Can it get any more budget friendly than using tree trunks for your DIY wedding seating?! I think not! Hi readers, it’s Diana the EC2 blog assistant, I’m back to share more wedding project details. I had the privilege of working on set for the “Knock It Offf!” wedding episode and helped out with a few of the smaller projects. Today I’ve got the deets on the DIY rustic log benches that were made for the ceremony.
Seating can get pretty costly when you’re planning your own wedding, especially if you’re renting chairs for 100 plus guests! Luckily Monica and Jess thought of the perfect solution to that problem when they saw a few fallen trees in the homeowner’s backyard.
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own DIY wedding seating:
fallen trees (if you don’t have any on your property, try calling around to a few tree removal companies)
1x12x12 pine planks
chainsaw
tape measure
drill
stain
paint brush
paper towels
safety goggles
gloves
galvanized buckets (vintage and new)
baby’s breath
1 – Cut the tree into 18 inch sections. Be sure to put on proper protective gear before using the chainsaw. After each tree trunk base is cut to size, use the chainsaw to level the top and bottom so the bench doesn’t wobble at all. (We don’t want grandma falling to the ground during your wedding ceremony!)
2 – Monica and Jess decided to keep the pieces of pine for the benches 12 feet long, but you could always use a chop saw to cut it shorter for your purposes. Stain or paint them any color you’d like. They went with a medium wood tone to match the double doors that were brought into the back of the ceremony site.
3 – Position the trunk bases where you’d like your benches to be, then lay the pine on top. For a 12 foot long bench, they used three trunk bases evenly spaced at either end and one in the middle for added stability. Next you’ll want to screw the pine into the tops of the tree trunk bases. Those trunks aren’t moving and neither are the planks! They were super heavy!
4 – Monica and Jess then sealed the bench tops with fast-drying water-based polyurethane to make them more durable and keep guests clothes from getting stained… well, from the stain!
5 – To dress up the aisle but keep to the rustic look, galvanized buckets (they scored a few vintage ones along with new ones mixing old and new is key to keeping a low budget) were placed alongside the rustic log benches and filled with baby’s breath. (tip: Monica and Jess used baby’s breath from the grocery store and a florist, and found that the florist provided much larger, healthier looking bundles for about the same price!)
The bride and groom mentioned that they had plans of using the planks for a DIY home decor project after their big day was over. So, Monica and Jess personalized the planks using a wood burning tool and surprised them with a sweet little heart that had their initials in it! (All together now…AWW!)
It really can’t get easier or more cost effective than making these rustic log benches for your wedding seating! Plus, these benches fit so perfectly with the backyard, rustic wedding theme.
If you are just tuning in to the wedding week…ish fun, don’t miss out on these other great DIY wedding posts and the wedding episode…
Paper Pinwheel Bridesmaid “Bouquets
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The Game of Love is the perfect surprise to use on your honeymoon, makes a super fun bachelorette party gift, and also is so much cooler than giving a wedding gift off a registry.
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Great idea for wedding benches. I love it!