What you'll make
You build a freestanding copper frame, about 2.15 m tall and 1.8 m wide, from three 3 m lengths of 22 mm plumbing pipe, eight fittings and a pack of epoxy, then dress it with faux eucalyptus and a chiffon drape. The parts cost about £160 from Screwfix, Toolstation, B&Q and Amazon, while hiring a wedding arch starts at around £220, and you keep the frame afterwards.
Materials (per item)
| Wednesbury copper pipe 22 mm x 3 m 3 lengths at £29.54 each (cut into 2 x 210 cm uprights, 1 x 180 cm top bar, 4 x 30 cm feet) · Screwfix, Wickes or B&Q plumbing aisle | £88.62 |
| Endex end feed equal tee 22 mm 1 pack of 2 · Toolstation or Screwfix | £5.89 |
| Made4Trade end feed elbow 22 mm 1 pack of 2 · Toolstation or Screwfix | £3.10 |
| Endex end feed stop end 22 mm 4 singles at £2.79 each · Toolstation or Screwfix | £11.16 |
| Araldite Steel two-part epoxy, 2 x 15 ml tubes 1 pack · Toolstation, B&Q or any DIY shop | £9.99 |
| Faux eucalyptus garland, 180 cm 2 garlands at £10.75 each (Everlands listing on diy.com, which has a frosted finish) · B&Q, The Range, Hobbycraft or Amazon.co.uk | £21.50 |
| White chiffon arch drape, 0.75 x 6 m 1 pack of 2 panels (Punklong listing on Amazon.co.uk) · Amazon.co.uk or Hobbycraft | £16.99 |
| Cable ties 200 x 4.5 mm 1 pack of 100 (Screwfix Essentials) · Screwfix, Poundland or B&M | £2.49 |
| DIY cost each | £159.74 |
Tools
- Pipe slice or pipe cutter for 22 mm copper
- Deburring tool or round file
- Tape measure
- Fine-tip marker
- Emery cloth or 120-grit sandpaper
- Surgical spirit or isopropyl alcohol and a rag
- Disposable gloves
- Wooden skewers and a scrap of cardboard for mixing epoxy
- Scissors
Products you need
Everything on the materials list, ready to order.
- Wednesbury copper pipe 22 mm x 3 m£88.62 · 3 lengths at £29.54 each (cut into 2 x 210 cm uprights, 1 x 180 cm top bar, 4 x 30 cm feet)View on Amazon
- Endex end feed equal tee 22 mm£5.89 · 1 pack of 2View on Amazon
- Made4Trade end feed elbow 22 mm£3.10 · 1 pack of 2View on Amazon
- Endex end feed stop end 22 mm£11.16 · 4 singles at £2.79 eachView on Amazon
- Araldite Steel two-part epoxy, 2 x 15 ml tubes£9.99 · 1 packView on Amazon
- Faux eucalyptus garland, 180 cm£21.50 · 2 garlands at £10.75 each (Everlands listing on diy.com, which has a frosted finish)View on Amazon
- White chiffon arch drape, 0.75 x 6 m£16.99 · 1 pack of 2 panels (Punklong listing on Amazon.co.uk)View on Amazon
- Cable ties 200 x 4.5 mm£2.49 · 1 pack of 100 (Screwfix Essentials)View on Amazon
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Each guide is built from at least three published how-to sources and real store prices, checked on the date shown. We write the steps in our own words and list every source at the bottom.