Two weeks ago we started our large scale wedding backdrop series with a pretty awesome (but still pretty traditional) photo booth style backdrop. Lest you think we were going to play it safe with this series, last week we went a little bonkers with a surreal cloud backdrop that’s basically our most favorite project ever. But there’s a reason we flew our very own wedding designer Michelle Edgemont out from Brooklyn for these projects and that’s because girlfriend does colorful installation projects like nobody’s business. So in the third installment of this series, we asked Michelle to go to work on a big, bold, geometric wedding backdrop that pretty much negates the need for any other decor at your wedding (which is exactly how we like it.)
PROS:
- Easy to transport. This installation looks pretty impressive, but the hexagon boxes nest, so they only end up filling two very light boxes.
- This is a no-brainer to create (if not to install). You buy every color paint in the store of your particular color (all the blues!) and then spend an afternoon with two friends painting and chatting.
- So. Pretty. (And kind of impressive, too.)
CONS:
- To create this backdrop the way we did, you’ll need the ability to hang putty on the walls of your venue. This won’t damage the paint on the walls, but you’ll still need permission.
- Installing the boxes takes someone with a little bit of an artistic eye (and an inspiration picture, so print one out). You’ll need an hour or two in your venue before the ceremony and a dedicated helper who is excited to take this on as a mini-artistic project.
Hack:
If you don’t have permission to affix things to the walls of your venue, but you are in love with this project, there is a hack! You can buy a Pipe and Drape Backdrop ($139), then create this installation on one or more pieces of foamcore, which you can affix to your Pipe and Drape Backdrop with Gorilla Tape. You WILL need a vehicle large enough to transport your foam core, and you should use a heavy duty glue to stick the boxes to the foam core (no need to worry about damaging the paint, and you don’t want the boxes to fall off during travel). All that said—this is a pretty easy hack, and it would look pretty damn rad.
SUPPLIES:
- Hexagon Boxs, Set of 3: 18 sets (If Amazon has low stock, Walmart also carries them.)
- Acrylic Paint: 2 ounce bottles, in every shade of the color you’re using you can get your hands on. We used about 20 bottles—I’m suggesting you slightly over buy, because running out sucks. (Hint: buy a large white paint as well, so you can dilute paints to get new colors.)
- Foam Brush Set
- UHU Tac Adhesive Putty: 8 packs. Overbuy, right? NOTE: We used regular poster putty and we found that the boxes randomly fell off the wall. Not ideal for the ceremony. UHU Tac is super strong, and should solve your problem. But whatever method you use (Command Strips are another, somewhat more expensive, option), test it on a wall at home first, especially if humidity is going to factor into your wedding.
COST ESTIMATE: $230
TIME ESTIMATE: Painting will take an afternoon (with two friends), or a series of evenings on your own. Installation will take about an hour, but allow two.
Steps:
1. Set aside roughly a third of your box sets (or six of them, if you’re using exactly our numbers) and leave them unpainted.
2. With the remaining twelve boxes, paint the insides (bottom and sides) in a variety of different shades of your color of choice. Paint the inside lids as well, but leave the lip of the lids unpainted (to mimic our exact look).
3. Let the boxes dry, and then nest them back together for transport.
4. Affix them to the wall at your venue, in a pattern with a variety of box density. We used regular poster putty to affix our boxes, but they fell down at random intervals. Since that’s not something you want happening at your ceremony, we’d reccomend that you use the super strong UHU Tac Adhesive Putty, or if you feel like splurging a bit, Command Strips. If you don’t need to worry about damaging paint, Gorilla Tape is also a pretty solid way to go.
5. GET EFFING MARRIED (in front of this awesomeness). Accept compliments with grace.