As any soon-to-be-married couple knows, there’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding. It’s a stressful venture that includes preparation of countless details before saying “I do,” from figuring out the guest list to finding the perfect dress to creating a beautiful décor. When it comes to the latter, many design-savvy and frugal couples opt for the handcrafted decoration route to add a personal touch to the occasion and save a few bucks along the way.

But for most of us who haven’t picked up a glue gun or a paintbrush after our school years, this adventure can swiftly turn from satisfying to daunting. So in a bid to settle your nerves, we introduce you to one enlightening corner of Reddit known as ‘DIY Weddings’. The moderator invites community members to share their tips and tricks with the whole group, no matter if “you are on a budget, or are just a craftaholic.” And boy, do they deliver!

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We at Bored Panda have gathered some of our favorite posts from the group to give you a dose of inspiring ideas to easily and elegantly pursue for the big day. So continue scrolling to admire the handiwork, be sure to upvote your favorite creations, and then let us know your own suggestions for the perfect handmade decorations in the comments!

#1 My Dad Passed Away In 2015. He Was Able To “Walk” Me Down The Aisle Because I Used His Favorite Shirt As A Cover For Our Ring Cushion

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#2 We Did It! Officially Married Today! Made My Dress And Had A Friends Cousin Do My Hair. It Was Perfect

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#3 Can’t Wait To ‘Tie The Knot’ Under This Macrame I Finished Tonight!!

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Ever since the ‘DIY Weddings’ online group graced Reddit in 2013, it has grown into a refreshing outlet. It’s the perfect place for craft aficionados and beginners hoping to save some expenses from their budget to find inspiration, share tips, and let in on some tricks that ensure decorations look stunning. Maybe it’s not the biggest subreddit, but its nearly 25k members provide a steady stream of content that’s, more often than not, created with their own effort.

The community members mainly focus on easy-to-do projects that can be quickly achieved and look visually appealing. From beautiful accessories to beautiful elements that make the celebration look put together, the forum has something for every taste.

#4 “Green Confetti” In More Ways Than One

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#5 I Made Myself Embroidered Bridal Sneakers That Match My Bouquet!

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#6 My Mom Wanted Her Dream Californian Rustic Beach Wedding On A $100 Budget

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We’ve heard a million times that weddings can be incredibly special, but planning them is a stressful venture for any soon-to-be-married couple. In this equally exciting and chaotic journey, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But allow me to let you in on one little secret: there’s no such thing as a perfect wedding! All nuptials encounter plenty of ups and downs, twists and turns, and inevitable disasters, both big and small. Whether it’s a mistake in planning or an unexpected situation caused by a guest who simply had one drink too many, there’s bound to be some drama.

#7 I Started Making Crepe Paper Flowers A Few Weeks Ago And I Think I Might Be Making All The Flowers For My Wedding Next August!

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#8 Photographed My Dogs For My DIY Table Numbers

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#9 I Finished Crocheting My Bouquet!! I Am Over The Moon About It

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However, the reality is that weddings aren’t cheap. According to online wedding publication The Knot, the average cost for a wedding in 2021 was about $28,000 ($34,000 including the engagement ring), roughly the same as in 2019. But in 2020, the cost was around $19,000 because the pandemic caused weddings to downsize.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, weddings came to a sudden halt (as did everything else!) and couples were forced to postpone, and some cancel, due to not being able to host their original guest count,” Erica Estrada, San Francisco-based wedding planner, and designer, told Brides.

“It was an extremely sad and, quite frankly, stressful time for so many with many losing large amounts of money that had already been paid toward executing their wedding day.”

#10 My Sister Folded 1000 Paper Cranes For Our Arbour

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#11 Really Proud Of My Self-Made Wedding Dress For Our Legal Wedding!

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#12 Can’t Get Over How Lovely My Crown Turned Out. And Yes, It Is Made Of Zip Ties

Image credits: PeregrineSkye

As a result of those uncertain times, some vendors are raising their costs. “Flower farms lost acres and acres of product for the weddings that were not allowed, then causing an increase in florals to pay farmers and an increased demand of flowers once weddings began to resume,” Estrada explained.

“Just like any other profession, most wedding vendors work in this industry full-time and having months with no weddings and the turn of the industry for the foreseeable future, price increases to make a living may be the only way many will be able to sustain during this time.”

#13 My Sister Wanted Lit LED Table Numbers So I Put These Together For Her! The Bases As 3D Printed To Hide The Wires. My Daughter (Their Niece) Sketched The Bridge Where They Got Engaged And I Then Laser Engraved The Sketch Into Clear Acrylic So It Would Glow. Really Happy With How These Turned Out!

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#14 My New Husband And I Under Our Swingset- Turned Wedding Arch!

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#15 My Favorite Detail From Our 9/28 Wedding: I Made Embroidery Hoops For Favors And All Of Them Say A Variety Of Mean/Rude/Curse Words

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No wonder so many brides and grooms are seeking smarter and cheaper alternatives when it comes to their looks and decorations. But while these couples are taking the matter into their own hands, there’s a lot to know about hosting the DIY wedding of your dreams.

Tackling the planning for your big day on your own takes a lot of work, time, and effort. Of course, all of this will be worthwhile when you walk down the aisle, but entering this chaotic arena will be easier if you’re aware of a few tips and tricks that can make the whole process much more manageable.

