DIY Wedding Decor To Make Your Day Picture Perfect On A Budget

We all know that weddings can be super expensive. But if you're a crafty bride-to-be, you can save a whole bunch of cash by making your own wedding decor. Why pay a florist or a decorator to do what you can do yourself?

DIY projects are tons of fun, and they add a personal touch to your special day. Keep reading for some serious DIY wedding inspiration. Learn how to make two different photo backgrounds, two different seating charts, and a whole bunch of gorgeous centerpieces. Happy crafting!

Hanging Flower Displays

Photo Credit: Britney Fitzgerald / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Britney Fitzgerald / Pinterest

These hanging flower displays are super easy to make with either real or fake flowers. The ombre look is very of-the-moment.

Just tie some flowers to invisible fishing line and hang them from a wooden frame. You can use the display as a backdrop for your ceremony in place of an arbor, or you can use it as a cute photobooth background.

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An Easy And Clever Bar Sign

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Photo Credit: The Budget Decorator / Pinterest
Photo Credit: The Budget Decorator / Pinterest
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Want to try making this very professional looking, but very simple bar sign? Print off some letter templates in your favorite font. Something quite thick and chunky will work best.

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Here's the best part: drink a lot of wine. Keep all of your corks, and then glue them together to form the letters.

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Lace And Embroidery Hoops Are A Perfect Pair

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Photo Credit: Deer Pearl Flowers / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Deer Pearl Flowers / Pinterest
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If you're trying to achieve a boho look on a budget, this is the DIY project for you. You basically just need some pretty lace and some wooden embroidery hoops in different sizes.

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Clamp the lace into the hoops, and string up your gorgeous decorations all over your reception area.

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DIY Your Bouquet Using Fake Or Real Flowers

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table settings with a chandelier
Shutterstock: TheStoryteller
Shutterstock: TheStoryteller
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Wedding flowers can cost you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. Your DIY bouquet may not be as full or as grand as one made by a professional florist, but if you're willing to do the work, you can make something super beautiful.

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YouTube is full of bouquet tutorials. Find a few and craft away.

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A Lightbulb Moment

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Photo Credit: Wedding Guides / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Wedding Guides / Pinterest
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This is the loveliest and most delicate vase idea I have ever seen. You can hang these lightbulb vases from just about anywhere. Also, these are super cheap to make. You can save up some old mismatched light bulbs for more of a bohemian effect.

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I might just have to steal this idea for my living room.

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Speaking Of Hoops...

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Photo Credit: Wedding Include / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Wedding Include / Pinterest
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Love the hoop idea, but want something bigger? How about a giant wreath that's perfect for an Insta-worthy photo op?

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You can make these yourself with either real or fake foliage. PVC piping or heavy duty floral wire work as a quick, cheap, and easy base. Then decorate to your heart's content.

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We're Not Done With The Hoops Yet

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Photo Credit: Hip2Save / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Hip2Save / Pinterest
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Circles symbolize eternity— that's why you wear a circular wedding ring. Bring some of that eternity into your ceremony space with hanging light fixtures made out of hula hoops.

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Just cover the hula hoop in foliage and attach some twinkly string lights. There's no easier or cheaper way to light up the night sky.

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The Easiest DIY Seating Chart

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Photo Credit: Melissa Paniagua / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Melissa Paniagua / Pinterest
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I am absolutely in love with this seating chart idea. There are so many gorgeous DIY seating charts on the internet, but I think this one takes the cake. That's probably because I'm a sucker for chicken wire.

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Also, the printed table cards mean you don't have to be a caligraphy wiz for this project to turn out well.

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A Simple Centerpiece

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Photo Credit: Oh Best Day Ever / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Oh Best Day Ever / Pinterest
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Centerpieces can be crazy expensive. Florists charge a fortune for those intricate flower arrangements. If you stick with a simple color scheme, you can put something gorgeous together all by yourself.

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Grab a whole bunch of baby's breath from your local supermarket, and place it in some interesting glass jars and vases. A wooden base ties the whole thing together.

