When it comes to your wedding, DIYing or crafting elements yourself, like decor and favours, can be a great way to put your own stamp on your day and maybe even save money. However, many couples find that when you take into account the cost of materials and man hours, it doesn't pay off, and actually end up costing way more than store-bought versions. Never mind the extra pressure that comes with taking on a big project. If you're a DIY wiz, then chances are you already have a good idea of how to estimate what's involved in costing up a project, including how long it'll realistically take. For those new to the game, this guide will help you cost out how much your DIY wedding project, and let you to decide whether it's easier and less expensive to buy the same thing ready-made or to get a professional to do it.
If You’re Doing it For Love
When you have a particular vision for a very specific thing, or want something niche that expresses who you are as a couple, the best way to achieve this is the DIY route, and cost will be less of an issue. But it's still good to know how much you need to allocate in your budget and also whether you will need to recruit the help of your craftiest friends to share the labour to get it done.
If you have a crafty hobby that you love and want to incorporate into your wedding, there are three things to consider when taking on a significant task.
- Is this something you would be doing anyway, like knitting? Great, then it's something you have already incorporated into your routine, and you may even do it to relax.
- If not, evaluate how much pressure it will put your under if you decide to take on this project, including the length of time until your wedding, and how many hours it will take. Will you still have enough time (especially if you have a day job!) for all of the other things that need to get done.
- If this project will leave you time-poor, but it's something you really want to do, find specific tasks on your to-do list that you can delegate. Need 50 pairs of flip flops and a basket? Friends and family are only too happy to help with this kind of thing. We have a post with planning checklists here which will help you decide what to delegate!
If You’re Doing it to Save Money
Some DIY projects offer a better return than others and there's a difference between a reward and a saving. For instance, it's very rewarding and sustainable when the crafts that you make are also functional, and can be used after your wedding. Also a big project (like a hand-knitted cardigan) is a worthwhile investment of your time and money if you plan on keeping it as a keepsake, before handing it down as an heirloom. These rewards can certainly mitigate the cost and effort of a project if the saving is minimal. But only you can truly decide if something is worth it.
If you're going down the DIY route purely as a money-saving option, there's a handy formula for you to follow which we go into in more detail below. But here it is in its basic form:
A (Cost of professional or readymade item) - B (Materials & Tools) / C (Labour Cost Per Hour) = X (Actual Cost of Project)
Costing Your DIY Wedding Project - The Steps
1. How much would a professional/readymade job cost?
Time for some research. Figure out where you can source the same item, or one similar to the one you want to DIY. Jot down how much it would cost to buy it including postage or have a professional make it.
Top Tip: If you're thinking of DIYing something that requires special handling and that you would normally hire a wedding supplier for, such as flowers, decor or a cake - think carefully. Remember these suppliers are also masters of set up, as well as transporting them so that they arrive in one piece and look great. This is all included in the cost and gives invaluable peace of mind.
2. How much will materials/tools/postage cost?
Add up all of the materials you’ll need, including the cost of any tools and materials or postage required. If this is more than the cost of a professional or readymade job, you're already at a financial loss, before you've even added in the cost of labour. Readymade can sometimes work out less expensive due to the provider buying materials in much larger quantities.
Top Tip: You can save money on DIY wedding projects by using reclaimed or waste materials (glass bottles, logs, dried foliage, etc) and borrowing or renting tools instead of buying new.
3. How long will it take?
The length of time it will take you to create the final product is a lot harder to estimate than the financial cost. Take into consideration how much experience you have in that specific type of craft, as well as your skill level and how difficult the task will be. Write out the steps exactly from project start to finish, allocating time next to each task.
Top Tip: Figure out how long it would take a professional to do this task. Is this something they could potentially finish in a day or two, but which will take you weeks?
4. How much cost per hour?
This is where you answer the big question: How much is my time worth? Take the saving you have made on materials and tools, and divide that by the amount of time it will take to finish your DIY project. This is the “wage” you’ll earn by doing the job yourself. Now ask yourself, are you willing to work for that wage? This answer should tell you whether it's a better investment to ask a professional or buy readymade. If you would earn more money per hour by working overtime or taking on extra freelance work, it makes more financial sense to spend the same amount of time doing that instead of your project.
Top Tip: Planning a wedding can suck up so much free time, even without a big DIY project. We're big fans of giving yourself time to step away from wedding admin to do wedding-unrelated activities to clear your head. This won't be as easy if you have to spend every evening and weekend for months completing a project, but please do leave time in your schedule for this.
Now that you have a clear idea of the true cost of your wedding DIY project, you'll know whether it's worth it to you financially or emotionally to go ahead. Everyone loves to include special and personalised elements, and DIY projects can be such a fun, sustainable activity, especially if it's something you aleady love doing. But there are lots of ways to make your wedding day feel unique, and which don't require a huge financial or time investment; from clever table plan ideas and wedding guest book ideas, to fun table games and free printables. We even have a whole podcast episode dedicated to making your wedding day unique, which you can listen to here. The main thing is that you enjoy every minute of planning your dream day!
Check out our section on wedding DIYs that you don't need to be Martha Stewart to pull off!
