A wedding is typically a highly expensive celebration. It's no surprise then that many newly engaged couples often consider incorporating at least some DIY ('Do It Yourself') elements into their events. Adding DIY components to a wedding can help couples to personalise their big day, cut costs and get crafty. On the other hand, it can be hugely time consuming and a little stressful (to say the least). In this article, we give an overview of DIY weddings and offer you the chance to reflect on whether you've got the 'Do It Yourself' mentality that you'll need to wow the crowd.
What are DIY weddings?
A DIY wedding, short for "Do It Yourself," is a wedding that is planned, designed, and executed by a couple themselves. Rather than hiring a professional wedding planner, a stationery provider, a cake maker and so on, a DIY yourself wedding in its truest form involves - quite simply - doing it all yourself.
Requiring lots of crafting, creativity and nifty little personal touches, DIY weddings are praised with being able to truly reflect a couple's style and personality.
Some couples choose to DIY their entire wedding, from designing their own invitations to creating their own floral arrangements. Meanwhile, other couples choose to select specific elements they feel comfortable crafting and then outsource the rest.
Got a keen eye for flower arranging or a determination to make the best wedding cake out there? Your time to shine has arrived!
Is a DIY wedding cheaper?
One of the main reasons that people choose to craft their own weddings is due to the high cost of paying for all the expensive elements of a typical wedding event. From flowers to catering, venue and wedding dresses, there's a lot to pay for in order to make your day special. But are DIY weddings cheaper?
The truth is, whether or not a DIY wedding is cheaper or not really depends. It depends on which features you want to handle yourself and the cost of the materials you purchase. Don't budget properly and your DIY wedding could end up being somewhat expensive.
Each wedding is unique. As a result, some elements may be more cost-effective than others. It's therefore important to weigh the pros and cons of a DIY wedding carefully. If you do decide to go DIY, remember to thoroughly research pricing as well as the quality of materials and tools required to be successful in your DIY wedding mission.
Let's also not forget that your time is money. If you spend a large proportion of the year crafting different elements of your wedding for 200 people and planning it all yourself when you could be focusing on your career, for example, then a DIY wedding might not be the most efficient way to save money.
The components of DIY weddings
A traditional wedding is comprised of many different components. From decorations to music, food to photography, there's a whole lot to consider. Looking at ways to incorporation a DIY element into your big day? Here are some things you can do to take control of for your big day.
DIY wedding cakes
Are you in your happy place in the kitchen? Maybe a keen baker? Many couples choose to make their own wedding cakes in order to save costs and add a personal touch.
Requiring skill, patience, and attention to detail, making a wedding cake is tricky, but perfectly possible if you're up for the challenge. Take some time to practice beforehand and make sure that you have realistic expectations; many wedding cake companies have years and years of experience and qualifications behind them!
Consider taking an online tutorial and make sure you purchase the right equipment; such as a good mixer and baking pans. Whilst making a wedding cake might be a big challenge, just imagine the pride you'll feel as your guests tuck in on their big day.
DIY wedding stationery
From wedding invitations to seating charts, your wedding stationery is another element that can potentially be outsourced. By applying your personality and style into your wedding stationery, you can create something that truly represents you as a couple.
However, the stationery elements of your wedding are not to be underestimated. The expert designers that create stationery for your event will have high quality equipment, design software and a keen eye for detail. If you do decide to make your stationery, be prepared to meet hurdles such as wasted rounds of printing, having to make changes to the colours or card you use and more.
Avoid being disappointed with your wedding invitations or on the day stationery and request the professional help of Peppermint Press.
DIY wedding venue
A DIY wedding venue is a location or space that allows couples who are planning DIY weddings to create their own unique wedding environment and atmosphere.
Offering couples a blank canvas as well as access to basic amenities such as bathrooms, parking, water and electricity, DIY wedding venues require a lot of work but can result of truly personalised wedding experiences. Think, a family or friend's backyard, a local park or garden, a community centre, a barns, a campground or a warehouse.
Whilst this kind of wedding can be special, offering you the chance to bring your vision to life, it does require a lot of work - especially in the few days leading up to the wedding. So don't underestimate it!
DIY wedding hair and make up
Do you (or a friend) have the know-how to get your hair and make up on point for your wedding? Start with a visit to a Sephora for a free make up demo and then create your own trial run. In doing so, you can gather the ideas, skills and practise you need.
