DIY Your Wedding The Right Way

Weddings now have such lovely, unique, personal touches, thanks to the DIY movement. There are thousands of tutorials online (including the DIY projects featured here on The Budget Savvy Bride) that show you how you can DIY your wedding, as well as examples from real weddings featured here on the site. These resources, as well as the proliferation of craft stores and online supply shops have given brides and grooms the tools they need to make their weddings truly personalized.

That said, I’ve witnessed some DIY projects go a bit sideways or be abandoned altogether – it’s so easy to get overwhelmed!  The key is to properly manage your time and energy from the get-go so you can work in a calm and happy manner. It is possible to DIY your wedding the right way!

How to DIY Your Wedding the Right Way:

Follow these tips to make sure you don’t get in over your head if you choose to do DIY projects for your wedding day:

Pick projects you can do ahead of time.

Printed goods, like table numbers, are so fun and easy to do ahead of time. Printers tend to misbehave and you may want to be super specific with the type and quality of paper, so give yourself time to shop for paper you like and give a few test runs. (Budget Savvy Bride has an incredible collection of free templates!) Décor that can be prepared weeks or months prior, like the spray-painted animals below, are also a fabulous way to add personality and unique style to your wedding.

Tread carefully with flowers.

Flowers are so beautiful, and so integral to wedding décor, but they take a high level of labor and expertise. Some cannot be sourced during certain seasons, others require storage in a cooler, and the labor required to haul buckets of water, trim stems, and transport the items to and from the venue is tiring and intensive. The issue is, florals are incredibly time-sensitive, right? Most of the work can’t be done ahead of time. Do your homework (like checking out great tips on this very site) or hire a florist to do one portion of the florals for you.

Another idea is to take a floral class with a professional florist– they’ll show you the ropes, sometimes offer tours at wholesaler marts, and educate you in the vital information you need to plan well and have a smoother experience. Be sure to bring at least two friends or family along – it also involves them from the start and they’ll feel a greater sense of ownership about helping the day or two before the wedding, which you’ll need in full force as you get ready for your big day.

Remember to have fun!

If your project becomes overwhelming and you no longer enjoy it, skip it!  Don’t let DIY ruin your wedding day. Choose something that makes you happy and provides satisfaction when all is said and done. Your guests are there to celebrate your love and enjoy your presence, and if you didn’t handcraft those 100 faux roses out of recycled book paper, trust me, they won’t think any worse of you!

Are you planning to DIY your wedding? Join us in the community to talk all things wedding planning!