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Get Spray Paint Happy

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Photo Credit: Lillybee1209 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Lillybee1209 / Reddit
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Spray paint is the quickest way to get a whole bunch of different bits and bobs to look cohesive. A great color scheme can really focus your wedding decor plan.

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This person went for black and gold, but you can choose any color you'd like. There are even some spray paints that can give glass a frosted effect.

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Easy As 1 2 3

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Photo Credit: One Wed / Pinterest
Photo Credit: One Wed / Pinterest
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I know I had a lot to say about the other seating chart, but this one is just as lovely. I love the mini clothespin idea, and that guests can take their name tags with them to their tables to mark their seats.

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I also love how each table has its own horizontal row.

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Take Your Wedding To The Next Level With Some DIY Signage

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Photo Credit: JustLetMeSleep / Reddit
Photo Credit: JustLetMeSleep / Reddit
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All you'd need to make a sign like this would be an old picture frame, a white sharpie, and some white paint. If your frame is the color you want already, then you wouldn't even have to paint it.

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Repurposing old frames is a great way to save money on wedding decor.

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Just A Jar Will Do The Trick

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Photo Credit: Afloral / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Afloral / Pinterest
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A single, flower-filled mason jar on a pile of books makes for a beautifully understated centerpiece.

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This is a great way to get professional looking decor without paying a professional price. When in doubt, simpler is always better. A simple project like this gives you time to focus on the more important things— like getting married.

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Paper Flowers Are Not For The Faint Of Heart

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Photo Credit: edithnashville / Reddit
Photo Credit: edithnashville / Reddit
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Paper flowers are a great option for people who are allergic to real flowers, or for people who don't want to pay real flower prices.

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You can make paper flowers out of documents or copies of stories that are important to you as a couple. Just be prepared to have sore fingers for a while.

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An Origami Backdrop

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Photo Credit: avocadokitty / Reddit
Photo Credit: avocadokitty / Reddit
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This DIY bride made a paper crane backdrop for her whimsical, outdoor wedding. If you're good at origami, and you're willing to make a few hundred paper cranes, this is a wonderful idea.

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If you're not into the rainbow color scheme, you could go for an ombre monochrome or something that matches your wedding colors.

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Another Centerpiece Idea

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Photo Credit: seeimsmiling / Reddit
Photo Credit: seeimsmiling / Reddit
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Literally, everything in this centerpiece could be totally free (if you already own some old books and teacups and a Scrabble set). You might just have to invest in a few succulents, but succulents are always a good investment.

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You may also need another Scrabble game, depending on the number of tables you're planning on having.

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Get A Custom Stamp And Stamp Everything

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Photo Credit: Chatty Press Design / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Chatty Press Design / Pinterest
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Order one custom stamp from Etsy, and you can use that thing to decorate literally everything— invitations, envelopes, favors, thank you cards, the list goes on and on.

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These muslin bags are a great way to give out little wedding favors. Fill them with candies or whatever goodies suit your fancy.

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Never Buy A Veil

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Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty / Pinterest
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Veils are the most overpriced wedding items to ever grace the wondrous world of weddings. They are sheets of mesh fabric that sell for thousands of dollars.

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There are so many tutorials online that can help you craft a veil that perfectly matches your personality. Head out to your local fabric store and make something that's totally custom.

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Bird Seed Wedding Favors

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Photo Credit: Engaged and Inspired / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Engaged and Inspired / Pinterest
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These would be perfect for an outdoor wedding or a garden wedding. These little bird feeders are super easy to make. Just mix together birdseed, flour, water, gelatin, and some light corn syrup.

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Your guests will have birds flocking to their backyards in no time.

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A Trail Mix Bar For All Night Snacking

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Photo Credit: Fun365 / Pinterest
Photo Credit: Fun365 / Pinterest
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I've seen bars like this one for all sorts of different things— candy, smores, parfaits — you name it. A trail mix bar is a great way to keep your guests happy and fed throughout your entire wedding.

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You can pick whatever fruits, nuts, or other snacks you'd like, and your guests can create their own custom trail mix blends.