In today's economy, a bride must be money savvy if she wants to have a champagne wedding on a beer budget. It can be done but it definitely takes more time and work than if you were to hire various vendors to do these projects for you.
Many brides spend a lot of money on professional florists because it takes a large amount of time to put together centerpieces, bouquets and boutonnieres. Let's face it, if you can afford to have this project done for you it is worth it! However, this doesn't mean that you can't have fabulous flowers for a fraction of the cost...the only catch is doing the actual work. Of course, it is worth it in the end when you have beautiful centerpieces that were easy on the budget. Have your girlfriends or wedding planner help you put them together!
My favorite DIY floral centerpiece involves using things you already have or can acquire easily. With the emphasis on "easily"! For all of you tea and coffee drinkers, use your old tea tins or coffee cans. You would be amazed at how great a Folger's coffee tin looks all dressed up in pretty scrapbooking paper or pastel paint. The tea tins don't need anything done with them! Simply stick in florist foam and coordinating flowers and wallah, a beautiful and easy centerpiece! BONUS - you could use the name of the tea to double as a way for guests to find their table. Instead of using numbers, assign guests "Earl Grey" or "Chamomile."
Of course, as a last resort that actually looks really beautiful, you could use a vase or wine bottle wrapped in a white
paper bag and delicately tied with ribbon. This is a heavenly centerpiece, especially used with baby's breath, which is also a very inexpensive flower.
Invitations are another place that a DIY bride can save money.
There are so many wonderful scrapbooking products that can be used to make cute invitations. Couple specialty paper as a backing with pre-made invitations from Target or Michael's craft stores and you can come up with beautiful and original stationery for your wedding!
Favors are another area where a bride can be crazy crafty and make all of the details look like she spent a million bucks. Wrapping candy in inexpensive scrapbooking paper is easy and customizable. If you have Microsoft word and a printer you can make custom wrappings for lifesavers or candy bars. By using sticker paper and cellophane bags you could do the same thing for lolli-pops or cookies!
Contrary to popular opinion, linens don't have to be pricey either. Go with the
standard white table cloth and sew or use hemming tape to create runners. If you peruse the clearance fabric aisle long enough, you are bound to find fabulous fabric for a steal! For bonus points, make utensil wraps and tie them with a bow. No they are not the same as napkins because they will be too pretty for guests to wipe their mouths on. I suggest having standard napkins stuffed into a wine glass. If you go this route, you will have to let your catering staff or wedding planner know so they can plan accordingly to wrap utensils for you. No, you should not use plastic utensils unless you are having a picnic wedding. 
Finally, I love other DIY projects like home-made wedding signs. Scrapwood, crackle adhesive and left over paint would do the trick. Put your fiance to work by making him nail the wooden signs to posts and putting them up. Of course, these types of signs work best for a country or shabby chic wedding.
PHOTO CREDITS: MARTHA STEWART, ELIZABETH ANNE DESIGNS, FAVOR IDEAS,DESIGNS TO REMEMBER,STACY KANE BLOG, EVENT COUTURIER, TARGET
