Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Wedding Parasols: A Tradition in Asian Weddings

Unknown to many, Japanese umbrellas – particularly the red and oiled paper umbrellas – have long been considered as a traditional element in Asian weddings, and they were used to cover the bride upon her arrival at the wedding ceremony venue, which practice is believed to shield her from the evil spirits, or as a dowry, particularly among the Hakka people of China, who would give them in pairs to wish the newlyweds good luck, happiness, and the blessing of male sons and many grandsons.

DIY Crafts for Wedding Parasols

Japanese umbrellas and paper parasols have graced so many modern summer weddings and Asian weddings and among the popular ways by which they were used are as bridal umbrella, bridesmaids umbrellas, wedding aisle decoration, umbrella favors for the guests, hanging umbrella lights, flower girls' parasols, and even as groomsmen's parasols.

And if you think about giving them a custom design, the following are a few decorating ideas that you can do:

Painted Parasols.


Image credit: http://livngthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2012/03/something-blue-cake-by-sweet-nothings.html,
Hayu on http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Thailand/North/Chiang_Mai/photo203922.htm

Perfect for paper, fabric, and nylon parasols, you can start by either drawing your design on the exterior side of the canopy of the parasol using a pencil, or make a stencil of it on an extra sheet of paper by printing or drawing your patter on paper and creating cut-outs using a hobby knife. Paint your design using an acrylic paint and let it dry for one (1) day.

Beaded Parasols.


Couture Beaded Parasol by DiabloAngel on Etsy, $120.00


Beaded Embroidered Indian Wedding Parasol, http://www.horse-carriages-manufacturers.com

If you love the idea of beads hanging from the edge of the canopy of a parasol, you can easily do this by stringing beads or sequins of your choice using 1/8-inch wide satin ribbons. Make sure to create strings of beads with uniform length and sew them carefully one-by-one on a fabric or lace parasol, or you can go the quick and easy route by shopping beaded fringes.

Rhinestone Umbrella.


Black Lace Parasols with Rhinestone trim by denntv on Etsy.com


Don't know how to decorate your wedding parasols with rhinestones?
Take your inspiration from this two-tone rose crystal umbrella pin from ExclusiveJewelry.com.

Perfect for lace parasols and cloth parasols, you can make your own rhinestone or jewelled umbrella by sewing faux rhinestones on your wedding parasol. Have a plan for your design, like choosing a rhinestone, umbrella-shaped pendants for your inspiration, so you are sure to end up with a pretty jewelled parasol.

Floral Parasols.


Image credit: http://floralinterludes.blogspot.com/p/wedding-walk-thru.html



Flower Girls' Parasols from BloomedtoLast.com

Go unconventional with floral parasols by decorating your paper, nylon, or fabric wedding umbrella, bridemaids' umbrellas, or flower girls’ umbrellas with floral appliques, like silk flowers, paper flowers, or vinyl flowers, and don’t be afraid to add a few faux leaves for that touch of green or strands of pearls for added elegance.

Fringe Fabric Trim and a Bow.

Fringed Battenberg Lace Wedding Parasol,
Victorian lace-trimmed parasol from http://www.RetroScopeFashions.com/Parasols.html

Exude effortless elegance on your rustic wedding by edging a solid-colored parasol with a fringe fabric trim and then glue or sew a thick (approximately 2") silk or satin ribbon halfway around its canopy and tie it to a large bow.

Paper Parasol Cardboard Box.

Make your Japanese umbrella favors more special as a gift by wrapping them inside a cardboard box. Wrap the latter with a pretty paper for the most stunning effect.

1 comment:

  1. This is an interesting fact. I think I’d like to do something like this for my wedding as well. At the moment I’m busy with the wedding preparations, but I’ll talk with my planner to see if it can be done. The wedding is at one of the best New York wedding venues after two months.

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