DIY Wedding Planning Journal From a Composition Book

DIY Wedding Planning Journal. How to design a personalized planner in your special style, using a simple composition book.

 

If you are into journaling already, you will want to create your own Wedding Planning Journal.

There are many journals out there that can work, and some are already made for wedding planning.

But we’re “from scratch” people around here, and we like to use simple, economical options.

Basically, we like to turn the old hum-drum into something fantastic.

And what’s more boring than a cheap, used-it-every-day-in-school composition book? But when you redesign the cover, you create something new and amazing. And there’s so many options to make it your own!

 

DIY Wedding Planning Journal

This post is about the Front and Back Covers for a Wedding Planning Journal. We’re planning follow up posts on ideas for the inside pages, such as countdown pages and wedding colors pages, for later.

To get you started down a design path we’ll ask you some questions. Because it’s so easy to get excited about all the ideas out there. Then the next thing you know, you’re on a rabbit trail that takes you to a wonderland of possibilities. That aren’t even your style. And you get more confused than ever, and want to give up.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What style of invitations will you have? Minimalist? Florals? Handmade paper?
2. What are your wedding colors? This will end up in your Wedding Memories box, along with your Wedding Album, so you might choose to coordinate with other wedding items.
3. Which design style do you use in your personal spaces? Boho? Modern? Shabby chic? Vintage?
4. Do you like buying stuff already made, or do you like to make things come together piece by piece?
5. Is there a special phrase, lyric or poem you and your fiancé made your own?

 

What you need for your journal/composition book covers:

• Composition book*
• Scrapbook paper*, fabric, etc., for a background
• Ephemera to match your chosen style, stencils, paint, scissors, glue, ruler

 

My personal answers to the questions:

I’m going to make this book for my brother-in-law’s fiancée, but I’m making it my style. Sorry, Carrie. But I think you’ll like it anyway!

If I was getting married right now I’d probably want handmade paper invitations. Minimalist décor. Mostly neutral colors, with pops of color like sage or rust.

And since I’ve been into macramé lately, I want to incorporate knotting elements.

So this is my list to gather:

• composition book
• wire*, nails*, scrap plywood, pointy nose plyers*, small hammer
• 4 mm macramé cotton*
• muslin for background, handmade paper for name insert
• wooden half beads*, 3/4″ round bead*
• scissors, tacky glue, ruler

 

The Process:

1. Cover the composition book.

   First I cut a strip of tan cotton twill and glued it just around the spine. I prefer fabric for the spine because it is more like the tape that is already on there. If I use paper or fabric, I don’t glue it around the curve of the spine, only on the long edges front and back. Leaving it loose seems to create a nicer finish.
   I had some 12″ cardstock in a tiny print with touches of script here and there. This I cut to fit the front and back covers and glued it down solidly.
   I painted the half beads and the round beads in a sage green. When they were dry I glued them down the front close to the spine, to cover the edge of the paper. I’m not sure I like the look. I think I should have left the beads natural colored. What do you think?

2. Make a macramé heart frame.
   

   I gathered up some 1″ finish nails and a hammer. I cut a heart out of scrap paper, about 3.5″ across at the widest. This went onto an old wood plaque I found in the storage room. Then I nailed the little nails all around the heart to help shape the wire frame for the macramé heart. I used a pointy nose pliers to cut the wire piece a little longer than to fit around the heart. Then I started on one long side and wrapped the wire. It’s tough to shape, at least the size of wire I used. So the nails have to be sturdy so you can use the hammer and pliers to “nudge” the wire into the correct shape. Then twist the wire ends around each other to close the heart. This is tough to do so check the shape again after making the connection. Mine went a little wonky so I had to re-shape it.

   

3. Knot the heart.

   Cut a pile of 12″ pieces of macramé cord. I used 29 on my heart. Tie 14 pieces to each side of the heart: fold the cord in half and tie to the wire with lark’s head knots. The last cord goes across the bottom of the heart.
   When all the cords are on the heart, tie square knots all around. Then trim to 1″ long, and comb out into a smooth fringe. Trim again to straighten.
   I glued the heart to the front cover, leaving the top 1/2″ unglued so I could slip in a piece of handmade paper with the words “Clark and Carrie.” I plan to give this book to her when I ship their invitations.

4. Closure.

   Now all I need is a closure to keep the journal shut after it gets loaded with all the bujo stuff.
   Cut 2 pieces 18″ long of macramé cord. String one cord through the round bead. Bring it around the bead snugly and tie a double lark’s head. Glue the ends of the cord onto the inside front cover.
   Fold the second cord in half and make a loop that just fits around the bead. I tied a regular knot to make the loop. Then I glued it to the inside of the back cover.

 

Here it is… all finished and ready for some inside eye candy…

What do you think? Does it need anything else? Maybe a short stem of pressed eucalyptus on one side of the heart frame?

How will you make yours?