DIY Wedding
29 March 2024
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. PLEASE READ MY TERMS AND CONDITIONS/AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER POLICY FOR MORE INFO.
Anyone look up wedding prices for vendors and services and think, “welp, guess I’m not getting married.” Anyone? Well that was me a couple of years ago when I was helping a friend plan her wedding. It really makes you wonder how so many people are having cute rustic barn weddings when they are just as expensive as an elegant restaurant wedding reception.
I was feeling a little hopeless about how I’d afford a wedding when I also have so many other financial goals I’m working at, when I was scrolling through Pinterest and I realized I can DIY wedding things as much as I could!
So if you’re struggling with the idea of paying for all the things that come with having a wedding ceremony, keep reading because I can help you reduce costs for your wedding!
I will be discussing:
The not-so-random hobby I picked up
Hand lettering for beginners
Transitioning to DIY wedding signs
Stick with me through this post and you’ll be able to make your own wedding signs in no time!
The not-so-random hobby I picked up
So I recently posted about my hobbies, one of which was hand lettering and calligraphy. You can find my post on the other hobbies I took up for my mental health here!
I’m pretty sure most little girls played dress up and house. Well when I was younger, my sister and I would tailor my mom’s old dresses from the 80s to wear and pretend we were going to the military ball (thank you for your service, dad!) or getting married. Fast forward 20 years and I’m making a Pinterest board for my future wedding. This led to researching how much weddings actually were and it is quite possible that the moment I realized how much weddings could be these days is the subconscious reason I chose to pick up hand lettering and calligraphy as a hobby. That or seeing all the beautiful hand lettered signs at weddings led to watching mesmerizing hand lettering and calligraphy videos did. So I ended up watching a bunch of videos and then practicing with sharpie at home, and eventually I got some beginner kits to really get me going.
Hand lettering for beginners
Hand lettering takes practice but is made easy with the helpful kits you can order online. My favorite book that gave me insight on hand lettering such as advice on how to sit and hold the pen, allowed me to practice with correct form and progress quickly through each lesson in the book.
As per usual, this book is from Amazon and you can click here to check it out! I liked these brush pens with it, but of course, Amazon has a lot of options to choose from if you’re looking for something specific!
Transitioning to DIY Wedding Signs
Now I remember being concerned at the start of my hand lettering journey that this was not the right hobby for me because I didn’t have naturally cute or smooth penmanship. I was never impressed by looking at my handwritten notes or letters as an adult, but I’m here to tell you that you can do it! It takes some practice and sometimes it became frustrating, but this is something more than just bringing the cost of weddings down. This is a hobby and a way to de-stress and it is always rewarding when you make progress. You will finally get that cursive “s” down and feel good about yourself! Calligraphy and hand lettering is fun, it takes some concentration, it is rewarding, it can help reduce cost at parties/weddings if you can make your own signs. This hobby can even make you money down the road as you practice and post your projects!
The transition from cute little labels for baked goods for my friends/neighbors to making signs for my friend’s wedding and bridal and baby showers was actually easier than I thought it would be. I merely offered to help with my friend’s DIY wedding projects and she asked me to take on the task of her wedding signs for the signature drinks, food, reserved tables, etc. She had seen my progress with the muffins I would bake her and make a note for, she’d seen me doodle and practice when we hung out. She had seen the progress and asked me if I was interested in taking on the DIY wedding signs at her wedding. Of course, I said yes! I will be posting more about what I did in preparation of the wedding project I signed up for shortly, so stay tuned! But just to give you an idea of what all went into the prep, this is what I did:
-went on Pinterest for ideas
-got approval for what the vibe was for each sign and what it needed to say
-practiced on regular printer paper
-and then put it on the signs she bought when it was closer to the wedding day
This hobby has turned out to be such a positive thing in my life in many ways. I have my de-stressing hobby, and with progress I make in this hobby, the more I feel good about myself, and it has been a real life-saver for reducing costs in wedding and party decor!
I picked up this hobby unsure I could actually do it and look where I am now! I encourage those who like watching calligraphy and hand lettering videos to try it out! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the outcome and could even make a side hustle out of it after some practice! So take a look at the amazon products I have used and love and give it a go!
By the way, you can take a look at some of my signs on this Instagram post!
Have fun and take care, y’all!
Jen
RELATED POSTS: