Once you start planning your wedding, you begin to realize how many small details are involved — and just as many opportunities for DIY projects! Every aspect of your wedding can be turned into a fun way to express your creativity or add a unique touch to your special day.
Not sure where to start? Get inspired by other couples’ creativity with our 16 great DIY project ideas! You don’t need artistic talents or fancy tools to do most of these. As long as you’ve got the will and some time in your pre-wedding schedule, you can so create whatever speaks to your wedding day fancies.
Grab your supplies and get started!
Assemble floral arrangements
There are so many opportunities to try your hand at bouquet building for your big day. For some couples, that might mean plucking flowers from a friend’s garden or simply buying in bulk to make your arrangements. You also don’t have to take on all the flowers — centerpieces, bridal party bouquets, and boutonnieres are all opportunities to flex your floral creativity. Need some help starting out? Here are some tips from real florists!
| Pro tip: Use a mix of natural and artificial foliage to help keep your florals budget-friendly, and enlist anyone willing to assemble them before the wedding. |
Print your own paper goods
If menus, programs, and place cards are part of your wedding to-do list, consider making some or all of them yourself. Before you start printing up hundreds of assets, make sure you source quality cardstock and test designs using programs like Canva. But if you know someone with a printing press willing to lend equipment and expertise, take them up on it!
| Pro tip: Keep your designs and themes consistent throughout your paper goods. Think of it almost like creating a brand for your wedding — have fun with the creative process! |
Put together wayfinding signs for your guests
Is your wedding venue spread across different ceremony and reception locations? Help your guests get around with arrows and wayfinding signs pointing to essential areas. Choose a motif that matches your wedding theme, like wooden arrows for a rustic venue or acrylic signage for a more modern feel. Here’s a how-to video to help you get started.
| Pro tip: You don’t need to learn woodworking skills to make this DIY happen. You can always use your wedding “brand” to order custom signs from a printing company you trust. |
Create candlelit pathways for your ceremony and reception
Like the wayfinding signs, you can create a magical, romantic mood with candlelit pathways to different areas within your venue. You can use glass jars, cylindrical vases, or waxed paper bags, placing a pillar candle or battery-powered tea light to show your guests the way to the action.
| Pro tip: Check with your venue before you go out and buy your supplies for this project. They may have rules or restrictions around open flames that you’ll want to sort out beforehand. |
Build a memorable ceremony backdrop
Do you want to say your vows in front of a beautiful, unique backdrop? Make your own! Use ribbons, strips of fabric, natural elements like twigs and flowers, paper cutouts, or other components to create the vibe you’re looking for. Check out this how-to video that uses pool noodles to build a gorgeous floral wedding arch!
| Pro tip: Memorable doesn’t necessarily mean over-the-top. A simple backdrop can make just as much of a statement as one that requires lots of hands-on work. You have to love it first. |
Line your wedding aisle with vintage rugs
Are you planning a wedding with a bohemian, eclectic, cozy vibe? I love the idea of using assorted vintage rugs to create a custom, eye-catching ceremony aisle. You can spend time sourcing from different shops in the months leading up to your wedding or find a rental company that can help you make the perfect selection.
| Pro tip: Repurpose the same rugs that create your aisle to make up your dance floor. (Insert your own “cut a rug” joke here!) |
Make custom table numbers
Guest table numbers are an opportunity to really get creative. Remove the labels from wine bottles and paint table numbers on them. Use photos of the happy couple at different ages to represent each table’s number. Buy house numbers from a hardware store and screw them onto painted wood backboards in your wedding colors. The possibilities are truly endless.
| Pro tip: It can help to know what your table settings and linens will look like before you start this project. That way, your numbers will fit seamlessly with the rest of your decor. |
Hang string lights around your venue
Who doesn’t love twinkling lights at a wedding? Whether you’re getting married indoors or outdoors, string lights can create a whimsical, romantic feeling in your venue. They can serve as a backdrop for the bride and groom table, outline your dance floor, dangle from tree branches, or double as pathway markers once the sun goes down.