#16 Decided To Be My Own Florist With Mostly Ebay Flowers/Items, Using Thrift Shop Glasses As Vases For My Table Centrepieces

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#17 Here Are The Diyed Elements From Our Wedding

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#18 Our Original Invites vs. Our “Change The Dates” 🙂

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Start by creating a wedding mood board. According to a blog post on Junebug Weddings, “They help guide decisions and keep your holistic vision in mind while also visually describing your desires to your wedding team.”

Moreover, they serve as an inspiration and become especially handy when DIYing items yourself. “Have you found a centerpiece that you want to recreate? What about a backdrop that you absolutely have to have? Tackling these items will be much easier when you have images to refer to.”

#19 In Love With The DIY Invitations My Artist Fiancé Created

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#20 Hand Embroidering My Table Numbers To Hang In The Centerpieces! 3 Done, 17 To Go

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#21 This Is The Bouquet I Made With Mostly Michael’s Flowers For My June 20th Elopement. 🙂

Image credits: ProfessorDreamsicle2

In a bid to keep your sanity intact, consider asking friends and family for help. “Your wedding party and family members are there to make your special day just that–special! Get together and make DIY projects fun with movies, snacks, and wine. This way you’re crossing things off of your list quicker and making them more enjoyable for yourself.”

#22 I Did It!! My Box Of 250 Hand-Dyed And Painted Sola Flowers

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#23 Couldn’t Be Happier With How Our DIY Sola Wood Flowers Turned Out For Our Wedding!

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#24 My Fiancé And I Made This Cape Together! Please Excuse The Dirty Ass Kitchen

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When it comes to decorations, handcrafted pieces can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. And they can be extremely satisfying to make! “Events are all about creating memorable experiences for yourself and your guests,” Virginia Frischkorn, founder of Bluebird Productions, told AD It Yourself. “We love DIY’ing a few elements as the level of investment needed when you get your hands dirty creates really rich memories.”

“A great DIY project can be the perfect special touch to bring yourself and your partner even more so into the fabric of the celebration,” Alicia Fritz, founder of A Day in May Events based in Traverse City, Michigan, agreed with this line of thinking.

#25 Hair Trial Finished- My DIY Hairpiece Was A Success

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#26 I Started Practicing For My DIY Wedding Cake 🙂

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#27 I Posted A Few Months Ago While I Was Working On It… But Here’s The Finished Product Of My DIY Arch Florals. All Silks, Because We Got Married In Hot Weather. Really Happy With How It Turned Out!

Image credits: nopoliticsallowed-ok

We hope this list will inspire you to pick up a few tools, try out some of the projects featured in the list, and have a blast while you create something beautiful and feel an outpouring of love. We’d love to hear your thoughts about these examples. Which DIY projects were your favorite ones? Did any of them motivate you to craft something for yourself? Feel free to let us know all about it in the comments below!

#28 Tall DIY Floral Arrangements

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#29 I Crocheted These Cake “Toppers” For My Wedding A Couple Months Ago

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#30 Wip Centerpiece For A Sunflower/Honey Bee Wedding! One Ring From A 12” Embroidery Hoop, Fake Flowers From Joann’s, And Some Scrap Wood I Had For The Base! Oh And Lots Of Hot Glue!

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#31 Started With Our Centrepieces

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#32 This Might Be My Most Successful Wedding DIY To Date!

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#33 I Crocheted A Garter! I Thought My Eyes Were Going To Fall Out Of My Head ?

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#34 My DIY Wedding Dress! I Barely Know How To Work My Sewing Machine So I’m Pretty Happy It Actually Fits. Just Don’t Look At The Seams Or Hem..or On The Inside

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#35 DIY Cheese Wheel Wedding Cake Toppers (Wip)

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#36 I Made My Own “Neon” Sign!

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#37 First Attempt Making Sola Wood Flower Boutonnieres 🙂

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#38 Our DIY Tiny Wedding In The Redwoods

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#39 Floral Arrangement For My Ceremony Fireplace – And How I Made It!

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#40 My Dino Table Number Holders Turned Out Great!

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#41 First Attempt At Making A Fresh Floral Bridal Bouquet, Any Suggestions For Improvement?

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#42 Diyed Our Elopement!

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#43 Hmm…can’t Say That I Was Expecting To Sew Matching Face Masks And Pocket Squares For My Wedding… I Like How They Came Out Though!

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#44 Knitted My Own Veil, Nearly 3 Months In The Making!

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#45 A Few Short Weeks Away, My Alter Is Complete

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#46 DIY’d The Cover For My Wedding Planner And Could Not Be Happier ???

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#47 My Paper Dahlia Finally Looks Dahlia-Y! (Left: Attempt N-1)

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#48 Finally Married The Love Of My Life On 08.29.20! I Loved All The Compliments I Received On My DIY Veil, And Our Photographer Captured This Incredible Shot To Highlight It!

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#49 Wanted A Bouquet That Would Last For My Small Legal Ceremony (In 25 Days!) And Formal Ceremony Next Year, So Tried Out Sola Flowers For The First Time. Love Them So Far! Feedback Welcome!

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#50 Made Centerpieces For My Wedding With Flowers That I’ve Dried!

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#51 The Base Of Our Welcome Sign! Just An Old Pallet, Some Timber Stain And Some Artificial Flowers

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#52 Progress On Veil, Floral Crown Altered

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#53 I Baked My Own Wedding Cake! (Florist Did The Flowers To Jazz It Up) But Thrilled ?

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#54 Here’s My Finished Bridal Bouquet That I Made Myself For Our 09/26/2020 Wedding

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#55 Doing Some Tests For Centerpieces!