Here’s the thing about weddings and DIY projects: they don’t always save you money. And they definitely don’t save time. All that said, I love a DIY project. Like loooove. It feels so good to accomplish something tangible. So it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that my original wedding DIY to-do list was miles long. But also, hello, I have a life. So as the date inched closer, projects quickly started dropping off.
This is why I’m a big fan of places like Zazzle. Zazzle is a huge marketplace for artist-designed personalized goods. They take care of the drudge work of DIY (on everything from wedding invitations to decor, and even swag for your wedding party) and you get a custom result without having to do the heavy lifting. Just personalize your picks online, and then hit the button that ships it to you. And spoiler: the team had a chance to play with some of their stuff last year, and we were totally blown away by how impressive the quality was (maybe because most of it is manufactured right in the Bay Area, aka APW’s home turf).
So, if you’re looking for an excuse to cut a few things from your DIY list, we’ve partnered up with Zazzle this week and found five areas of your wedding that you can totally (affordably) buy and then save your time for the stuff you really want to make yourself:
Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman
Invitations: I’m a big paper freak. I like to tell myself that people have not only kept, but treasured the countless cards and invites I’ve sent them over the years. But the hard truth is Invites pretty much always end up in the recycle bin, so do yourself a favor and let Zazzle do all the work here. You’ll get a totally gorgeous invitation, and won’t have to cry if your labor of love isn’t kept under glass for the next decade. Their wedding invite selection is extensive, and the more you buy, the lower your per-invite price goes, so for 100 invites, you’re looking at around $150 on average.
Bonus: Zazzle even does postage, so you can order custom stamps that match your wedding invites, or just put your names on them. Order at the same time as your invitations for one less trip to the post office.
I Saw the Sign
Wedding signage: This can be super helpful for your guests. And bonus, they’re great for photo ops. Unfortunately, these can also sometimes fall into the “whyyyyy did I decide to make these myself?!?” category. Start by figuring out what you really need signs for. My faves are welcome (sets the tone), cocktail/bar menu offerings (keep that line moving!), guest book (it’s never a bad idea to give guests something to do when they first walk in), hashtag info (because memory and spelling skills wane after a few cocktails), and seating charts (obvs). Zazzle has a sign for anything you could possibly need, so you can worry about bigger stuff, like…
Decor and more
Wedding Decor: Okay, this is where the real fun starts. I love the idea of using Zazzle’s custom fabric as a photo backdrop or even as a backdrop for your ceremony (it doesn’t have to be complicated, you guys). Or keep your guests entertained during the reception with a personalized cornhole set (a great example of something you can actually use after the wedding, too.)
Zazzle even has a huge selection of flameless candles that are ready to go as-is, or that you can personalize with your own touch. I’m totally digging this script cake topper, because sparkle! And since Zazzle is pretty much never not offering up some kind of awesome deal, that means you should go for broke and get all the things.
Do Yourself a favor
Wedding FAVORS: You don’t need ’em, but if you want them, I’m a firm believer in functional ones; that means, guests need to walk away with something edible (noms) or actually useful (water bottle, wine opener). For our wedding we did a personalized beer glass along with bottled craft beer a friend made for us. No one likes a hangover, so your friends will totally appreciate something like a super cute care package to help ease their post-party headache.
Or if you’re looking for something sweet? How about the crazy good flavor combos on these artisan chocolate bars. Done and done.
Give a little bit
WEDDING PARTY GIFTS: Again, not mandatory, but there might be some people you want to say thank you to: your wedding party, parents, officiant, etc. Functional and personal gifts are always appreciated, so why not go with a thermal tumbler, super cute gym bag, and #selfie compact mirror?
You can see a bunch of our favorite bridesmaid gifts right here. P.S. Do yourself a favor, and order thank you cards while you’re at it!
Have DIY projects you want to check off your list the easy way? CLICK HERE TO BROWSE ZAZZLE’S FULL SELECTION OF customizable WEDDING invitations, decor and gifts!
This post was sponsored by Zazzle. If you’re looking for affordable wedding invitations, decor, and gifts that you can customize to your heart’s content, then Zazzle’s wedding section has you covered. They’ve got everything from save the dates to table numbers and even these cool 3-D guest books. Click here to browse Zazzle’s full wedding collection.