| Pro tip: Make sure you know where the available working outlets are placed throughout your venue to determine where you’ll hang lights — and how many you can light at once. |
Create your own table place-cards
Some of the most memorable wedding decor I’ve seen has come in the form of place cards so pretty that I’ve taken them home with me. Even simple but pretty cardstock can become a frame-worthy memento, but you can also get creative with this. Paint oyster shells, tiny succulent pots, flat rocks, or anything that speaks to your wedding vibe.
| Pro tip: This is a fun way to incorporate your creative skills, whether it’s calligraphy, screenprinting, gardening, soapmaking — you name it! |
Designate VIP seats with pretty chair backing
This special touch can be easier to accomplish than it might look. The bride, groom, bridal party, and anyone else you want to highlight during dinner can all have their designated seats decked out in beautiful florals or fabrics that make them feel extra special. You could also create a custom sign to hang on the back of each chair.
| Pro tip: Special seats should stand out, but they should also match your vibe. Use bold flowers from your arrangements and strong colors from your scheme to create a distinction. |
Build a grab-and-go drink station
Give guests a spot to serve themselves a quick drink without having to schlep to the bar with a grab-and-go drink station. Fill festive buckets or metal tubs with ice, dunk bottles of water, soda, wine, and beer, and leave out cups and napkins to keep things flowing (pun intended). I’d also recommend providing a trash can close by to keep small items from piling up.
| Pro tip: If you’re opting for single-serving cans and bottles, go for the mini versions. It can help to stretch out your offerings and avoid piles of half-empty drinks at the end of the day. |
Set up balloon arches around your venue
I think we all know by now that you do not need to hire someone to achieve wedding-worthy balloon arches. Plenty of balloon arch kits and tutorials show how easy it is — and the result is worth it. Set them up in photo-worthy areas and see how many guests take every opportunity to snap a picture.
| Pro tip: Choose a variety of balloon sizes and colors to add dimension to your arches. This decor is meant to make a statement, so don’t be afraid to go big! |
Write a secret message on the soles of your shoes
Wedding DIY projects don’t have to be big. This small gesture is a sweet one that only takes a few minutes, but you’ll love the impact it makes. Use acrylic paint or a Sharpie to write a short message to your partner on the bottom of your wedding day shoes, or buy decals you can easily transfer right onto your soles. You’ll both feel the love with every step you take all day.
| Pro tip: Paint over your message with clear nail polish to help preserve it through your entire day and all the wonderful years that follow. |
Leave out a Polaroid guestbook
Consider this less of a DIY and more of a DIO (do it ourselves) because it is truly a group effort on the part of your wedding guests. Set up a guest book station that includes a Polaroid instant camera, plenty of extra film, a blank guest book, tape, and pens. Let guests add their photos and a message to the pages for a one-of-a-kind memory.
| Pro tip: Buy more film than you think you’ll need for this. People love to take Polaroids, and your guests will definitely wind up taking some home with them! |
Use dried flowers to make confetti cones
Planning a big send-off at the end of your wedding reception? Prepare celebratory confetti cones for guests to shower you with dried flower petals that they can grab before you make your exit. Use construction paper or cardstock to make a small cone, then crush up the dried flower petals to fill them up.
| Pro tip: Start saving flower petals a few months before your wedding, and check with local flower shops to see if you can get a discount on leftover blooms at the end of the day. |
Make your own guest favors
DIY wedding guest favors are a great opportunity to share your creative skills with your family and closest friends. Make jam and fill mini jars, bake cookies and wrap them in cute paper bags, infuse mini bottles of olive oil, or fill mini envelopes with flower seeds that guests can plant at home. There are so many possibilities, and it’s so worth it if you have the time and resources.
| Pro tip: Get a group together a few days before your wedding to help assemble your favors. It’ll go by much faster and gives your guests a chance to have a hand in your big day. |
Inspiration
I hope these ideas inspire you to choose a project (or two… or ten!) that makes sense for your wedding day. Incorporating DIY projects into your big day makes it all the more unique and special and gives you a chance to put a truly personal touch on one of the most memorable days of your life. For even more inspiration, take a look at our other wedding DIY ideas here. Have fun!
