A Guide to DIY Wedding Planning

Whether couples are trying to cut down their wedding budget or they just want to unleash their creativity and be super hands-on with their wedding preparation, DIY wedding planning is the preferred route of some soon-to-wed couples. Unlike hiring wedding planners, DIY weddings will give you the ability to be more flexible with your planning and budget. However, doing DIY wedding planning will require a lot of time and effort. It has its advantages and disadvantages so you should work hard to plan carefully.

As a quick guide, here are some tips on DIY wedding planning:

Make a wedding planning binder.

When planning your own wedding, you need to be as organized as you could. The first thing you should do is make a wedding planning binder. This is where you will put all your references for your wedding. Create sections for all the important categories for the wedding such as guest list, invitations, wedding dress, groom’s attire, venue, vendors, ceremony, reception, etc. By having a wedding planning binder, you’ll be able to have everything you need in one place. This will definitely make your life easier once you get tied up with all the wedding preparations. 

Do your research.

To help you with DIY wedding planning, do your research. Look for resources, articles, and how-to guides for weddings. Find tips from couples who had a DIY wedding and learn from them. Since there are a lot of things that you need to do in planning your wedding, there are also a lot of references online which will help you get started and teach you things about wedding planning that you aren’t familiar with.

Create a mood board.

One thing that you can also include in your wedding planning binder is the mood board. A mood board is a compilation of all your visual references on how you want your wedding to look. What should the backdrop look like? What kind of flowers? What is the color scheme? How do you imagine the reception? Incorporate all digital inspirations that you got online. This will help you further understand your vision for your wedding and guide you on your decisions regarding the aesthetics for your wedding. This will also make it easier for your decor team and suppliers to understand what you’ll be needing from them.

Create a wedding planning timeline.

Another important part of planning is creating the timeline. Since you do not have a wedding planner, you are the one who’s responsible for making sure that all deliverables are accomplished on time. Once you’ve set your wedding date, create a schedule and identify the key milestones that you need to accomplish on those dates. With this, you’ll be able to see a bigger picture of everything that needs to be done for your big day. You’ll be able to make adjustments if needed. This will help you ensure that you are on track and avoid any delays.

Delegate tasks.

DIY wedding planning doesn’t mean that you’ll be doing everything on your own. Seek help from your family and friends. It wouldn’t be efficient if you and your partner are the only ones who are working on everything. You wouldn’t want to attend your wedding looking so stressed out because you assumed all the duties. Remember that this is your wedding and you need to look and feel your best on your special day. It will be a big help if you are able to delegate tasks to specific people but just make sure to monitor them. 

Consider thrift stores.

Since you’ve already saved some bucks from having a DIY wedding, why not make it more budget-friendly by sourcing items from thrift stores. You’ll be using your wedding decors for just a day so it seems wasteful to buy new stuff. It can be a waste of money and is also harmful to the environment. Try looking at Facebook Marketplace. It is a great source of affordable yet quality items. By purchasing thrifted items, you are able to save money while being more sustainable.

Be ready for challenges.

Some problems may arise during planning or worse, during your wedding. With this, you might want to consider hiring partial help on the day of your wedding. You wouldn’t want to troubleshoot problems on the day of your wedding while wearing your bridal gown, would you? Remember that this is your wedding and you deserve to enjoy and relax on this special day. Hire an on-the-day coordinator and ask one trusted friend to help you monitor and ensure that everything is going well. Don’t stress yourself out and focus on the celebration of your love.

Planning a wedding should be fun!

Planning a DIY wedding can be overwhelming. Since you want your wedding to be perfect, the pressure of doing your best to ensure everything should go well during your wedding day is inevitable. While it isn’t easy, always remember that wedding planning should be fun! It is a part of your wedding journey that should be cherished and a remarkable moment of your and your partner’s journey to forever.