DIY Chair Sash Tutorial: How to Add a Bow Accent to Your Wedding Chairs

We’ve had some brides ask about cheap ways to decorate your chairs for your ceremony or reception, so when Brittany agreed to share her method with you all, we were excited! Thanks, Brittany, for writing up this chair sash tutorial for us! You can read more from Brittany on her blog, The Not-So-Domestic Goddess.

Easy & Affordable DIY Wedding Chair Sashes

Just like many Budget Savvy Bride readers, I made an effort to do lots of DIY things to jazz up my wedding on the cheap. One of my projects was making my own chair sashes! This project is simple to do and very affordable, and the end result just adds an extra something to your ceremony or reception space.

What You’ll Need:

• Ribbon, and lots of it.
• A Ruler or Tape Measure
• Scissors
• A lighter (to seal the ribbon ends)
• A chair

Savvy Tip: Keep an eye on your favorite craft stores for when they do sales on ribbon. You can easily get all the ribbon you’ll need for half off, so it pays to take note of sales to get the best prices.

I purchased the ribbon for this project from Hobby Lobby in the wedding ribbon section. The ribbon I chose is 2.5″ wide, and there are 10 yards per roll. The regular price was $7.99, but they mark this stuff down all the time. So, watch for it to be half off to save yourself some major bucks.

DIY Tutorial: How to Make A Chair Bow or Sash

For the purposes of this DIY tutorial, I used this cute little antique folding chair, which isn’t far off from the garden chairs a lot of people are using in their weddings.

While you likely can’t tie the sashes on your actual chairs until you are setting up on the day of the wedding, you can definitely plan ahead to make things smoother.

1. Measuring Your Chairs

First, you’ll want to figure out the size of your chairs so you can pre-measure and cut your ribbons to size. The best way to figure that out is to call your rental company and have them measure the size of the chair where you will be tying on the ribbon.

2. Decide on Your Ribbon Style

You’ll also need to decide if you want a bow or a knot, and how much ribbon you will need for the option you choose. For the chair I used, I found I needed 1.5 yards for a simple knot and 2 yards for a bow.

3. Cut Your Ribbons to Size

Calculate the number of chairs you will have based on your guest count. Then, use a ruler or measuring tape to cut strips of your ribbon to the size you’ll need for all of your chairs.

4. Tie Your Ribbons

After I cut the ribbon, I tied it around the back of the chair, and voila, you have a pretty little sash to add some color to your wedding chairs!

This chair sash tutorial is such an easy project, it’s impossible to mess it up. And there are ways to make this project even savvier while still having a visual impact. Be strategic about how many chairs you put a sash on. You can tie bows around every chair or choose just the ones down the center aisle. The effect is still lovely even if you don’t do every chair.

We had ten aisles for our ceremony, and we were able to get five sashes out of every roll of ribbon. At half price, that was only $15.98 (plus tax) for a total of $0.79 cents per chair!

Wedding Chair Sash Ideas

The great thing about this chair sash project is that there are limitless ways to customize the look. It all depends on your aesthetic! From the color and material of ribbon you choose to the style of bow or knot you create, the possibilities for decorating your wedding chairs are endless.

If you want to get really creative, you can add even more details! Try including a faux flower stem or a broach in the bow when you tie it for an extra punch. Happy DIYing!

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Have a DIY project you’d like to share with BSB readers?
Submit it via email to submissions@thebudgetsavvybride.com!