While a handmade wedding can be beautiful, keep in mind that it is not always a way to save money. Some brides are tempted to turn to handmade ways because they think it will be an excellent way to save money on something. Often they discover (all too late) that by the time they add in the cost of making something and their time -- they have "spent" an equal or higher amount to what buying that item would have been. So just like marriage -- only have a handmade wedding because you love the idea. Creating handmade items for any other reason will stress you out in the long run. Keep in mind that if you aren't the crafty type these projects will take time and practice so you may need to consider factoring in extra costs for mistakes. For that cost, it completely makes sense to buy the item!



Wedding dress. In another generation it was expected that a young woman would make her wedding dress. There were many dress patterns to create wedding dresses. Your wedding dress would take you several months to carefully sew and this was often a fun, sentimental sewing project you could do with your mother. But with today's wedding dresses becoming more sophisticated, a bride expects a much fancier dress than most have the sewing skills to create. If you have a fashion design degree or strong sewing skills and want to create your own wedding dress this can be a lovely project. Designing your own pattern or working with a dressmaker can be a great idea.

Veil making. It has become popular for brides and bridesmaids to make their own veils. This can be less expensive than buying your veils but keep in mind it may take a bit of practice to actually create the ideal veil you want to wear. There are a number of veil making materials available at larger craft stores.

Unity candle. This is an easy project that makes a lovely gift to give a couple. Making a unity candle uses a large candle and then decorating it in a way that will appeal to the couple. Some Unity candles are quite elaborate and others are very simple candle styles. As Unity candles have become much more popular with many ceremonies, this craft is seen more and more.

Sign-in book. Making your own sign-in book is a fun project that most beginning crafters can make using a blank sign-in book and decorating it to match the theme of their wedding. This is easy to do with a glue gun or crafting glue.

Wedding favors. There are many different types of favors you can make. One of the most classic is sweet almonds in small tulle bags. Or you can put tiny tree seedlings in small tulle bags. This is a great way to spend the afternoon with your bridesmaids.