Not feeling totally confident? You can always hire a professional to do one or the other (or both). The last thing you want for your wedding is to doubt whether you went to the right way with your wedding day look.
DIY wedding party gifts
Another common way in which couples decide to incorporate a DIY element into their weddings is by making their own party gifts or wedding favours. Creating little gifts or gift boxes for your guests doesn't have to be too complicated and it allows you to exercise your creativity to the max.
Why not host a wine night with your closest friends a couple of weeks before the wedding and sit down to create favours for your guests? Include items such as pocket tissues for the ceremony, sweets or disposable cameras to encourage photos taken by guests. Requiring a little less skill and simply more imagination than anything, this is a fun and personalised way to express your gratitude.
DIY decor
Got the vision for your big day down to a tee? Maybe you're best suited to personally creating the decorations for your upcoming wedding. Depending on your wedding theme and skills, you could begin by collecting various materials such as timber, glassware, and fabric or anything else you find.
Using Pinterest or other online searches, gather the extra inspiration you'll need to create unique centrepieces, altar arrangements, bunting and more. The beauty of DIY decor lies in the flexibility you'll have and the ability to showcase your individuality, so don't hold back.
What are the advantages of DIY weddings?
It can cost less
How you choose to do your DIY wedding can depend on how much you spend or don't spend. For example, if you decide to buy all the necessary equipment, software and luxury materials involved in creating deluxe wedding invitations, it may have been cheaper to have them made for you. However, with the right organisation and mindset, you can thrift your way through your DIY wedding and create something truly beautiful - for less.
It helps you share your personality
Whilst most suppliers do offer a range of products in lots different styles, colours, tastes etc. the best way to ensure that your own wedding represents you the best, is to create your wedding from scratch. If you are a person with a great imagination, strong style and clear vision, a 'Do It Yourself' approach could be a great fit.
It makes your wedding unique
No one else will have the cake you served, the gifts you made or the decor you gathered when you create your wedding from scratch. Your special day will be more unique than ever when DIY elements are incorporated.
It can be more sustainable
Sustainability conscious couples often choose DIY weddings thanks to their ability to control what is being wasted or thrown away and how much CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere. When you work with suppliers, you often receive brand new products or items - maybe even wrapped in plastic - and behind the scenes, it is hard to know exactly what has gone on. Planning your own wedding allows you to decide just how far you'd like to go to protect the planet. Vegan wedding cakes, plastic free decor and FSC certified wedding stationery are some ways you could go about this.
What are the disadvantages of DIY weddings?
It takes up a lot of time
It's no secret that DIY weddings take up a lot of time. Consider not only the creation of the product or item itself, but also keep in mind the research and practise rounds as well as the logistics for the actual day. That's a whole lot of time.
It requires a lot of organisation
Those inclined to plan a DIY wedding might typically leave the wedding planning to themselves. Whilst for some people this might be an exciting mission, for many, the thought of spreadsheets, timings, communications and more is enough to frighten them off. Make sure you keep this in mind!
Lots of skill is required
It is unlikely that within the year before you're wedding, you will be able to ace the world of cake baking, become a wedding planner, take a make up course, become a graphic designer and the many other things you'd have to become to pull off a DIY wedding of perfect quality. The professional suppliers behind most weddings have years of experience and expertise behind them; there's a reason their work looks so good!
DIY wedding tips and tricks
Now that you've heard it all, you might either be keen to give it a go or completely put-off by the idea of a DIY wedding. However, at the least you might have decided to give something a good go.
- Create a budget for each DIY element
- Be prepared for mistakes
- Remain super organised
- Ask friends or family for their help
- Carry out practice rounds
- Make use of online tutorials
- Have realistic expectations
- Take advantage of second hand stores
- Use Pinterest for inspiration
- Don't try it all if you don't want to!
Take the stress out of your wedding invitations and stationery with Peppermint Press
At Peppermint Press, we make the most precious moments in life more beautiful. Taking away the stress from you during the weeks and months before your event, we use a tried and tested process which allows you all the input you deserve and takes away all the pressure that you don't need.
Our carefully designed collections bring a sense of understated impact for your special event. We are able to provide everything from invites to seating charts, table numbers to menus and much more.
Browse our collections here.
