Are you stressed about finding/creating wedding stationery and decor? I DIY'd most of my wedding stationery and found local decor. So naturally, I wanted to bring my wedding vision to life. 

Did you know October is the most popular wedding month? I am writing this as I approach my first wedding anniversary.

My wedding had a fall theme with burgundy, blush pink, navy, cream, and rose gold color palettes. I changed the colors of my wedding so many times before I settled on this palette. I wanted my wedding to scream my version of fall. Since I am a very creative and artsy person, it was hard for me to delegate tasks regarding creating my stationery and finding decor for my wedding. So, I decided to DIY most of the things I wanted to include in my wedding ceremony, and I’m here to share those projects and the items I purchased and loved. 

I made a Wedding Pinterest Board years before getting engaged and saved every piece of inspiration I found. That was the hub for all my wedding dreams, and I highly recommend creating one if you’re planning a wedding or want to get an idea of things you like. 

1. Save the Date, Wedding Invitations, Programs & Signs

Wedding stationery can be expensive, but the most affordable and customizable option for me was creating my Save the Date, Wedding Invitations, and Wedding Programs on Canva. I took a bunch of inspiration for each one I found on Pinterest and made my design using Canva. I suggest using the pro version of Canva to unlock all of the features they offer. Canva also provides tons of templates you can use and edit to your liking, which is super convenient if you struggle with starting from a blank template. Our wedding stationery came to around $300 total, which may sound like a lot, but in the grand scheme, it’s not that bad. Prices may vary depending on the size of your guest list, but Canva is a quick and affordable option if you're willing to design your stationery and cards. It took a little less than two weeks for them to come in each time I ordered. I even had an issue ordering my Save the Dates, and Canva’s customer service was beneficial and fixed my issue before 24 hours had passed. 

Seating Chart 

I originally wanted to do a mirror seating chart, but I went for something less strenuous for timing purposes. I still love the idea of a mirror seating chart. It just wasn't conducive for me to make it with my time. I used Canva again to type up and design my full seating chart, then saved it to a flash drive so I could take it to Staples and have them print it out on excellent paper. I believe I got it printed in standard poster size. Then I picked up a white frame from Michaels to put it in. Michaels always has a sale or coupon you can use, and I got 25% off the frame. Making my seating chart this way was a quick and easy way to create, and I paid around $60 in total. Again, Canva is an excellent resource for any event, and it came in clutch for my wedding. 

Welcome Sign 

My welcome sign has to be my favorite creation for my wedding. So I made a DIY mirror welcome sign that only cost me $40. The price was lower because I already had most of the items I needed to create it. I was shopping around for a mirror for months, and my mom found the one I used for my wedding at Homegoods. Homegoods is that girl. If you know, you know. I designed the layout for my sign on Cricut Design Space, and if you don’t have a Cricut, this project may not be for you, but the prices for these signs were ridiculous to me, so I’m glad I was able to make it myself and save a ton of money. You could even order custom vinyl from Etsy, or if you have a lovely friend with a Cricut, they could make it for you, and then you can just apply the vinyl to the mirror or sign of your choosing. I also love those acrylic wedding signs, and I purchased a few for my guestbook and gifts table. My mirror sign was a beautiful addition to our wedding decor and served as a selfie station as my guests came in. Check out this pin to see how I made my welcome sign.

Place Cards / Favors

I struggled the most in making this decision. I went back and forth with many different place cards and favors, but I ultimately landed on making custom place cards that could double as coasters or decorative pieces for my guests to keep. I ordered hexagon acrylic place cards, to which I later added each guest's name, table number, and our wedding hashtag. I’ll be honest: this may have been cost-effective, but it was labor-intensive. I also didn’t help myself by deciding to make them a week before the wedding.

Nevertheless, they came out cute and cost me about $120. I needed to make something special for each of my guests to be able to keep and remember. I wanted it to be my little gift, and customizing them made it that much nicer. 

Centerpieces 

Centerpieces are such a difficult decision to make. I originally wanted floral centerpieces until I realized how expensive floral arrangements are, especially when you need a lot of them. We decided to use pumpkins as our centerpieces for our wedding, but not just any pumpkins. My husband remembered that Homegoods sold glass pumpkins with fairy lights inside during the fall, so of course, when the season came, we hit up every Homegoods around us and bought enough pumpkins to put at least one on each of our tables. We were lucky enough to get two of almost every pumpkin and spent about $200 on sixteen pumpkins. Purchasing the pumpkins was cheaper than trying to make something on my own, and it was also convenient that the stores had the needed amount. I know this last one is heavily detailed and very much fall-related, but it gives you an idea of centerpieces that you could find in stores that can still be unique. 

My husband brought my vision to life on our wedding day. He took it upon himself to set everything up just how I envisioned it, and our Wedding day was truly magical. These are just a few things I was pleased with, so I wanted to share them with you. 

You can also check out My Top 10 Wedding Planning Tips.

Do you have any DIY projects or affordable options for weddings that you've seen or tried yourself?