Let’s face it, a wedding can feel like just as much of a curse as it is a joy. Deciding on a date, finding a venue, choosing everything from flowers to lighting, and trying to please your parents (not to mention a million other things) all while attempting to not break the bank is an insurmountable task all in its own.
Now you’re thinking about doing it yourself?!? You’d have to be crazy, right?
Well, I won’t call you crazy because just three months ago I was in your same position. The excitement of my wedding led me to scouring wedding blogs and Pinterest hunting and gathering ideas for my perfect day. I knew I wanted that rustic/romantic feel… call me cliche.
What I didn’t know (or realize) was how much it was going to cost. Were these prices for real? How was I ever going to be able to afford this? Was I willing to spend a year’s salary on a big party – absolutely not! My parents would think I was insane. The panic started to set in and I had to quickly act on my feet.
Keeping budget in mind, I prioritized what was most important to me while fantasizing about all the beautiful details. Then I came back to reality and made a list of what I could actually do myself. Did I really have to pay $30 per table for burlap and lace table runners? Was $150 per item for custom signs worth it? Did I really have to rent rustic furniture from a stager? The answer to all these questions was no… I could do it myself.
With needle, thread, hot glue gun, and plenty of other tools in hand, I began my DIY wedding journey.
My DIY Wedding Crafts at a Glance
Overall, I focused my efforts on eight key things that were important to me, that would give my wedding the personalized vibe I was looking for. In total, I would have spent $3,620 to purchase what I wanted. In the end, I did them myself for just $597.75. That’s a total savings of $3022.25!
Stationary Calligraphy (200 Envelopes)
Retail Price: $800 – DIY Wedding Price: $40!
Floral Place Cards (100 Place Cards)
Retail Price: $500 – DIY Wedding Price: $45!
Custom Signs with Rustic Frames (6 Signs)
Retail Price: $600 – DIY Wedding Price: $150
Burlap and Lace Table Runners (15 Tables)
Retail Price: $420 – DIY Wedding Price: $114!
Customized Rustic Table Numbers (15 Tables)
Retail Price: $300 – DIY Wedding Price: $48.75!
Bridal Party Floral Crowns (Total of 3)
Retail Price: $300 – DIY Wedding Price: $60!
Custom Totes and Makeup Bags for Bridesmaid Gifts (5 sets)
Retail Price: $350 – DIY Wedding Price: $40!
Customized Programs and Menus (Total of 200 -Can also be done with invitations)
Retail Price: $500 – DIY Wedding Price: $100!
Can I DIY My Entire Wedding?
Unfortunately, probably not.
It really depends on what your venue allows. For example, My venue already had a sole-source event company that required me to purchase all the food, tables, dance floor, and market lights through; these are all things that can be DIY as well.
But even if you can do everything yourself, I would advise to keep a healthy balance between what others do for you (ie: what you either delegate or pay up the nose for) and what you DIY. Remember, this is your special day, your wedding only happens once (hopefully), and you should be able to enjoy every second.
How You Can DIY The Wedding Crafts Pictured Above
Over the next couple weeks, I’ll post in-depth tutorials on how I crafted each of the DIY wedding crafts I showed you earlier. Everything was relatively simple, and much less expensive than the retail versions.
And if you enjoy crafting like I do, a DIY wedding is a great way to let your creative juices flow, and relieve some of the stress associated with planning your wedding.
For now, here’s a sneak peek of what the wedding looked like put together ♥
I want to do all of these things! Can’t wait for your blog posts. You are AMAZING.
I am SO excited to see how you did a few of these things! We are doing a rather rustic wedding in the woods, and I am excited to do a few projects…thank you in advance for sharing!
Thanks, Annie! Hopefully they are helpful 🙂 I should have all my tutorials up by mid-January. If there’s anything you’re looking to do that I didn’t mention – let me know!