With budgets in mind, sometimes some saving is needed when it comes to event-planning, so why not put your crafting skills to the test and DIY some of your event needs?

While you might not be the most crafty person, with easy-access resources like Pinterest at your fingertips, you're bound to find a task easy enough to complete, but great enough to save the budget!

Here's our 8 suggestions for DIY event details. 

  1. DIY centrepiece décor - Why not up-cycle items you've already got around the house? Our fave - Soak the labels off some some empty wine, liquor & beer bottles then spray with gold or silver spray paint and add glitter for a fancy feel. Group a few bottles together on a table, add some stemmed flowers to each, and voila! Centrepiece extraordinaire! Think about using other items, like wine glasses upside-down as candle holders. The options are endless!
  2. DIY invitations - Don't have the budget to get custom invitations made? No problem! There are TONS of online resources for free invitation templates, some of which include RSVP tools online. You can event print from the online resources, such as VistaPrint. Why not take your template to a local printing store like Staples and print your design on a decorative paper? There are amazing paper options available at crafting/hobby stores that cost way less than expensive specialty stationery.
  3. DIY candy bars - Don't spend tons of money paying for someone else to create a candy buffet for you! We know it's hard to resist eating the candies as you purchase them, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run to create this masterpiece on your own! Visit a bulk candy store like Bulk Barn and pick out some of your fave (affordable) candies. If you've got a theme, explore the aisles until you find the colours/flavours/objects that may fit your theme. Take a trip to a dollarstore to find great glass jars to hold the candies, as well as baggies for people to collect their candy. Don't forget to decorate the table with confetti, a tablecloth, and ribbons, and you've got yourself a beautiful candy buffet, that's way more cost-effective than a dessert table!
  4. DIY bar - While it may seem easier to just let a venue stock and provide the bar for your event, depending on the venue's restrictions or options, it's sometimes way more affordable to stock a bar on your own. This requires purchasing a specialty permit, but in the long run, you save a lot of money per head in terms of alcohol expenses. There are a ton of resources available online that assist you in determining how much alcohol to purchase based on headcount, drink options, etc. Be sure to find out what the venue allows in terms of this method, and make sure that it makes sense financially! If the venue is going to charge you a corking fee or per head fee to serve your self-stocked bar, be sure to calculate if it's worth it or not; most times - it is!
  5. DIY place card holders - Find items that are inexpensive and are available in bulk. Items like pinecones, wine corks, paperclip clamps, candy, buttons and mini toys make for great place card holders. Decorate them with paint and jewels to get the effect you desire. You'll have the item you need at a fraction of the cost of store bought place card holders!
  6. DIY snappetizers - That's right! - Snappetizers (snacks meet appetizers) Depending on the number of people attending your event and what the event formality is, it's often financially a way better decision to provide snacks/appetizers that you've prepared versus had catered. While sometimes it can be time consuming to prepare, it ends up being way more economical to prep your own snacks. Keep it simple -- veggies/dip, cheese and cold cuts, cut up fruits, etc. The key to serving DIY snappetizers is the display. Cut everything so that it looks more appetizing, serve the food on attractive plating, and be sure to lay out your spread in the most visually appealing ways! This will save you a ton of money! The more you save, the more food you can offer!
  7.  DIY photobooths - Photobooths can be quite expensive to rent and it seems like by the time they are set up, the lines are so long to get a pic in that the booth is already gone before you even got to enjoy it. The picture memories are always worth it, but why not create a more affordable photobooth? Create a #hashtag for your event and set up a backdrop and perhaps some props so that guests can take pics and upload them through social media using the personalized hashtag associated with your event. This way, everyone can view and share the photos captured at the event. The only costs involved are the props and backdrop, which can be created using very inexpensive items. 
  8. DIY menu boards - Forget printing a menu for every individual guest! That's costly and unnecessary. While it's nice for guests to see what they're eating, most don't even notice or use the menu at their place setting. To save money on this item, try creating one menu per table, or one for the whole venue even? Here's a couple options for this idea: 1) Use a dollarstore picture frame (decorate with paint/jewels/glitter) and frame a decorative paper for the background and write the menu items on the glass using a Sharpie; or print a menu directly onto decorative paper using a fancy font (check out our post on The 8 Best Invite Fonts) and place in a frame on the table; 2) Use a large mirror and some Sharpies or dry erase markers in the foyer/lobby of your venue to display the list of menu items. Use a fancy font and place this near where people will retrieve their place cards. Using these ideas will save you a lot of money on printing that can be used elsewhere!

We hope these 8 DIY suggestions help you to save money on much-needed items for your event!