DIY Wedding Tips from a Budget Bride

by Meg
(Cincinnati, OH USA)

Our wedding budget is much, much smaller than the average budget listed on most wedding websites. For any region in the U.S. this means cutting some corners and doing without, but more often it means thinking creatively and making things ourselves.

One of the best resources for ideas (especially for DIY weddings) are the many online wedding blogs. Many of the brides featured on these blogs share craft tips/tutorials or good shopping suggestions, all of which you can use as inspirations for your own wedding.

Michaels and JoAnn Frabics are also invaluable resources for DIY/budget weddings. I've been there several times in the past month and never pay full price for any item. Both stores offer frequent sales; if you watch the newspaper or check their websites, you can usually find a 40% or 50% coupon.

We decided to have our wedding on a Sunday, which is unusual, but it ended up saving us money. Most wedding venues offer huge discounts for weddings held on any day other than Saturday.

Another cost-saver is eBay; I bought material for tablecloths, my shoes, decorations and many other items that would normally have cost me at least twice as much (even with shipping costs factored into the equation).

Make sure you don't buy any item right away. Think about it, do some comparison shopping. Sometimes the first place you see it IS the cheapest, but often you can find the exact same thing for less, if you're willing to be patient and do some online sleuthing.

If you haven't visited before, go to www.etsy.com. You can buy almost anything imaginable, handmade by people all over the world. The prices are usually great, and it feels good to support small businesses, too. You can also have many items custom made to your exact specifications/colors.

Craigslist.org is a huge boon to budget brides. I found my photographer through our local Craigslist.org board; she is just starting her photography business, so her prices are much lower than more established photographers.

We decided to hire her just for 3 hours, since we don't need too many photos from the reception. If you search wedding on your local Craigslist.org page, you can often find local brides who are looking to sell their new or slightly used supplies/decorations for excellent deals.

Craigslist.org is also a good way to find make-up artists, freelance hair stylists, coordinators/planners, and DJs.

Or, you can do what we're doing and use an iPod for the wedding music! It's much less expensive than a DJ or band and you don't have to endure music you don't like or goofy announcements. All you need is a simple PA/speaker system, which many venues already own.

A few last budget tips:

* Send virtual save-the-date cards
* Make your own invitations. It takes more time, but they'll be more meaningful and WAY cheaper
* Serve only dessert and champagne instead of a full meal
* Scour your local Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift store for decorations
* Save glass jars to use as vases; thrifty and better for the environment (recycle them after the wedding)
* Make your favors; most guests prefer edible favors (like cookies or jam) to monogrammed knick-knacks
* Serve only wine and beer vs. hard liquor. If you want, include a personalized mixed drink option or homemade sangria
* Buy bulk flowers and do the arrangements yourself a day or two before. Flowers are hard to get wrong and it will potentially save you thousands of dollars.
* Buy vintage rings for your wedding rings/engagement rings. Sentimental, cheaper, and more ethical than new diamonds.

Hope these tips help! Beautiful budget weddings ARE possible - it just requires thinking outside the box!