Is a DIY Wedding Actually Cheaper? Everything You Need to Know About a DIY Wedding
A DIY (do it yourself) wedding means the couple takes on the responsibility of certain wedding tasks instead of hiring a vendor to do them. Depending on which aspects of your wedding you want to DIY, the cost of materials and time it takes to do them may actually end up costing you more. :(
Wedding vendors often have a sticker shock that can send many clients right out of their chairs. Weddings are expensive, so many couples are eager to find ways to cut wedding costs. Primarily this comes down to a question of :
Is the additional time and labor worth the savings?
Let’s Break It Down:
To help you decide if a DIY wedding is right for you, let’s take a few of the most common wedding elements couples do by themselves to help you decide if you’re ready to take on the challenge.
DIY WEDDING VENUE
Think backyard wedding … which requires you to supply nearly everything to host your wedding. Many couples assume having their wedding in their parents’ backyard is less expensive than choosing a traditional wedding venue, but that isn’t always the case. There are so many elements of a wedding that you might not realize you’ll need to either rent or create yourself.
For example, for Hardscape Elements, you’ll might want to rent tables and chairs, an arch, possible a backup generator to supply enough power for lighting, the caterer, and the band or DJ. You’ll also need to bring in transportable design fixtures, heating or cooling equipment if you’re having an outdoor wedding, and more! We frequently see couples spend almost $10k in rentals to outfit a non-traditional venue space.
Now, this doesn’t mean a DIY wedding venue isn’t a budget-friendly option. If you have a micro wedding with only a handful of guests, there are unique ways you can get around some of the costs. For example, it costs less to seat a small wedding with just 20 guests.
DIY WEDDING CAKE
While baking a cake sounds easy enough, it’s important to take into consideration the cost of ingredients, equipment, pans, a cake stand, and decorations. Not to mention that most kitchens and ovens aren’t designed for bulk baking and transporting a wedding cake without messing it up is an art in and of itself.
Unless you or a trusted guest is a professional baker and already have the tools you need to bake and decorate a beautiful wedding cake, DIY is not the best option and when this occurs we often see the dessert or the guest in compromising position. This is especially true if you want a traditional tiered wedding cake. The last thing you want is for it to all come crashing down (literally) before you get to enjoy it.
However, you can reduce the cost of your wedding cake by purchasing less expensive dessert options, such as cakes from Whole Foods. (The Berry Chanitty cake is to die for). Or, consider ditching the cake altogether and opting for a creative dessert option like a donut wall or cupcake arrangement but please note, there is still traditionally a labor charge associated to a DIY dessert option by your wedding planner or caterer for the set up, service, or strike depending on the serving needs of your desserts.
DIY FLORAL
Wedding Floral is very expensive. Floral costs have doubled since 2020 and so has labor rates. We frequently hear from clients is there another way??
There are many components to Floral and we will break each down here:
CEREMONY - Floral for the aisleway or arch is incredible labor-some and often requires designing on site. Depending on your venue of the timeline logistics this often can not be performed by a trusted guest and still allow for them to partake as a guest at your wedding. This floral must be set up as close to the ceremony time as allowed to prevent wilting and design malfunctions. If you do with to stay budget minded on your ceremony floral we advise pre-designed silk floral that can be zip -tied to your arch for easier installation and strike.
CENTERPIECES - are one design aspect of a wedding that can easily be creatively done to save you money. (However, if you want floral centerpieces that match all of your other floral arrangements and bouquets, this may not be the best option–more on this in a moment.) Some unique DIY wedding table centerpiece ideas include:
Old books from a secondhand store for an antique feel
A variety of picture frames with photos of you and your spouse to be (include photos with family members and friends who are at the wedding, too!)
A candle or lantern display
Live plants that can be taken home by guests as wedding favors
Note: these ideas do still require the labor of a staff or ‘trusted guest’ for the set up and strike. Wedding Planners are often limited in the volume of set up their wedding packages include to keep them focused on the many demands from the venue, vendors, and guests.
WEDDING PARTY FLORAL - While designing a bouquet doesn’t sound difficult, it is time consuming and very detail oriented to ensure that floral stays put and is fresh upon use. For your flowers to be fresh, and not wilting on your wedding day, you’ll need to purchase them and put them together within 24 hours of your actual wedding day and be able to keep them in a cool or air conditioned environment to prevent wilting. We advise our time is better spent with your family and friends who have come to celebrate with you. Further, boutonnieres are very difficult to perfect and require smaller floral tools to create.
Nevertheless, if you decide to go for it and DIY your wedding party floral, check the cost of individual flowers against what a wedding florist will charge to determine what works best for you.
STATION FLORAL - DIY Station floral is where we see the most success. A simple welcome bouquet or some bud vase floral for the cocktail tables can be brought in by a trusted guest and is not too burdensome to set up or strike. The challenge is to get the floral stations to match to the rest of your floral theme. :(
DIY WEDDING FAVORS OR WEDDING PARTY GIFTS
Small wedding favors or gift boxes for your wedding party can easily be done yourself. In fact, if you do want to create wedding favors for all of your guests, you can lean on your wedding party for help! Plan a wine night where all your friends come and sip wine while putting together favor bags. Fill them with little fun items such as pocket tissues for the wedding ceremony and a disposal camera so guests can snap photos during your wedding which you can later have developed.
DIY WEDDING HAIR AND MAKEUP
If you (or a friend) are knowledgeable about all things beauty, go for it but make sure to do a trial run first. If you need ideas, you can always look on YouTube or visit a beauty counter at Macy’s or Sephora for a free demo and lots of ideas. Plus, you can get any new makeup you need while you’re there.
However, if makeup isn’t your thing or you don’t know how to do any fancy hairstyles, consider hiring a professional. The last thing you want is to look back at your wedding photos and not feel as beautiful as you should on your wedding day.
DIY WEDDING PLANNER OR COORDINATOR
Wedding planners (the good ones) want to save you money while actualizing your wedding vision. We are here to share our tried and true budget-saving tactics and finding the best vendors for the best prices. Having the extra support of your wedding planner reduces stress and saves time - time that can be invested into other DIY elements if you so choose. We know the stress of planning a wedding on your own, and it’ is simply not worth it. Read more about “Do I really need a Wedding Planner” here.
If cost is the main reason you’re thinking of having a DIY wedding, let us help! We know how to plan and design your dream wedding within your budget with way less stress than trying to do it all on your own.