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Brittany
Super May 2020

diy Bride! :)

Brittany, on September 26, 2019 at 3:58 PM Posted in Do It Yourself 0 26

Are there any other DIY Brides out there? Let me know what you've done to cut costs and save money!

What we've done so far is:

My fiancé is in 2 bands so we have all of the equipment to be our own DJ.

His family are phenomenal cooks and they’ve offered to cater our wedding for cheap.

A relative of his is who worked in the baking industry for 30 years is gifting our cake to us.

I opted for faux flowers instead of real ones.

My uncle has offered to do our videography for free.

We are making our own centerpieces with the help of my aunt who did her own wedding.

Our ceremony and reception are in the same location.

And my grandfather is going to marry us since he is a pastor.

26 Comments

Latest activity by Karyna, on October 12, 2019 at 4:23 PM
  • M
    Legend June 2019
    Melle ·
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    That's awesome! i also opted for faux flowers and non floral centerpieces i made myself. i luckily had a friend who owns a printing company so they were able to do all of our printing for free. my friend is a photographer and so she did all our photography and videography for free also. our church pastor officiated for free and we got a great deal on ceremony location since it was at our church.

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  • M
    VIP January 2019
    Maggie ·
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    The term DIY honestly confuses me. Sometimes people mean making their own decor and flowers, for instance. And sometimes it means asking other people to provide free services. Sounds like you mean some of both? And then of course DIY doesn't always save money. Just trying to know how to answer your question.

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  • J
    Devoted April 2022
    J ·
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    Oh my gosh! That's amazing how much you're DIY-ing! Love the little village you guys have (:

    I'm getting married out of state, so all I'm really DIY-ing are decor pieces & thrifting special little knick knacks.
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  • M
    Expert September 2020
    Marcia ·
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    I’m making my own STDs, invitations and thank you notecards. Making our centerpieces, making the cupcakes. FH is making our arch, making corn hole boards and roasting the pig.
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  • Brittany
    Super May 2020
    Brittany ·
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    DIY means "Do It Yourself", so anything that you are doing yourself counts as a DIY. Having my uncle help with videography for example is DIY on his end more than mine, but I will be editing the footage myself after the wedding is over. Hope this helps!

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  • Mariana
    Devoted October 2019
    Mariana ·
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    My mom is doing the centerpieces for free of used alcohol bottles and liqueur bottles with materials she has at home. (DIY)

    My dad is doing some decorative signs from palettes found throughout our town. (DIY)

    I made around 100 sack thread keychains as party favors. (DIY)

    120 "toast" cups. (DIY)

    18 shot glasses (DIY)

    A good friend of ours is doing our photography and videography at a cheap price and is letting us pay him even after the wedding depending on our budget. He lives in our hometown. (helping out)

    My cousin is helping with the cake, cheap price since she's the one ordering it. (helping out)

    My family is cooking and catering for free (DIY)

    Our whole venue was lended to us for free. (helping out)

    My cousin will be driving me to the wedding on his 4x4 jeep lol i love that damn jeep (and it's an outdoor wedding). (helping out)

    Made my own "Save the Dates". (DIY)

    Our DJ is dj'ing for free as a gift. (helping out)

    My aunt made me the garter, money bag and will be making the boutonnieres and bouquets for free as gift. (DIY)

    Chair cardboard decorative backgrounds (DIY)

    Table numbers (DIY)
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  • Crystal
    Savvy May 2021
    Crystal ·
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    How are you making your own. Been thinking of doing this but not sure if it saves any money. Thanks
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  • W-K
    Super October 2019
    W-K ·
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    I only had one DIY project really. I re-tied previously arranged bouquets from Michaels and created bouts, and corsages. $38 for 3 bouquets, and 10 pin on things.

    We did e-invites for the majority of our guests.

    Our officiant is a family friend and part of our couple mentor group.

    In a non-DIY way and more of a minimalist way we will not be decorating the church at all.

    My sister is running the iPod for ceremony music.

    My mom is singing with my other sister playing her guitar.

    I've done my own dress alterations.

    We will be using my "nice" car (a BMW) for transportation.

    We've saved a lot of money by going minimalist with things, though.


