Wedding Project: DIY Giant Chandelier

As I mentioned in the previous post about our mini chandelier I really wanted to add some glam to my wedding but I didn't exactly have the budget to pull it off.  Here's where chandeliers really come into play, big showpieces...and in my case not a lot of dough!

We started with two different sized hula hoops.  Depending on exactly how big you were going you could start with wreath forms or any other round objects.  I spray painted mine gold since they were two different colors.  

Once they were dry I used ribbon to hang them one inside the other.  I would recommend using fishing line for this instead because depending on the kind of beads you use you can see the ribbon sticking out.  Make sure that your hoops are evening spaced from one another all the way around.  I hung mine from the ceiling to ensure that it hung straight. 

Attaching my two hoops

Now you need some glam, I ordered these beads from Amazon and they worked great.  The only problem was I made my layers WAY longer than I should have so I probably ended up with $50 worth of beads on this project...not as budget friendly as I'd hoped.  I used hot glue to attach the strands which I cut to the desired length. 

Gluing strands

As you're working on this I would definitely try and do an entire layer in one sitting if you can.  As I ran out of beads I was not able to do this and it lead to a little bit of warping of my first layer which made it difficult to hang the chandelier straight.  

First Layer Complete--ignore the background noise

And then you do the same with the second layer, I used a slightly shorter bead string this time, but its all about personal preference. 

Second Layer Complete

And of course the most important part is CAREFULLY bring it to your venue, we lost more than one strand of beads in transport, so its important to not SHOVE it in your car when you're moving it. Then of course, dance the night away. 

Buffet tables not included.