You might be thinking of making your own wedding invites, baking your own cake or sewing your own outfit for your wedding. I have a sneaky hunch that your main reason for doing this will either be to save some money or to have some sort of creative control over how things look.

When I got married I made a whole bunch of retro-style cushions for a chill out space (I talk about that more here) so I have definitely been in those shoes! I’m gonna run through the pros and cons of doing a DIY wedding and you can then be well-informed to decide if it’s the route for you!

The benefits

Saving money

This has to be the number one driver I hear for people wanting to create their own wedding stationery. There are loads of resources for inspiration, like Pinterest, and shops stocked with tools and materials. The price for plain cards, envelopes, ribbon and twine will seem tempting - as long as you don’t factor in your time!

It can also be fun popping along to Hobbycraft or a similar store and choosing bits to get crafty with. My advice here would be to plan both the style and your budget ahead of going to arts and craft outlets, otherwise you might find you spend more than you’d like! Believe me, it’s hard to resist the many types of washi tape, eco glitter and coloured papers when it’s all tantalisingly close!

Strips of blue washi tape with different patterns on. The look like mountains, raindrops and sea waves. — Image and product by Sweet Pea Studio

Creative control

Another top reason for wanting to DIY your wedding is that you get to have your hands on every piece of it. You and your partner can make your vision come to life by literally crafting it all from the ground up. As a self-confessed lover of being in charge, I totally get that.

For fun!

If you are crafty and creative, or if you are handy with InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and the like, then getting down to designing on your own wedding stationery suite can be REALLY enjoyable. It can be special too - something that you and your partner or wedding party get to do together. My tips here would be to really do your research on what elements you need and make sure you’re aware of preparing for print, colour modes and available finishes and techniques.

White woman with her hair in a bun wearing a cream over shirt. She's at a table with paints and brushes in a studio and is painting a picture on white paper.

Reusing and recycling

You might be trying to have a more eco-conscious wedding - and this is commendable! There may be ways you can reuse paper and other materials to create your wedding stationery or recycle and upcycle details such a furniture, wedding favours and outfits. This is a great idea, not only for planet Earth but it might also make for a really unique aesthetic (as long as that’s what you’re into!).

Be aware though, that by not adequately planning ahead, buying everything new from craft stores and making invitations, you might actually be creating waste, so make sure you get the balance right.

Small pieces of driftwood with names painted on in white, to be used as place cards. — by Swell Anchor Studio

A hanging garland of heart shapes, made from the pages of a book — by Folksy

The drawbacks

Extra work and stress

Once again with the cushions (and the place cards, and the favours, and the post-ceremony biscuits) at my own wedding… I look back and think, ‘Did I really need to make them all myself?!’. I was STRESSED and frankly, although I have the graphic design string to my bow, sewing and baking are not strengths of mine. Things ended up with that sort of unskilled, ‘made with love’ look - except I didn’t love it at all, the making or the output. Every time I sat down to sew a new retro cushion cover, I regretted not just buying or renting some, or ditching the whole idea all together. There was a LOT of swearing!

Rustic aesthetic

You might want this - in which case it certainly isn’t a drawback at all! However, if you’re looking for a fresh, modern style but you don’t personally have (or have the time, will and patience to gain) the skills to make it happen, then it’ll be VERY hard. There are places online, like Etsy, where you can buy templates to fill in and print yourself, which can at least lend a design you absolutely love. The stress here is being able to print and finish it to a high standard.

A brown card menu and lavender wrapped with brown string. The place card tucked in has a hand-printed name reading 'Sara'. — Photo by Jen Marino

Buttonholes of white and purple flowers, bound with brown string. The name tags attached are brown with black hand-printed latters saying 'Mum' and 'Dad'. — Photo by Jen Marino

It might not save you money

If you get going on your DIY stationery and then later decide it’s too much work or you’re not getting the desired effect, you might well end up employing someone to do it for you anyway. This wouldn’t be ideal, and it creates extra wastage and money spent. I’d say only DIY if you’re happy and have the confidence to see it through!

Reasons to employ someone to do it for you

Creative control without the stress

A good supplier will be able to balance what you want with what you didn’t even know you wanted. It’s their job to guide you, advise you and surprise you - to make you fall in love with their products and services. You will still be at the helm, but they’ll be your co-pilot. They’ll have a wealth of knowledge and experience that’ll take the worry out of the process, whilst keeping you in charge.

Professional finish

Whether it’s a florist, a baker, a seamstress or a stationery designer - the suppliers you choose will have a whole portfolio of examples to show you the quality of their end product. Having spent many hours toiling away at their specific craft, they’ll be able to offer a finesse that might be harder to achieve if you try to do it yourself.

Photo by India Dobson, flowers by My Lady Garden

Bespoke or customisable

Each supplier will also be able to offer you a service that is completely unique to you. This might be in the form of bespoke items, or heavily customised from something they already have. They’ll be able to guide you based on your budget and preferred style.

Speed

Wedding suppliers have the tools and materials ready to get going and can deliver your products in a speedier fashion than you might be able to get it done yourself. They’ll also have the knowledge and relationships with other suppliers to pull elements together - such a specific printers or flower wholesale vendors.

Storage

Often vendors have workspaces and areas to store your products to make sure they’re at their best. This could be the physical space to cut and fold your stationery, or climate-controlled rooms for keeping flowers of cakes super fresh.

A multi-tiered cake being iced by a professional baker, who is out of shot. The icing is a golden brown and the cake is on top of a white cake stand — Image of Jenny Cookies by Kelly Clare Photography

A pink-haired seamstress is making adjustments to a white halterneck wedding dress worn by a woman who is looking in a mirror. They are in a boutique with lots of framed photos and posters on the pink wall. — Image from Lucy Can’t Dance

Conclusion

You might have written off buying services and products because of your budget, but I would say where there’s a will, there’s a way. You don’t have to have lots of everything - You could have a small centrepiece cake that you get made professionally, surrounded by little homemade fairy cakes. You could find a charity shop outfit but have it altered by a seamstress to make it fit you perfectly. You could get a graphic designer to create you a custom stamp, but then use card blanks and ink pads to make the physical items at home yourself. There are methods of combining DIY and reusing materials with employing help that can combine to make your day perfect for you.

As with all wedding planning - if you WANT to make your own wedding stationery/cake/outfit etc because it’ll be fun, then do. If you’re not sure about it or it sounds stressful, then ask for help! Send me a message if you want extra advise - I’m always happy to answer your questions! Carly x