DIY Weddings - Here Is How They Did It and How You Can Do It Too

Weddings have become so expensive that most brides and grooms have experienced a meltdown about everything that needs to be done and how much it will cost. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams warns that, ‘The growing pressure on couples to have a “perfect” wedding has become one of the biggest threats to marriage itself…..Getting married, he said, had become an “experience” to be marketed, rather than simply a public declaration of commitment.’ According to The Telegraph, ‘Average weddings in the UK now costs more than £18,000…. newlywed couples are now going to ever increasing lengths to recoup costs from the wedding, with one in eight (12 per cent) even admitting selling items bought from their gift list to generate cash.’ More and more couples are taking the DIY route with their weddings. A recent study by DIYwedding.org shows that, ‘96% of their users are brides who will marry in the coming 18 months, approximately 2% are working in the wedding industry and 1% is Maidens of honour or parents of the bride or groom. The site gets about 25,000 visitors and 130,000 pages views per month. DIYWedding.org is growing quickly and is now averaging over 20% monthly growth rates.’ There are certain things that you can’t take on yourself however from the bridal make up to the reception, these great ‘do it yourself’ ideas will cut the cost and make an impact on your wallet-

• Ceremonies don’t last longer than 1 hour, so splurging on flowers and other décor is a waste of money. Try to be eco-friendly and opt for hanging baskets with natural flowers growing out of it and use candles to create a romantic and dreamy effect. Fill up spaces with potted flowers placed on vases which you can hire for cheap.
• Learn about make up tips such as foundation, eye shadow, blusher, powder and lipstick. Do a trail run with a friend, even better would be a friend who is a stylist and believe it or not you can save a lot of money on bridal make up packages.
• Wedding favours are also a waste of money as guests normally just leave them behind on the table. A colourful mixture of sweets packed in boxes or miniature bags is a great idea along with small handwritten cards that says ’Thank You’. This gives it a more personal touch.
• Get some DIY kit and make your own wedding invitation cards. You will be amazed at how much it looks like readymade cards if you know how to be as creative as possible. You can choose some really nice fonts and colours and print it off your computer once you are satisfied with the design.

Try the Wedding Budgeter, which estimates your wedding expenses based on your total wedding budget. It divides your budget into categories making it easier to differentiate which item is adding more to the overall expenses. This helps you to eliminate a particular category and replan your budget. For help with your big day or to get more information on wedding packages available at Hallmark Hotel Gloucester, visit our weddings page.