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  • Brittany
    Super May 2020
    Brittany ·
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    Yes ma'am it certainly does save LOTS of money!! Which is why I'm doing it!! You can buy bouquet holders, faux flowers and faux greenery online (these are real touch flowers and greenery so they look super realistic!) I got mine from Ebay, Amazon and Wish. Then just stick the flowers into the bouquet holder's foam center in an arrangement that you prefer! (: I'll include pictures for you!

    image 1diy Bride! :) 1image 2diy Bride! :) 2image 3diy Bride! :) 3image 4diy Bride! :) 4image 5diy Bride! :) 5image 6diy Bride! :) 6image 7diy Bride! :) 7


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  • Kristal
    Expert February 2020
    Kristal ·
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    I have a plastic sheet that I will put over fabric as the altar cloth and I'm making brighid dolls out of corn husks for altar decorations. I'm making my own backdrop and table runners (bought fabric and using a specialty cutter to cut the appropriate width). I'm also contemplating DIY memorial centerpieces for the parents/grandparents table (memorial for my grandfather) and "bride's family" table (memorial for my uncle).

    Now for non-diy cost savings, the biggest thing is the photographer who is semi-professional and because she is still building a portfolio, she is doing it for $100 provided she can utilize the pictures there. My officiant is also free as I am part of his grove (celtic polytheists).

    I am using faux flowers with pearls in small clumps and a friend is donating the candle holders from his wedding (he just wants them out of his house). Instead of going with a big florist, I am getting hanging vines from wish to decorate the windows and bouquets are coming from a small local place for under $50 each with cobalt blue vases included. I found green antique vases to set next to the altar for under $10 each and have shopped quite a few sales.

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  • Lexie
    Dedicated July 2020
    Lexie ·
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    The list of our DIY projects is endless but here goes:

    Our ceremony and reception is in my parents' backyard.

    We designed our Save The Dates and invites on a photo editing app, and had them printed out at an office supply store. (So far we've only had STDs printed but they were only $10!)

    We are creating our own centerpieces, and we even DIYed some table numbers with pressed flowers that I will attach a photo of.

    We're still debating between using faux flowers or flowers at Sam's Club and assembling our own bouquets/boutonnieres/whathaveyou.

    We're getting our cake from Sam's Club and decorating it ourselves.

    My brother is officiating.

    An old friend offered to be our photographer at no cost (but we do want to give her a nice tip!)

    For music, we were planning on purchasing a large Bluetooth speaker and having a playlist, but my FW's uncle offered to buy it for us as our wedding gift. (😭)

    It truly feels like we're DIYing pretty much everything apart from food (which we considered doing!) and the dress. I'm loving the process though!

    diy Bride! :) 8
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  • 8Bitbek
    Devoted October 2020
    8Bitbek ·
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    I'm going faux flowers and my own centerpieces. This is an example of what I'm doing:

    diy Bride! :) 9

    (I did make this)

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  • Monique
    Master December 2019
    Monique ·
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    We are making our centerpieces, escort cards, programs, decorations are diy, the welcome sign, and many other things. Sometimes it is cheaper other times it is not
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  • Lisa Marie
    Devoted October 2020
    Lisa Marie ·
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    Wow! That’s great!
    We opted for an early ceremony & reception on a Saturday to save a few thousand. And we will be keeping the guest list below 100.
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  • Brittany
    Super May 2020
    Brittany ·
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    That's incredible! I love those! So pretty (: We are DIYing a lot ourselves too!! Smiley smile

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  • Brittany
    Super May 2020
    Brittany ·
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    Our Guest list will be approximately 100 people as well. We have it in the 70s now but I know people will have plus ones. that's where it adds up! lol

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  • Catherine
    VIP November 2019
    Catherine ·
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    So awesome! i'm also doing silk flowers to save on that! building my own centerpieces and decor for the wedding. Sounds like you are on the right track to having a beautiful and inexpensive wedding! Smiley smile

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  • M
    Expert September 2020
    Marcia ·
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    If you mean the invitations....I make greeting cards for fun. I stamp them with rubber stamps and use embellishments. I'm not sure it saves any money but it's something I always knew I would do. I'm printing off the wording on a free website.


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  • Watts
    Super March 2020
    Watts ·
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    My fiance is 3d printing the table numbers, Mr and Mrs sign, cake topper, and name cards.

    I'm doing my own bouquets and boutonniers from real flowers and I will be using them as decor in the reception room. We'll have vases prepped we can just drop them in.

    Making candy favors from glass jars we got on sale 60 for $17 and bags of candy.

    Centerpieces will be votive candles and flower petals
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  • Gabrielle
    Dedicated September 2022
    Gabrielle ·
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    That's amazing!!! Congratulations and keep doing an amazing job!!!

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