Weddingbee Blog

I looooove Shepherd’s hooks. Though I have to admit they were one of the (many) things I’d never heard of before I started reading Weddingbee, I’ve been quite taken with the way they look.

Shepherd’s hooks are a fabulous way to decorate your aisle or altar for an outdoor wedding, especially if you are using non-traditional seating like benches or hay bales, both of which we are considering for our wedding.

The home and garden store near my work started stocking beautiful dark-brown (gunmetal? pewter?) colored hooks for only $3.95 apiece, which my research online told me was a very competitive price. I decided to get 20 hooks, which is probably more than I need, but I was able to talk them into a 15% bulk discount on my purchase. Plus, buying the hooks in person meant avoiding heavy-duty shipping charges on several pounds of metal!

Here they are, chillin’ in my garage:

They still have the price stickers on them, which I’ll have to take off with some Goo Gone. Between these and the Coke bottles I have so much work to do with that stuff that I seriously hope it isn’t toxic.

As you can see, they’re not the most hardcore kind of shepherd’s hook with the “stabilizing arm” at the bottom (generally used for the super-tall hooks), but they are a solid and sturdy metal that should be perfect for hanging pomanders, cones, buckets, and more!

I love the way the shepherd’s hooks are used in the photos above (click for big), particularly with the cones in the last photo on the right. We’re going to be doing something a little different to make use of our mason jars and cans. I’m making wire hangers for the mason jars, which will hold flowers that will line the aisles during the ceremony. We’ll then re-use the flowers at the reception and swap votive candles into the jars in the evening. I might also make some lanterns out of cans with hole-punched designs to alternate with the clear jars. We’ll then scatter the candle-holding hooks around the reception tent and/or dance floor for a romantic summer ambiance.

I’d normally veto an idea that requires running around to move things from one location to another, but because the ceremony and reception will be so close AND because we have a wedding coordinator to take care of such things for us, I’m really eager to get maximum use out of all our accessories and decorations!

Are any of you using shepherd’s hooks in your wedding?

( Image Sources in composite: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 )