With the cost of living increasing across the board, it can be hard to afford all of the frills and extra items that you’ve dreamed of having for your wedding day. We’re here to help you decide which items you should DIY and which items are worth the cost!
Do’s: Items You Should DIY
After scrolling through seemingly endless wedding ideas online or in wedding magazines, it can be tempting to try to DIY everything for your big day. While some of the things you see are tough to replicate for the average crafter, here’s a list of seven ideas where you can let your creativity shine and perhaps save some money in the process.
Wedding Favors
With so many options of what to give your guests as a favor, you’re sure to find one that you can DIY. Some popular options are packaging up your favorite sweet treat or coffee in a favor bag, compiling a ‘hangover’ kit for the morning after, or crafting candles in mason jars. The possibilities for DIY wedding favors are endless, so definitely take the time and make them yourself! Once you’ve created your item you can take it over the top with a custom favor sticker or favor tag.
Addressing Your Invitation Envelopes
Although calligraphy can seem daunting, the internet is filled with beginner books and online classes to help you learn the skill. Professional calligraphers can charge anywhere from $2 to $5 per envelope, which can add up if you have a large guest list.
Pro Tip: This skill will also come in handy for your wedding signage, and it’s something you can offer to help friends with their own future wedding planning.
Table Centerpieces
While many centerpieces use flowers, by no means are they the only way to go. A few unique options would be to use lanterns, empty wine bottles with custom labels, old vases, mirrors, and candles to name a few options! Look for materials that can be upcycled, reused, or donated after the big day to make this DIY even more efficient.
Welcome Bags and Guest Amenities
Many of your guests may come from out of town, so why not surprise them with a welcome bag full of goodies? You could include: information about any events; directions around town; some chocolate; pain meds (to help with the morning after); and a thank-you gift. You can coordinate with the hotel your friends and family are staying at for the bags to be given at check-in.
Photo Booth Props
With everyone all dressed up, allow your guests an opportunity to take fun pictures together that they can bring home. Photo booths don’t always have to be electronic booths; you can create a space with a backdrop, balloons, and hand signs for everyone to use when they snap a photo with their phone or a Polaroid camera.
Your ‘Rice’ Toss
Traditionally, couples were showered in rice thrown by guests after their wedding ceremony. Many venues no longer allow the throwing of rice, but there are many other items you can use to make this moment special. You can try collecting some leaves and punching out small heart shapes in them, or give your guests glitter in place of rice.
Pro Tip: Make sure whatever material you choose to use is allowed by the venue. If not, the clean-up fee can be a big hit to your budget.
Lawn Games
If your ceremony and reception are at the same venue, having some activities for your guests to do in between is an unexpected treat! Some large-size wedding games that you can make on Zazzle are Topple Tower, Corn Hole, or Fast Four.
Pro Tip: Pick the game you and your new spouse like best so that you can continue to play it at your home for years to come.
Don’t: Items Worth The Cost
DIY wedding details can be amazing when done well, but unfortunately many end up becoming Pinterest fails. If you’re considering doing some parts of your wedding on your own, take a look at the seven items you might want to leave to the professionals.
Catering
You could be an amazing cook that rivals Gordan Ramsey or Julia Child, but cooking for your family of ten at Christmas is different than making enough for a full wedding reception. By hiring a caterer, you can take the stress away of ensuring there’s enough food for all of your guests and that it arrives on time for dinner.
Transport
Your wedding day is the one day when you deserve to be pampered from start to finish. Either rent a car and driver, or have a friend with a fancy car drive you to and from every location. This is especially important at the end of the reception, when you’re tired from partying the night away. With someone else driving you can just collapse in the back seat.
Photography
Imagine this scene: you’ve spent months (maybe years!) planning your wedding day down to the smallest detail. You smile for all the photos, but realize only when they’re delivered to you later on that the photographer didn’t have you in focus. The easiest way to prevent this is to spend the time and money on a great photographer.
The Cake (or Dessert)
Everyone can bake, right? Wrong! Wedding cakes are a specialty for bakers because they’re inherently more difficult to make, and are often the centerpiece of a wedding day. Unless you’re a confident baker, it’s important to fork up the funds to have a professional make your wedding cake. Many couples are forgoing the cake and looking into a dessert selection, so their guests can choose what treat they want. If you go down this route, then a professional baker will ensure there are enough sweet treats for all of your guests.
The Flowers
Although bouquets and boutonnières can look uncomplicated to assemble, that’s not the case. Florists spend hours arranging just the right flowers and filler to create beautiful pieces and unfortunately, it isn’t a skill that can be picked up overnight. In addition to that, if you’re using real flowers, then they shouldn’t be arranged until 1-2 days before your wedding. This time should be spent welcoming your out-of-town guests, and ensuring that all of your clothing and rings are pristine for the big day!
A DJ or Emcee
Many couples think that they can save money by skipping the DJ or emcee and relying on their phone plugged into a speaker instead. Without a dedicated DJ to move the reception along, the event can feel awkward for your guests. A DJ or emcee can smoothen the transition between songs and encourage people onto the dance floor.
Pro Tip: If you do want to spend less on this part, consider reaching out to local colleges for students who want to practice their skills and earn some extra cash.
Hair and Makeup
Even if you’re confident in your everyday look, doing your own hair and makeup for your wedding day is a big risk. Professional makeup artists know how to apply the best products for a long day of wear, while also ensuring that your best features are highlighted for photos. A good special occasion hair stylist will have no trouble arranging your hair around a veil, a skill that you probably don’t have any experience with.
Pro tip: This is also a great way to be pampered on your wedding day. Who can pass that up?
Planning your wedding will always be full of ups and downs. Take a few things off your plate by following our list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to DIYing items for your wedding. If you’re struggling with any reception ideas, why not check out our article “33 of the Most Popular Wedding Activities That Need to Be at Your Event.”
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 28, 2019 by Erika S, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Lucy is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork, Ireland. Originally from America, she is now settled in Ireland with her husband and Corgi-mix puppy Dug (yes, like from Disney’s UP!). It’s the simple things in life that matter, so give her a bag of M&M’s and she’s happy. She loves to relax with a good book, cozy up on the couch for a movie, or go to the park for a stroll with the family.
Highly disagree with most of these!