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Last Updated on October 7, 2023
Wedding planning is incredibly stressful, especially if you’re managing your own booking and scheduling. DIY weddings can be a great way to save a bit of money, but if you don’t have a plan in place, you could find yourself stressed and rushing before the big day. Here are a few pro tips to make sure your DIY wedding goes off without a hitch.
Picking A Date
When selecting a time for your wedding, consider looking at off-season. While many people choose to have their weddings during the spring and summer so they can have outdoor ceremonies and receptions, autumn and winter weddings can be just as beautiful. In fact, autumn is the most popular season overall, with 29% of Americans preferring autumn over the other three seasons. Normally booking your wedding from nine months to a year before the date is the best chance to secure the venue and services you want. Sticking with a less popular wedding season for more affordable venue and vendor costs.
Location, Location, Location
Venues can be one of the most expensive parts of planning a wedding, but it doesn’t have to be. By making use of your personal network, you can likely find a more affordable place for your wedding. Ask about family members with larger yards, or see if you can reserve a public park for an extremely low cost or even free option and use rented furniture.
Invitations
Invitations and other paper products are a common item that many people choose to DIY even if they aren’t doing a full DIY wedding. If you are choosing to make your own invitations, be selective on your font choice and invitation design. Some fonts can help you save ink. Times New Roman takes 27% less ink than Arial, according to Consumer Reports.
Handling Paperwork
One aspect of wedding planning that’s easy to look over is the legal side of getting married. There’s usually a fair number of steps to getting legally married, and the paperwork and requirements vary by state and even by county. There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania alone, so check with local officials to figure out what you need to do before tying the knot legally.
Catering And Drinks
Depending on the time of day you’re planning for your wedding, you might find yourself trying to plan meals for many guests. An easy way to work around catering restrictions so you can DIY your food is to plan your wedding around lunch or just appetizers. You might even be able to hold a potluck-style reception, where guests bring food with them to share.
Remember The Budget
Finally, keep in mind your budget when planning for your DIY wedding. Figure out how much your DIY projects are going to cost compared to hiring a vendor or purchasing your items; in some cases, doing things yourself might actually be the more expensive option overall. Budget appropriately for both DIY projects and other aspects of your big day to make sure you don’t end up going into debt as a result of your wedding.
Including DIY projects in your wedding can be a great way to add a personal touch and even save money on your wedding. What do you plan to do yourself when you’re planning for your wedding?
