So you’re trying to throw the party of the year (AKA your wedding) on a budget, eh? Well, we’ve got your back with this DIY bar. Coming in at a grand total of $200 for materials, this bar is wallet-friendly so you’ll be able to spend you hard-earned dollars on the cocktails instead of the bar rental. To add a whimsical touch, we decided to create a classic lemonade stand, fully equipped with a hand-lettered sign and his and hers spiked lemonade cocktails. Cheers to a delicious five-cent drink!
This bar combines the ease of a PVC pipe project and the beauty of a copper pipe DIY to create a stunning bar that will impress your guests. We took construction advice from this Formufit lemonade stand tutorial and slightly changed the top section (read: We didn’t buy as many attachments as we needed — oops!) and the table top. Rather than adding a wood bar, we simply constructed our bar over a folding table. Keep reading for the how-to.
Materials and Tools:
— copper pipe (we purchased five 10-foot pipes, 3/4-inch diameter)
— 8 T attachments
— 4 threaded attachments
— 4 feet attachments
— 4 corner attachments
— copper pipe cutter
— measuring tape
— sturdy cotton fabric
— thin black masking tape
— plywood (for the sign and the table top)
— paint pen
— copper wire
— wire cutters
Instructions: (based on the dimensions of a 45 x 27 x 23-inch table)
1. Cut pipe in the following sizes:
— 4 pieces at six feet
— 3 pieces at 45 inches (or the length of your table)
— 4 pieces at 27 inches (or the width of your table)
— 8 pieces at one and a half inches
2. Take the six-foot pieces of pipe and cut them the height of your table. Add a T attachment to all four pieces. Insert a 27-inch pipe into a T attachment, and connect it with a second T attachment. Repeat for the other side. Add the remainder of your original six-foot piece into the top of the T attachment on all four pieces.
3. Add all four threaded attachments to the bottom of your six-foot pieces, and then screw on the feet.
4. Place T attachments on the tops of all four six-foot pieces, then add a small one and a half-inch piece of pipe to the top of the T attachment. It should stick out about 3/4 inch. Add a corner piece. Point the T attachments inward so that the perpendicular hole faces another six-foot piece of pipe. Add a 45-inch pipe between the two T attachments. Do this again on the other side.
5. Add 27-inch pieces between the corner attachments on each side.
6. Stand your structure up and place it over your table.
*If you want to make it even sturdier, place additional pipes between the sides using the necessary attachments.
7. Cut a piece of fabric that fits around your copper pipe bar. We only added fabric to the front, but it would be cute to wrap it around three sides of the bar.
8. We really wanted gridded fabric but couldn’t find any for sale, so we made our own by adding black masking tape to the fabric. This will last through the party, but it’s definitely a temporary way to update your fabric. To adhere it to the bar, use hot glue or staples. Just be sure to keep it taught!
9. To create the sign, letter your words on the wood with a pencil to make sure you get the spacing right. Then go over it a second time with black paint pen. Drill two holes in the top corners, and attach the sign to the front of the bar with copper wire. We simply wrapped it around the copper pipe.
10. Add his and hers drinks, glasses, garnish and party straws, and you’ve got yourself a (spiked) lemonade stand!
Cutting copper is super easy with the right tool. Grip the pipe in the mouth of the cutter, then twist the knob until it’s holding the pipe. Rotate it around the pipe once or twice, then twist the knob a little bit tighter. Continue this process until you cut the pipe all the way through.
Adding feet will give your bar stability. When you’re at the hardware store, be sure the attachments are all the correct size for the pipe.
Our local hardware store didn’t carry attachments to create a right angle with pipes, so we had to create our own. All you need is a T attachment, a small piece of pipe and a corner attachment.
This is such a fun way to hack the fabric you want! And it’s completely removable, so you’ll be able to use your white fabric again after the party.
Have you taken our Hand-Lettering Online Class yet? Get to it, and you’ll be a pro in no time.
Put it all together, and go get married!
Be sure to top your bar with his and hers spiked lemonade cocktails. We’ve got his Risky Business Cocktail and her Pretty in Pink Drink. So ’80s.
Garnish your drinks with lemons, limes and raspberries.
What kind of his and hers cocktails are you serving at your wedding? Show us your drinks by tagging us on Instagram and using hashtag #iamcreative!
