Why DIY Wedding Planning Often Leads to Clutter
Is It Cheaper to Do a DIY Wedding?
What Is the 50/30/20 Rule for Weddings?
How Self-Storage Helps with DIY Wedding Planning
DIY Wedding Supplies to Buy in Advance and Store
DIY Wedding Planning Checklist to Stay Organized
DIY Wedding Planning Is Easier (And More Fun) with CubeSmart
For couples who want the freedom to personalize every detail of their wedding and save money in the process, DIY wedding planning can make perfect sense. But between accumulating the supplies, crafting the decorations, and clearing space to store your items, it can be a stressful undertaking indeed. Before you know it, the clutter can take over your home for months leading up to your special day. That’s where self-storage comes in.
When you’re in the thick of DIY wedding planning, an off-site self-storage unit keeps your decor, materials, and supplies in one central, accessible location. Not only does this streamline the entire process, but it can also help you manage unforeseen costs. How? Read on for more about the benefits of self-storage for DIY wedding planning, as well as some of our favorite DIY wedding planning tips and a DIY wedding planning checklist (to keep track of it all).
Why DIY Wedding Planning Often Leads to Clutter
DIY wedding planning requires you to collect numerous items several months before the main event. While it’s often cheaper than hiring a planner and vendors, it can also lead to heaps of clutter. Signs, linens, favors, decor, centerpieces, tables, and chairs take up a lot more space than many couples realize, turning once-functional rooms into temporary storage areas.
Without a manageable system, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. As you continue to stock up on DIY wedding decorations, table settings, craft materials, and other supplies, it can be easy to lose track of items. To avoid this frustrating clutter and prevent last-minute scrambling, it’s important to have a clear wedding organization plan in place.
Is It Cheaper to Do a DIY Wedding?
If you maintain an intentional strategy and a realistic budget, you can pull off a DIY wedding for a fraction of the expense of more traditional ceremonies. It’s significantly cheaper to create your own DIY wedding decorations and guest favors, shop for thrifted place settings and accessories, and borrow supplies from relatives or friends. You can also purchase items gradually over time to minimize the sticker shock of making large, lump-sum payments.
However, while it’s resourceful to explore DIY wedding ideas on a budget, they can come with a few unexpected costs. Both time and labor can take a toll on couples leading up to the wedding, especially when more intricate DIY wedding projects are involved. A lack of organization can also eat into the budget if, for example, you have to re-purchase something that’s been misplaced. Using a storage unit to keep your wedding items and decor organized in one place makes it easier to keep track of what you have and what you still need.
What Is the 50/30/20 Rule for Weddings?
The 50/30/20 Rule is a useful budgeting strategy that can be applied to DIY wedding planning to help couples monitor and prioritize costs. With this structure, the couple assigns each wedding expense to one of three categories (50%, 30%, and 20%) based on how much will be spent on those items. Here’s how it works:
- 50% of your budget is reserved for major expenses, such as your venue, food service, and beverages. Because these are generally the most important (and costliest) line items, locking them in first will ensure you can afford those large purchases comfortably.
- The next 30% of your budget will cover the attire, photography, flowers, entertainment, and pre-ceremony rituals or celebrations (including your small bridal shower ideas).
- The final 20% goes toward favors, stationery, decorations, and other unexpected costs that could arise.
Establishing a firm, concrete budget, such as the 50/30/20 Rule, is one of the most practical and effective wedding planning tips.
How Self-Storage Helps with DIY Wedding Planning
Self-storage offers a convenient solution for couples who need extra room for all the items a DIY wedding requires. Rather than filling every spare corner of your home with supplies, an off-site wedding decor storage unit will keep your environment calm and clutter-free. This makes DIY projects feel considerably more manageable as well.
Another benefit of using self-storage during DIY wedding planning is that it makes it easy to keep track of everything, minimizing (if not eliminating) the chances of misplacement or accidental disposal. This will help mitigate the need for costly replacements as your wedding approaches.
Bottom line: using self-storage for wedding organization can save you space, time, and money.
Wedding Supplies to Keep in Self-Storage
Here are some DIY wedding decorations, supplies, and accessories you can keep inside a self-storage unit in the months leading up to that special day:
- Unscented Centerpiece Supplies
- Artificial flowers
- Guest favors
- Tablecloths or linens
- Lanterns
- Candle holders
- Welcome or directional signs
- Photo booth props
- Bulk craft materials
- Ceremony backdrops
- Artificial foliage
- Table numbers or place cards
- Display easels
- Guest book supplies
DIY Wedding Planning Tips
DIY wedding planning can be a fun, creative process, allowing couples to reflect on what makes their relationship special. Bring your vision to life while staying on top of all the details with these wedding planning tips.
