▷ 🥇 7 Practical Planning Tips for a DIY Wedding

Planning a DIY wedding allows you to have total control over every aspect of your celebration, from food service to decorations and everything in between. But let’s be honest – planning your DIY-style wedding is a pretty big task for any couple!

While a DIY wedding has many benefits (such as the potential to save money, choose your vendors carefully, and create your dream day with no restrictions), it can also lead to serious stress without proper knowledge.

Planning a DIY wedding may not be a walk in the park, but we can certainly make it a little easier for you! Check out these 7 practical planning tips every couple should know for a DIY hassle-free wedding below.

Photo by Priscila Valentina

Get organized early

Good organization is the key to avoiding stress and overwhelm as a DIY bride. Remember, planning a wedding from scratch means that you will be responsible for juggling with all things!

Before diving headfirst into your wedding planning, take a moment to put in place some “project management” systems that will simplify the process. Start by creating a master to-do list in one easily accessible place, like a digital wedding planner. Then, create a wedding planning timeline with deadlines for each task, so you always know exactly what needs to be done and when.

Professional advice: Don’t put off your planning! Set up some easy tasks to do each week, and make sure everything is checked in at least 3 weeks before the day.

Photo by Marcos Sánchez

Save time (and money) with minimal providers

Planning a DIY wedding means that you will be responsible for researching and communicating with all of your vendors. And trust us, the time spent managing weddings can add up quickly!

One way to streamline this process is to minimize the number of different vendors involved. For example, find a rental company that can provide furniture and catering equipment, or a lighting provider that can also handle your microphones and AVs, rather than searching for each item separately. This will not only save administration time, but also delivery and collection costs.

Think about the practicalities

If your DIY wedding is taking place on private property or some other “blank canvas” location, don’t forget to think about the nuts and bolts. Remember, you are essentially building your wedding from the ground up, so you will need to consider things like generators, portable toilets, compartments and other amenities that you would usually find in an inclusive venue.

Professional advice: These requirements may not be obvious early in your planning process, so be sure to delegate a portion of your budget to cover these miscellaneous costs that might come your way.

Photo by Christina McNeill

Create a Cohesive Vision board

As a DIY bride, it can be too easy to get caught up in the little details of wedding planning while overlooking the big picture. Keep everything in order by creating a dedicated vision board early in the planning process. A cohesive vision board will help you make quick style decisions and ensure that the end result is everything you have imagined.

Professional advice: Use resources like Pinterest, wedding blogs, and Instagram to collect and select the inspiration for the day (but don’t forget to put your own personal touch on things, too!).

Delegate (but not dictate)

Delegating tasks will be essential to your sanity when planning a DIY wedding – but there is a fine line between delegating and dictating!

Your loved ones will probably be more than happy to help, but that doesn’t mean you should demand that your Aunt Beryl do the catering. Instead, delegate simple little errands that can be easily run before the day, and don’t forget to give your helpers a shout-out during your wedding speech. Take a look at 10 wedding chores you can (and should!) Delegate here for inspiration.

Photo by Cassie Rosch

Consider a partial wedding planner

While you can be 100% confident in planning and organizing your day, that doesn’t mean you can’t outsource a little help to the experts. In fact, most wedding planners offer “partial” planning packages and daytime coordinating services for DIY couples like you.

Make a list of any planning related tasks that you would like to outsource. For example, create a spreadsheet, prepare and pack, or simply tie up loose ends before the day. Chances are, you will be able to find a wedding planner who can tailor a package or one-on-one consultation to suit your needs.

Photo by Christy Johnston

Do your research

Remember, you are not the first couple to plan a DIY-style wedding. These days, you can find plenty of helpful resources, articles, and how-to guides for all things wedding planning online – so take advantage of them!

Here are just a few to get you started:

• The Wedding Budget Breakdown Guide for Smart Couples

• The ultimate guide to creating your wedding guest list

• Top 8 Online Wedding Planning Tools for Modern Couples

• How to create the wedding day timeline

• How to Create Your Wedding Reception Seating Chart

• 10 beautiful ideas for a wedding

• The 12 months of wedding planning

• The Ultimate Wedding Planning List

Planning the perfect wedding may seem overwhelming at first, but we think it’s totally possible with the right mindset, good organization, and some helpful tools by your side.

Good luck – you have it!