"Do it yourself" Tips

If you are on a tight wedding budget, I am sure you have considered "do it yourself" wedding projects. Here are some ideas and tips of easy DIY projects.

1. Stationery: You can print out your invitations yourself using your own printer and make it the way you want it. For the envelopes, you can either use a calligraphy pen, or print those out as well using your printer. You have to be patient when printing on the envelopes because they are usually thicker than what your printer is used to.
• Price: An estimate price would be $600 (based on 100 guests). That includes the invitations, envelopes, save the dates, escort cards, stamps, ink, and RSVP cards and envelopes.
2. Music: Rent a sound system and create different play-lists on your laptop/iPod for the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can ask a friend to check on it occasionally and switch the play-lists when needed. You can download music off itunes for your play-lists, or rip CD's to your computer.
• Price: To rent a sound-system would cost about $250 for a basic set-up.
3.  Photography: There are many options that you can do to get around an expensive photographer. The best one I have heard yet is to have a family friend take pictures for you at the ceremony/reception (maybe you know someone with a nice digital camera). Then, have the disposable cameras on the tables and ask for people to put them on the gift table when they are used up. Also, spread the word around that if people have pictures that they took themselves to send them to you. You can make a nice photo CD and have them printed out somewhere on the cheaper side (CVS, Walgreens - they are always competing with price and you can usually find a great deal.) Another thing about these stores, you can make great photo-books for super cheap and they are really nice quality. You can also make other picture products and give them away as gifts for your parents and wedding party.
• Price: $500 (without photo-books or gifts included)
• Disposable cameras - For a case of 24 "wedding themed" cameras, it is around $150. Another website is selling them for $4.49 each when you buy 30, and that includes table cards for each camera.
• A "thank you gift" for the friend/family member who took the pictures should be around $300. You could give this in the form of a gift card.
• Printing pictures - 300 pictures at an average of $.15/picture would be about $45.
• Photo-books - These range from $5.99 to $39.99
• Photo-gifts - These can range from $.19 and up.
4.  Flowers: Order flowers in bulk. The website will give you tips as to when you need to have the flowers delivered in order to prepare them for the wedding. This will be a very time-consuming project. If you order roses, they will probably not be de-thorned. They will also need time to open, so make your flower centerpieces the day before the wedding. Make sure you make a "mock centerpiece" before you order the flowers so that you know exactly how many you will need. I recommend buying more than you need (in case a few don't make it through the night) and then with the left-overs, you can make a few extra flower arrangements for around the room.
• Price: In an article I read, the woman spend $1,100 online at the flower store. That included 500 white roses, 50 red roses, 100 hypericum berries, 20 green hydrangeas, 12,000 white rose petals, and 6,000 red rose petals.  
• You will also need to buy some materials for the centerpieces which can be bought at Michael's and some buckets to store the flowers in overnight, which can be bought at Home Depot.
5. Cake: If you are feeling adventurous, you can give this a try! There are many websites and youtube videos that can teach you the art of rolling fondant.
• Price: This whole task will cost you about $175 (if you do not do a trial run) $350 ish with a trial run. 
• You will need to purchase pans, cake caddies, fondant smoothers and rollers, cutouts and fondant dye.
• Just think, with all of your new materials, and if it comes out well, you could have a new side business making cakes for all of your friends and family!!