Many couples are paying for their own weddings nowadays, and with that can come a lower budget for the event. However, there are many ways that you can save thousands of dollars on your wedding day and that is by doing it yourself, or DIY. Even if you are not the most crafty person, you and your partner, along with help from your wedding party, will be able to do all kinds of projects that will save you lots of money in the long run. If you have time in your week for DIY projects, this may just be for you.

Why Should I DIY?

If you have time in your day, there are a handful of projects that will help you stay within your wedding budget. DIY can be a lifesaver when when paying for an event where you can have hundreds of people attending! The projects may be a little time consuming, but when you are on a tight budget, it is better to DIY than have to scrimp and cut costs where it matters, like catering.

Wedding Favors

These are perhaps the easiest DIY project that you can do with your wedding party. First you have to decide on what kind of favors you would like; edible ones, such as these S’Mores Centerpiece Favors, are always popular because your guests can snack on it on the way home. Another idea: With just some mason jars, a printer, sticky labels and some ingredients from a bulk store, you can make trail mix in different flavors for your guests. Top it off with some fabric in the same color as your theme and tie with twine for an extra added touch of elegance. If everyone works well together, this project can be done in an afternoon and can save you hundreds of dollars.

Non-Traditional Bouquets

A wedding trend that has been steadily gaining attention lately are non-traditional bouquets. These bouquets are usually made of different findings, from beads and broaches to seashells and glitter, many brides have decided to make their own stunning non-traditional bouquet. If you are worried that you may not be able to do such a thing by yourself, check the non-traditional bridal bouquet ideas pinboard for inspiration and the right videos to help you along with your project.

Invitations

Another big cost when it comes to weddings are the invitations. A great way to save on them is to make them yourself, and that way you can make them as busy or as simple as you would like them to be. Craft stores have many different styles of stamps, cards and ink that you can use to make your invitations uniquely yours and you can save hundreds of dollars while doing it. Plus, guests are sure to enjoy something that is handmade instead of printed at a factory.

Place cards and Seating Charts

Two more paper crafts that are exceedingly easy to do, and if you made your own invitations you will already have stamps and ink that you can use. If you have decided on a specific theme, you can design your place cards and seating chart around that theme so that it fits in perfectly at the reception. These do not take a lot of time to do and your wedding party can help you with them if you need a couple extra pairs of hands.

Photo Albums

You do not have to pay a photographer to make up your wedding album. With many websites offering the capabilities for you to design your own wedding albums (most notably Shutterfly), this is a sure fire way to get what you want and save some money as well. You could also choose to scrapbook your wedding, and you can save that for weekends when your spouse and yourself are looking for something fun to do together. It is a great way to relive the day and see it from different perspectives as you put your own album together.