The start of summer means the wedding season is upon us — but if you’re walking up the aisle, the chances are you’ll be counting the pennies as you prepare to tie the knot.
But newly engaged Checkatrade ambassador and TV DIY expert Craig Phillips has revealed his top tips to help keep the budget down with some DIY shortcuts to help create the perfect day after planning some wedding DIY of his own with fianceé Lauren.
“Having recently dipped my toe into the world of wedding planning I have been astounded by how quickly a budget can get eaten up,” he said.
“Like all couples, we want our wedding to feel personal and look stunning and what better way to ensure this than to add our own decorative touches?”
Though many people enjoy making their own invitations, favours and wedding cakes, even structural elements can be handmade.
Craig continues: “With a bit of creativity, a few basic tools and some DIY skills, brides and grooms will be surprised at what they can produce themselves which will not only save them money, but will also make their wedding stand out from the rest.”
Check out Craig’s easy-to-make wedding day additions:
- Table centrepieces
Traditionally flowers are used to decorate tables but this can be costly. For a cheap, yet beautiful table decoration cut a large log into inch thick slices using a chainsaw. Allow it to dry out and then use it to hold simple pillar candles in a range of sizes for a warm and romantic touch of nature. - Pallet chairs
Pallets are incredibly versatile to build with, what’s more, much of the work has already been done for you with the wood already cut to size! Building a pallet chair is surprisingly easy and there are a number of plans online to suit your requirements. - Table plan easel board
When guests arrive at your reception guide them to their seat by displaying your seating plan on a simple easel, again constructed using a pallet or leftover wood. A quick internet search should produce plans to follow. - Wedding cake display table
Let your cake stand out by constructing a small table (you could even add castors if you want to move it around for photos etc.) from, yes, you’ve guessed it, an old pallet! After the wedding, you could even use this in the home or garden to display plants and flowers. - Memory board
Weddings are one of the few occasions where all the important people in your life are gathered together so make the most of it by recording their thoughts and best wishes. Using left over wood, attach together in the desired size and add fixings on the back. You could leave the board as it is and invite guests to write their messages on sticky notes or even paint it in chalkboard paint to create a chalk board. - Sweetie cart
Kids and grown-upsalike will love the addition of a cart laden with sweet treats. Don’t be daunted by the idea of this project, it can be constructed to great effect using pallets quite easily. Once constructed load with bowls of sweets and let your guests loose!
