture.

Some of you may be interested in wedding-specific content and decor.  The following ideas might help you in planning your wood-themed wedding!

This Save-The-Date and Wedding Invitation both follow the wood theme!  The invitation is heavy stock paper, fastened in the middle so that each layer can spin to reveal the information outlined in the outer ring.  The save-the-date uses a mix of hand-crafted signage, photography and pure human chemistry to create the perfect example of why the couple is tying the knot!  There are so many different ways you could go with this, but these two are fun and eclectic ways to incorporate wood into your wedding!

Every wedding needs a cake!  Every Wood-Themed wedding needs a WOOD CAKE!  These two couples did wood-themed in very different ways – but they both look great!  The first cake is a more simplistic approach, with bark accents and the bride & groom’s initials carved plainly into the middle tier.  An accent of fondant tulips on the top tier add color into this simply beautiful cake.  The second cake has a little more detail – making the tiers look like birch wood and adding in acorns, leaves and ferns for accents and color.  This cake also has initials carved into the side – but much larger and more dramatic.  You could even combine aspects from each of these cakes to create your own wood-themed cake!

Where to put your wood cake?  How about this idea!  Turn a tree trunk into a cake stand!  In the photo above, it looks like this tree trunk was cut evenly on each end, then attached to a base and top so it stands steady and holds things flat on top!  The couple even had their initials carved into this trunk to create the perfect wood-themed wedding keepsake!

Another thing that everyone needs at a wedding is – the RINGS!  Although selecting rings isn’t usually the job of the event planner, it always helps to have ideas to offer to stressed and confused brides who don’t know where to start!  These wedding bands add a whole new meaning to themed weddings by carrying out the wood-theme over the years of their marriage.

A HUGE thanks to Pinterest for helping me compile and organize all the aspects necessary to put this post together!  Another thank you to The Woodworking & DIY Shows for inspiring me to think up this random event theme!!  Have you ever planned a themed event or wedding?  Share your experiences with us by commenting!

Happy Woodworking,

A