DIYer Uses Real Oyster Shells for Wedding Decor and Saves So Much Money

Wedding planning is already a stressful time of life. You have to coordinate everything and everyone, from food and flowers to dresses and dates. Not only that, but, as any bride and groom will know, you sometimes end up having to spend way more money than is comfortable. So any way that you can save a bit of money? Always worth it.

This bride was tired of having to spend so much of her hard-earned cash on wedding prep so for her bridesmaid gifts, she decided to turn to the ever-trusty process of DIY. These trinkets turned out way cuter than if she had bought them brand new!

If there was a way that to save money on wedding decorations, bride Shyla was going to make it happen.

Related: Flip Sea Shells Into Perfect Ring Dishes with Simple DIY Trick

Shyla ( @shylajadee on TikTok) is going to be a 2025 bride so her summer so far has been filled with decor prep for her upcoming wedding. Thankfully, there are a ton of ways to save money when planning for your special day, from cutting your own flowers to making your own table centerpieces . And that's exactly what Shyla decided to do.

As is custom for most modern brides, Shyla is giving her bridesmaids some small gifts in appreciation for being a part of her big day. This is the perfect time to turn to DIY because handmade gifts are always more special anyway.

Her goal was to make seashell jewelry holders. So cute! The first stop on her shopping list? A local seafood restaurant.

How to Turn Oysters into Jewelry Holders

The best part of this project? Shyla didn't even have to pay for the oysters! The local restaurant offered to just give her their leftovers since they would usually be tossing them into the trash anyway.

Armed with oysters, Shyla headed to Hobby Lobby to grab some metallic gold paint, printed napkins, and Mod Podge. That was her entire supply list!

After washing and rinsing off the oysters, Shyla prepped her DIY station and got started.

First, she added a layer of Mod Podge to the inside of the shells with a paint brush. Next, she secured an unfolded napkin onto the glue and pressed down firmly, adding on another layer of Mod Podge on top. She then tore off the excess napkin around the shell and added more glue along the sides for maximum security.

Last but not least, she added her gold paint to the very edges of the shells for that ornate luxury look.

Her bridesmaids will love these!

Love what you're reading? Be sure to follow us on Google News and subscribe to our Newsletter to get home and gardening news right to your inbox. For a chance to be featured on DenGarden and our social channels, click here to upload your clip and share your latest project with the world.