DIY Wedding Ideas

7 DIY Wedding Ideas To Help You Save Money On Your Special Day

One of the best ways to personalise your wedding is by making your own decorations. Making decorations rather than buying them can also save your money on your special day so it’s no surprise that more and more couples are planning a DIY wedding. We’ve gathered together some of our favourite DIY wedding ideas, all of which work perfectly here at Upwaltham Barns. It’s time to get crafty!

1. Wedding signage

Guests love wedding signage as it makes them feel welcome and tells them more about your day. Wooden pallets make brilliant wedding signs and you can often pick pallets up for free at garden centres. Then, all you need is some paint and the details that you want to add. You can find lots of wedding signage ideas here.

2. Jam jars

There are so many ways to recycle jars so start collecting right now! Tie ribbons around them, paint them, dip them in glitter or wrap them in pretty papers or fabrics. Then simply fill them with flowers or tea lights and dot them around the venue.

3. Table plans

This is an area where you can get really creative and we love seeing table plans that couples have made themselves. Peg tags on string and hang across old suitcases or crates, use a world map for a travel themed plan, write table details on an old mirror or find a way of including your hobbies in your table plan. You can find more table plan wedding ideas here.

4. Confetti cones

The ‘confetti shot’ is an absolute wedding must-have and making your own confetti cones for guests is simple and speedy. Choose your paper, cut into squares, roll the cone and hold it secure with some double-sided tape. Fill with confetti and you’re done! If you’re feeling brave enough why not make your own confetti too? Take a look at our guide on how to make your own natural confetti here.

5. Wedding favours

These are another great DIY wedding detail and the only limit is your imagination! Fill envelopes with seeds, make your own jam, infuse olive oil or even make your own flavoured gins and vodkas.

6. Backdrops and garlands

If you want to make decorations that can make an impact, think about crafting your own backdrops and garlands. Tassel garlands are great as they’re made from tissue paper and are easy to make or, if you want a challenge, how about making hundreds of paper cranes and suspending them en-masse around the venue?

7. Place cards

Again, there are so many ideas for making your own place cards so you just need to decide what will work with your theme and how much time you have! Simple tags with handwritten details are a classic choice or you could craft place cards that combine with menus or favours. Take a look on Pinterest and you’ll find lots of inspiration.

DIY wedding tips

If you’re going to make your own decorations and details, here are our top tips to make the creative process as enjoyable as possible:

1. Be realistic about your crafting skills when you’re browsing on Pinterest. Don’t over-commit yourself to making absolutely everything and if you’re not sure, stick to one or two simple projects.

2. Give yourself plenty of time. Making things can often take longer than you imagine, and you don’t want to be staying up late the week before your wedding.

3. Price up your projects to be sure that you’re saving yourself money. Any DIY that needs lots of equipment is likely to be more expensive than you think. Research costs and suppliers online before committing to a DIY wedding project.

4. Consider storage. Where will you keep everything once you’ve made it and how will you store it so that it doesn’t get damaged before the big day?

5. Have fun making your wedding details. Turn craft sessions into fun times and don’t let the process become a chore. Gather your friends and family, put on a great movie or your favourite box-set, get some snacks and enjoy yourself!

For more brilliant wedding ideas, take a look at these traditional and simple wedding ideas that are perfect for a barn wedding.