DIY adds personal touch to wedding day

by Laura Bednar

Do-it-yourself may not be a term couples want to hear when planning a wedding, but the work it takes to handcraft decorations, bouquets or favors could be well worth the cost savings and add a personal touch to a couple’s special day.

Brecksville resident Dr. Sarah Pruett has already started her DIY projects for her upcoming nuptials in September 2024. She made her bridesmaids’ bouquets and the groomsmen’s boutonnieres by taking pages from a book and cutting and shaping them to look like roses. Blue-dyed wooden flowers and fake accent leaves were purchased to complement the bouquets.

Pruett planned to do DIY long before the date was set, gathering inspiration from social media sites like Pinterest, wedding-themed television shows and attending her own friends’ weddings.

About 68% of couples turn to Pinterest most often for inspiration, according to The Knot, an online resource. Brittany Rutkowski, owner of B. Lovely Weddings in Brecksville, however, warned couples not to try and make everything exactly as it looks online. “It’s okay if it’s not a perfect match,” she said.

Signage, decorations and centerpieces are areas Rutkowski suggested for DIY. “Don’t try to do it all yourself. Take the elements most important to you and show your uniqueness as a couple,” she said.

Pruett is making her own Disney-inspired centerpieces that use a charger for plates as the base, topped with books covered in silver and blue paper, strings of lights and a symbol for each Disney couple, such as an apple for Snow White.

“I’m a very creative person and I have a certain vision for my wedding,” she said, adding that she gets to bond with friends and family members who help her with the projects.

Pruett purchased some of her materials at craft stores, but she understands that DIY can get expensive. She said she has also purchased items from dollar stores and other low-cost options.

Working within a budget is another reason for choosing to handcraft some items. Those items don’t have to be a one and done, either. Rutkowski said many brides are selling their handmade items on Facebook marketplace or other second-hand shops for reuse in other weddings.

“I see secondhand as what we’re moving towards in DIY,” said Rutkowski. ∞

Paper bouquets make a lovely DIY wedding addition.
Photo submitted.