Borrow Items from Friends or Relatives
If you’re looking for a simple way to curb expenses, one of the smartest DIY wedding ideas on a budget is to borrow or reuse items from your loved ones. Before purchasing new decor, ask family members or friends if they have vases, lanterns, easels, or table linens they’re willing to lend out.
Compare Material Costs from Multiple Sources
Cross-reference the prices between various craft stores, online retailers, wholesale vendors, thrift shops, or neighborhood marketplaces. Doing research before jumping in will ensure you find high-quality supplies at the lowest cost available. You might also come across hidden gems you would otherwise miss.
Keep Your DIY Projects Doable
Be realistic about which projects you can handle. Put the most effort into the details that guests are most likely to notice, such as the centerpieces, signs, favors, backdrops, and flower arrangements, to avoid spreading yourself (and your budget) too thin.
Find Strategic Ways to Reuse Decorations
To stretch your budget, focus on decor ideas that can serve different functions. For example, the garland on your ceremonial arch might double as centerpieces at the reception. Or elements on the welcome sign might be retooled into props for the guest photo booth.
Buy Supplies Ahead of Time to Keep in Storage
End-of-season sales are excellent opportunities to stock up on DIY wedding supplies at more affordable rates. Shop these discounts in the months ahead of your wedding, then keep all the items organized together in a storage unit.
DIY Wedding Supplies to Buy in Advance and Store
Whenever possible, purchase materials for your DIY wedding decorations well in advance. This gives you time to track down the perfect items at the best prices and reduce any possible overwhelm in those final weeks before the wedding. Here are some of the easiest decorations to place in storage for quick access when you’re ready for them.
DIY Wedding Decorations
- Faux Floral Centerpieces
- Unscented Candles
- Vases
- Artificial foliage
- Pressed flowers
- Lanterns
- String lights
Signs and Display Pieces
- Welcome signs
- Directional signs
- Seating charts
- Display easels
- Guest book
- Table numbers
- Place cards
Reception Essentials
- Tablecloths
- Chair covers
- Chargers
- Serving utensils
- Cake stand
- Glassware
- Photo booth props
- Guest favors
Large Event Items
- Folding tables
- Chairs
- Arbors
- Backdrops
- Outdoor fans
- Portable bar stations
- Canopies
- Speaker stands
- Lawn games
Self-Storage Unit Tips
- Invest in the right kind of storage solution, such as climate-controlled storage for wedding decor items that require climate-controlled storage.*
- Label your storage boxes or bins to correspond with their specific wedding area (for example: “Display Items, Reception”).
- Use shelving to make it easier to organize and access supplies.
- Maintain an inventory list of every item in your wedding decor storage unit to help minimize the risk of items being misplaced or needlessly repurchased.
DIY Wedding Planning Checklist to Stay Organized
Use this DIY wedding checklist to ensure you stay organized and in control as the big day approaches.
DIY Wedding Planning Checklist
12+ Months Before
- Create a budget you feel comfortable and confident sticking with.
- Secure a venue to host both the ceremony and reception.
- Rent a self-storage unit to keep your DIY decorations and supplies.
- Build an inventory system to track all projects and purchases.
9–12 Months Before
- Choose your color palette and theme.
- Start collecting your DIY wedding decorations and accessories.
- Shop around at thrift stores and look for seasonal discounts.
- Clearly label storage boxes and bins as you store wedding items in them.
6–9 Months Before
- Make the guest list, then send out your save-the-date notices.
- Begin the most intricate DIY projects, such as signs and centerpieces.
- Transfer the linens, tableware, and other service items into storage.
3–6 Months Before
- Obtain price quotes for rentals and start reserving these items.
- Finalize the decor inventory and finish smaller projects like guest favors.
- Create a transportation plan for moving your decorations to the venue.
- Mail the official wedding invitations to the recipients on your guest list.
1 Month Before
- Pack all wedding day supplies based on their categories (ex: “Tableware and Linens”).
- Confirm both the delivery and pick-up schedules with each rental vendor.
- Go back over this DIY wedding checklist to ensure you haven’t missed anything.
DIY Wedding Planning Is Easier (And More Fun) with CubeSmart
With a coherent strategy and some determination, you can DIY a wedding that your friends and family members will rave about for years to come. Along the way, self-storage can help you carve out the space to embark on a DIY wedding planning journey that’s both fun and hassle-free. At CubeSmart, we offer storage options to suit a variety of needs, from small lockers to climate-controlled storage units and more.* Find a CubeSmart storage facility near you.
*Storage unit sizes are approximate and subject to availability. Temperature and humidity levels within any storage space, including climate-controlled spaces, may vary.
