Your wedding day is a celebration of your love for each other, and sharing a very special day with your closest friends and family. However, planning the perfect wedding can often come with a hefty price tag. But if you’re getting married and you’re on a budget, fear not! With a touch of creativity and some DIY magic, you can create a memorable and meaningful wedding day without breaking the bank.
In this blog, I’ve suggested some DIY wedding tips to help you plan a dream wedding celebration that reflects your unique tastes and style while keeping costs in check…
Personalised Invitations
Designing and crafting your own wedding invitations not only adds a personal touch but also helps you save on printing costs. Explore various online tools and platforms that allow you to create customised invitations, or unleash your artistic side with handmade designs.
Get creative with Venue Dressing
You can transform your wedding venue into a magical space without splurging on expensive decorations. Consider creating your own DIY centrepieces using budget-friendly materials like mason jars, candles, and fresh flowers. Embrace the charm of vintage and second-hand to find unique items that can add character to your decor: Facebook Marketplace and Etsy can be great for sourcing decorative pieces that really add a bit of vintage flair. Instagram and Pinterest and ideal places to look for venue dressing inspo.
Handmade Wedding Favours
Express your gratitude to guests with thoughtful and handmade wedding favours. When it comes to favours, consider creating personalised treats such as homemade jams, cookies, or even small potted plants. You could even create little pouches of wildflower seeds: not only are they bee-friendly, but your guests will think of you every time they look at their freshly-grown wild flowers. As well as saving you money, homemade favours are a thoughtful touch that will leave a lasting impression on your guests and show how much you care.
DIY Bridal Bouquet and Buttonholes
Unleash your inner florist by creating your bridal bouquet and groom’s buttonhole. Purchase fresh flowers from a local market and follow online tutorials to arrange them into beautiful bouquets. This is an activity that you and your bridal party might enjoy doing together: a great way for the bridesmaids to help out! This not only adds a personal touch, but also ensures that your flowers are exactly as you envision them.
DIY Photo Booth
Wedding guests always love a photo booth- they’re great fun and get everyone talking, as well as creating lasting memories. This may not be something you’ve budgeted for, but that doesn’t mean you need to miss out. Instead, set up a backdrop, provide some props, and utilise a simple camera on a tripod or even a smartphone with a timer to keep it budget-friendly. Your friends can take turns acting as the ‘photographer’.
Homemade Wedding Cake
Skip the expensive bakery and opt for a homemade wedding cake. If you or a friend has baking skills, this can be a great way to save money on the wedding cake whilst also adding a personal touch that really means something. If you’re not a baker, consider creating a cheese cake instead: you can purchase large wheels of cheese and stack them up, before dressing with grapes and surrounding with delicious biscuits and chutneys.
DIY Entertainment
Compile a playlist of your favourite songs, or enlist the help of musically-talented friends to provide entertainment. You can also create DIY games or activities to keep guests engaged and entertained throughout the celebration.
Why wedding photography is worth budgeting for
I’m a wedding photographer, so of course I believe that professional wedding photography is something that you should try to budget for. But really and truly- if there’s something you shouldn’t cut costs on, wedding photography is it. When it comes to capturing your wedding day, there are some very good reasons why wedding photography isn’t the place to skimp. Whilst a friend or relative might have offered to take some photos to save you money, there are numerous reasons why hiring a professional wedding photographer is really important. And in the end, might save you time and a lot of disappointment. I’ve previously written a blog on why wedding photography is worth spending some of your budget on – you can take a look at that here.
Planning a budget-friendly wedding doesn’t mean sacrificing the beauty or significance of your special day. With a bit of creativity, resourcefulness, and the willingness to put in some DIY effort, you can create a wedding that is not only affordable but also uniquely yours.
I’m a wedding photographer in Cheshire, Chester, and North Wales. I also work throughout the UK. If you’d like to discuss your wedding photography requirements, I would love to hear from you.
