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It won't take long in the wedding planning process to begin scratching your head and wondering how the bill got so high.
Even a small wedding can front a big bill, and many couples find themselves cutting costs in any way that they can.
One way to lower the cost of a wedding is to DIY (do it yourself) as many items as you can.
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Having lots of DIY aspects of your wedding can also make it more personalized for you and your partner.
DIY projects can also serve as a pre-wedding bonding experience for you and your spouse.
DIY items can save you money and add personalization to your wedding day. (iStock)
Below are different aspects of your wedding you can do yourself, and inspiration for how to do so.
1. Bouquets
Flowers in general can quickly run up a wedding bill.
A study by The Knot found that the average cost of wedding flowers in 2022 was $2,400.
This high price tag for flowers has had many couples seeking alternative options.
If you want to save money but don't want to sacrifice the use of real flowers to do so, consider putting together wedding bouquets yourself.
If you are using fresh flowers, you'll want to save this DIY project until right before your wedding. That way, your flowers are nice and fresh.
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You'll first want to determine what kind of flowers to use. Make sure that the type and the colors blend well together and match your theme.
To prepare your flowers, give the stems a slight snip and pluck off the leaves. Once you have all your flowers, you can start arranging them however you desire. This may take trial and error to land on a look you like.
To save money on wedding bouquets, put them together yourself. (iStock)
For an extra touch, add some greenery to your bouquet.
To hold all the flowers securely in place, wrap them in a rubber band or tightly with string. Then, disguise your band or string with ribbon.
If real flowers aren't important to you, you could also go with an artifical floral arrangement to save yourself money. You can put together your own bouquet with artifical flowers for an even lower price.
2. Wedding signage
Making your own wedding signage adds a nice personal touch.
There are many different ways to make your own wedding signage for a low cost. One elegant way to do so is with a mirror. It could even be one you have lying around the house that you don't use anymore. Write out your names with decals on the mirror for a personalized twist.
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Chalkboards are another popular item used for DIY welcome signs. Again, all you'll need for this is a chalkboard and decals to write out information like your names and the date. You can even add flowers to the chalkboard for a pop of color.
The chalkboard welcome sign is great for rustic-themed weddings.
Creating your own wedding signage can put money back in your pocket. (iStock)
3. Centerpieces
Flowers make a common wedding centerpiece. If you want to go this route, you can easily to this yourself. One way to do this is by putting flowers in vases at the center of each table. Get vases of different sizes to add dimension to your centerpiece.
If you have long tables at your wedding, a table runner is always a great option. You can top your table runner with florals, candles or any other small items you can think of that fit the vibe of your wedding.
4. Guest book
A guest book provides something tangible for the couple to look back on and reminisce about their magical day.
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If you and your significant other love to travel together, a personalized twist you can put on the guest book is postcards. Instead of a book, purchase a stack of postcards that guest can write a message on. You can decorate this signing area with travel related items, like a globe, a passport case and luggage tags.
You can also put a small suitcase or mailbox in this area, where guest can drop their postcards inside once they've signed.
Jenga blocks make another fun and easy guest book idea. Have guests sign a block instead of a book. Then, when you and your partner play the game, you'll see all your loved ones' sweet messages.
Provide your guests with something unique to sign, like postcards or Jenga blocks that you and your spouse can look back on. (iStock)
5. Place cards
If you have a large wedding, you'll want to keep your place cards pretty simple, since this will be a little more of a time-consuming element to create yourself.
One simple, but perfectly acceptable way to make place cards is with card stock and a printer. If you want, add a quote or short message to the place cards for extra personalization.
Seashells and rocks have also been used as place cards. This is a unique idea if you have the patience (and the penmanship) to paint each person's name onto the rock or shell.
6. Venue decor
Small decorative choices can make a big difference to the appearance of your venue.
Twinkling fairy lights can add a nice ambiance to the room, as well as fabric that you can drape from the ceiling.
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You can also frame old photos of you and your husband to place around the venue.
7. Favors
Guest favors can be done for cheap when you get creative.
If you or your spouse likes to bake, spend a day whipping up your favorite treat, and gift that to your guests.
Send your wedding guest home with a DIY favor for a more sentimental feel. (iStock)
Another idea is mini custom wedding jars. You can fill them up with something simple like honey, and label it with a cute saying or your names and the date.
If you have your wedding during a winter month, sending guests home with a jar full of the ingredients for hot chocolate or a gift box full of s'more supplies are seasonally appropriate choices.
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