DIY weddings are having their moment in the spotlight with bohemian, rustic, and vintage themes creating the perfect backdrop for a few personal touches. That’s before we even get into the positive effect a bit of elbow grease and creativity can have on your budget. Make your wedding that little bit more personal and a lot more affordable with DIY touches – big and small. Here’s a few DIY wedding ideas to get the ball rolling.
Create bespoke invitations
Creating bespoke invitations and save the dates can be as complicated or a simple as you make it. Turn dull white card into a statement piece using dip dye techniques, fabric, or images of the two of you. One important tip: don’t go into this project glue gun blazing, draft out a design on paper first and stick to it. One downside of having so many options is the tendency to go overboard and create a mishmash of conflicting ideas.
Make your wedding cake
This one may seem like an overwhelming task but it’s very, very achievable. Layers of cake can be made weeks in advance and frozen, giving you plenty of time to get your cake absolutely right. The rise of the naked cake means that decoration may be as simple as fresh fruit and cream. If baking isn’t your strength, consider buying pre-baked and plainly iced layers that you can add a creative twist to with surface decoration.
Make personalised wedding favours
Wedding favours are a huge budget sucker and an opportunity to have a little fun with your guests by going DIY. Design a favour made up of your favourite sweets or a small bottle of your favourite drink. You can even bake individual cupcakes or write personalised poems. Let your imagination run wild and create something completely personal to you.
Arrange your own flowers
Whether you opt for artificial or fresh, basic flower arranging is a skill anyone can learn with a few online tutorials and some simple tools. You will need florists wire and tape to start with, and a glue gun for attaching any ribbon or decoration. Choose simple, natural arrangements with a relaxed feel and make this task a group effort by asking your bridesmaids to help.
Decorate the venue
From chair decorations to bunting and candles – this is another task you can tackle yourself, ideally with help and support from a few friends or family. Ask your venue if you can access your space the evening or morning before the wedding and string fairy lights, bunting, or paper chains for a relaxed bohemian theme. Dull chairs can be brought to life with a little ribbon while plain tablecloths can be lifted with colourful runners.
Design an order of service
This is a small detail that can easily be overlooked, so make sure you pay attention to the slip of paper or card that will introduce your guests to your wedding day. Some fun designs include orders of service styled as fans or postcards. Do what feels right for your wedding and set the tone for the day to come.
Create personalised pocket squares
Even if you’re not one of life’s natural seamstresses, pocket squares should be within your reach. Simply find a fabric you love and hem each side. You will be left with fun, completely unique squares that will set the men in your wedding party apart from the crowd.
Make name cards and holders
Seat your guest with a personal and quirky name card and holder that is kind to your budget. A fun way to do this is to use polaroid style photos of your guests rather than names, although a vintage typeface can also look amazing. For the holder, a cork split two-thirds down is a cheap and cheerful way to display the cards, or use miniature plants for a natural feel.
DIY is an opportunity to express your personality through the things you make. Have fun with it and give yourself plenty of time to perfect your creations before the big day.
