A wedding is all about you and your partner, and the personal touches and little details are what make your big day so special and unique. Even if you’ve been building up a specially curated Pinterest board full of inspiration for years, you still want your own wedding to stand out from the rest!
In fact, searches for ‘fun diy wedding ideas’ have gone up by 100% in the last 12 months alone and there are over 90 million views on TikTok for #DIYweddingideas, so it’s clear that many future brides and grooms are looking for ways to get crafty.
There’s also a certain charm from having a DIY wedding that you can’t get elsewhere, even if some parts don’t turn out quite as planned, and that’s not even the best part. Obviously, doing the work yourself is going to save you some all-important cash that you can then put toward having a more extravagant honeymoon. Perhaps a relaxing trip to a fancy hotel in Bora Bora?
What is a DIY wedding?
A DIY wedding is as straightforward as it sounds – it’s just like a standard wedding except you and your partner get to show off your creativity and artistic abilities by doing as much as possible yourself. It’s a great option for any couples on a budget as they’re able to save money on certain things without compromising on quality. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to spend some quality time together as a couple crafting! However, even a DIY wedding can add up which is why we’ve spoken to an expert for their top tips on making sure you keep the costs down.
10 top tips for having a DIY wedding
If you’re ready to get started, Kate Beavis, Vintage Expert at Magpie Wedding, has shared some expert tips with us on where to start with pulling together a truly beautiful DIY wedding – just keep on reading to find out more!
- Work out your budget and stick to it! It is possible to get wed for as little as £40 (the price of the registry office) and everything else is extra. Of course, you will want the extras – but you don’t need it all.
- Buy preloved or hire your wedding dress. You can buy a dress from marketplaces such eBay or visit a bridal preloved shop such as Bridal Reloved. There you can get ex-sample designer dresses at approximately £750 that would have been thousands if sold as new.
- Choose vintage. This is not only a cheaper option but also a great eco one too. Vintage wedding dresses can be as little as £100 depending on their age and condition. Visit specialist shops as they will be able to advise on alterations, and the dresses will be in better condition.
- From decorations to flowers, make as much as you can. You could grow your own flowers to display on the tables, make ribbon garlands using scraps, or even buy new materials from craft shops. Look to Pinterest for ideas and even see if you can get your friends and family involved to help you!
- Create clever ways for guests to get involved. They could “bring a dish” for example. You could even have a Bake-Off competition where guests make sweet treats!
- Prioritise what the most important things are for you. Whether it’s the photography or the musicians, make sure to spend the necessary money on this! Then decide what is the least and ask yourself whether you really need it. For example, you may decide to ditch wedding favours, or a DJ.
- Scour car boot sales. You can find all sorts from plates and glasses to vases and all sorts of other bits at a car boot sale. Just make sure you keep a list of what you have and need as you could still overspend here!
- See what you can borrow. Maybe friends have jars you can use for vases or props to style with? Or perhaps your grandma has some special sentimental jewellery? As the famous wedding saying goes – ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.
- What can you upcycle? It might be that you’ve already got some stuff lying around that you can upcycle. Gin bottles or empty wine bottles work well for flowers, pallets for signs for example.
- Consider whether you can sell it afterward. Not only will this recycle your items, but you can make some money back afterward. This includes dresses, props, decor etc.
Ultimately, Kate says you shouldn’t try haggle with wedding vendors over prices. It’s actually not true that they make more money as it’s a wedding – in fact, many don’t even make minimum wage after all their expenses and time spent. Instead, be savvy with your money!
Another thing she advises is to avoid is buying cheap as this probably means they’re probably mass-produced items flown from the other side of the world. Not eco, and not high quality!
Maybe you’re not actually getting hitched yourself but know someone who is? Apart from letting them know about all of our fabulous DIY wedding ideas, don’t forget to pick up one of our beautiful wedding cards to send your best wishes for the big day.
And if you found this a delight to read, we’ve got even more for you on the thortful blog where you can find more special occasion articles as well as what to write inspiration and gift guides galore.
