Whether you are one of the more adventurous “do it yourself” brides  out there or one who would rather leave everything to the pro’s, it’s still a good idea to try and do a few things yourself.  Not only will taking on a few do it yourself projects help you save a ton of cash, but you will also feel even more a part of your wedding and feel more proud of the entire day.

No one’s suggesting that you create your own wedding cake or create your own centerpieces, but here are a few things that a bride can do herself rather than pay insane amounts of money to hire someone else to do it:

Wedding Favors

There are so many websites out there these days that are selling specifically wedding favors.  It’s fun to browse through all of the options that they have, but have you noticed how much they’re willing to sell a tiny Chinese take-out style box for?  And that’s without you having to buy the candy that’s going to go inside of it!

Pass on those expensive wedding favors that people generally never use or even glance at again and get to making your very own.  Buying colorful little ornate bags online or even from discount stores is a great way to start (you can buy these little bags for five-cents to fifty-cents a bag) and you can also purchase candies, chocolate almonds, mints, and a number of other sweet treats bulk from your store.  You can also bake a batch of your favorite cookies and wrap it in a nice plastic cellophane wrap and tie it with a bow. Some brides are even creating their own “spices” and giving that as a favor (you can look up the ingredients online).

Stuff that is Printed on Paper

This includes the invitations, the programs for your wedding, RSVP cards, save the date cards, and thank you cards.  Where ever there is printing involved, you can do it from home.  Run out to your local craft store and seek out a “DIY” wedding kit that comes with everything that you need.  You can expect to pay any where from $20-$60 per 50 sets, which is significantly less than if you were to have your invitations done at a printers.

Skip any fancy or ornate and bright prints, as this will only be taking on your ink and leave more room for error when you begin sliding the cards through your printer.

Your Makeup

A bride likes to feel pampered on her special day; everyone understands that.  But in a lot of cases, a bride will hire a make up artist on boards to do her makeup, only to take it off before she walks down the aisle because the makeup job wasn’t a reflection of her or something she felt comfortable with.  A bride knows how to do her makeup best and she knows which areas of her face she wants and needs to highlight.  Do your makeup yourself, or have a trusted friend do it for free.  You’ll be glad you did.