DIY Ideas for an At-Home Wedding
It’s no secret that weddings can be costly. From the venue, reception, and catering, to the flowers and decorations, expenses can add up fast. If you have the space, why not host an at-home wedding celebration? Not only will you save money from not having to book a venue, but you’ll also save money by being able to do a lot of the planning and decorations yourself. So, how do you plan an at-home DIY wedding? Follow below for a few inspirational ideas on where to start.
Aisle & Alter
Depending on whether you plan to have the ceremony and reception indoors or out will impact the scale of the projects you must complete prior to the big day. If you’re planning to host a summer wedding outdoors, there are many ways you can prepare your home for guests. You may want to invest in new landscaping, pavers to create an aisle, a fresh coat of paint on the house, building an altar to exchange your vows under, or even adding in a backyard fence for extra privacy. These are all great ways to get your home aesthetically pleasing for your big day. However, these projects may cost a few extra bucks, and if there's a budget for the wedding in place, you might want to explore a few options to help cover the costs. For bigger, more costly projects, such as new landscaping or a backyard fence, it’s beneficial to look into utilizing your home’s equity. This will allow you to use the funds borrowed to get your space wedding-ready without worrying about paying for big expenses all upfront.
Food & Dessert
Whether you plan to hire a catering service or cook and bake everything on your own, this is a great way to eliminate the hefty expenses of being catered by a venue. Perhaps you still might want to hire a caterer for dinner or lunch to take a few stressors off your plate–no pun intended, but a great way you can save in this category is by baking your own wedding cake and cupcakes. To jazz it up, buy or build your own custom cupcake tier by customizing the perfect size and setting up a dessert table to elevate the aesthetic. To take it a step further, add flowers around the cupcakes and tier liners that match your wedding theme. For the cocktail hour (if you decide to have one), create your own charcuterie board and stock a self-serve mini bar. To DIY the mini bar, add string lights around it or a flower backdrop. This is a great way to add to the special at-home atmosphere.
Tables & Chairs
For smaller DIY touches for your at-home wedding, there are many easy and fun ways to elevate your space. First, start by thrifting all different types of tables and chairs that you can paint and transform. If you’re not looking for a big project and decide to rent, there are still ways to DIY the furniture. An easy project is to gather fabric that matches your theme and drape them across the chairs to create your own chair backs. If you’re not sure what a good fabric to use for chair backs is, search a craft store or online for ideas. Once you have the fabric done for the chairs, you can add flowers to spruce it up. Don’t forget about the plates and silverware! Search the nearest thrift store to gather an assortment of different styles, textures, and colors. If you prefer the same color, find a food-safe spray paint that matches your theme and re-paint the dinnerware and silverware. This will add that DIY feeling to your tables and you won’t have to worry about spending extra on renting or buying new silverware.
Centerpieces & Flowers
There are many opportunities to DIY your decorations for your at-home wedding, some of which include creating your own centerpieces and floral arrangements. For an easy, fun, and classy DIY centerpiece, start by gathering different sizes and shapes of glass jars. Once you have the jar, you can fill it with just about anything you desire. If you decide to fill it with water, add floating tea lights for that extra classy touch. You can even tie a colored ribbon around the glass jar to incorporate your wedding color theme. For the flower bouquets, find a local florist and buy an assortment of flowers. You then can add as many colors or types of flowers as you please to create your own wedding bouquet. Flower bouquets can add up fast, so making your own floral arrangements can save you a little extra in the decorating category.
Not only does planning a DIY at-home wedding save you money, but it’s also a great way to get creative. By following these inspirational DIY tips above, you’ll be ready to start planning your at-home wedding in no time!