Kits for DIY Wedding Invitations:  This is where a good DIY invitations kit can solve a problem for couples, and save them hundreds of Euros in the process.  Companies like DIYWedding.ie provide over 100 different customisable DIY Kits. The kits include all the materials you need to make the invitation, detailed instructions, and also an MS Word Template already formatted for printing.  The 20+ templates are free to download here. If you don't know where to start, DIY Kits are a great solution to ensure you end up with professional level invitations at a fraction of the cost.

The pain of figuring out a good design, formatting the printing to get it just right, is taken away and savings of up to 60-70% can be made on the price of the invite - costs which are usually attributed to the labour used in making the invitation. There's great selection too - with styles varying from funky enclosures, to handmade eco-friendly Indian Cotton ranges (see above right), invites with real pressed flowers, and classic contemporary gatefold (see left) designs.

Making it unique
For many people, the appeal in making their own wedding stationery is not just about saving money - it's an opportunity to give a truly handmade finish to your wedding. Most DIY wedding stationery shops provide options and embellishments to customise the invitations. The majority of couples choose styles which match the overall colour scheme of the wedding (often set by the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses), but some go the opposite way and choose a colour they simply love.  Ivory is much more popular than white, and calla lillies (see miniature paper versions right) are a perennial favourite and often chosen to match the bridal bouquet. Whether it be the colour of a ribbon to match your bridesmaids’ dresses, the type of card and paper used, a traditional wax seal or the type and colour of flowers used to embellish the design, you can come up with unique invitation of your very own and save €00s in the process.

Involve the wedding party
When making up the DIY wedding invitations or other stationery, it’s a great idea to get the wedding party involved. Invite over your bridesmaids or groomsmen, open a couple of bottles of wine, and set up a “conveyor belt” of invite makers. One person does the printing, one person writes the names, one person assembles the invite, and the last one puts it into the envelope and addresses it. In this way you can get all your invites done in a night and have great fun in the process.

Making your own invitations doesn’t have to be difficult. Start with an invitation kit, customise it, add your own extra features if you like, and send out your invitations secure in the knowledge you are sending a truly unique design, and have saved hundreds of pounds in the process.

Also don't forget your Mass Booklets.  Do them in advance if at all possible.  Many couples leave it until the last minute and it does take time to choose hymns, prayers etc. if having a religious mass, and even a simple Order of Service takes some time.  We have 6 free Mass Booklet Templates on our site, links to helpful sites for choosing hymns etc, and a host of covers, printing paper and binding options (from stretch loops to ribbon and hole punches for threading).  Given the work involved, making your own will save you a lot of money.  Just give it the time it needs to be done without stress :)

Coming Soon - free websites for your own fonts, how to print in gold and silver colours, what to include with your invites, common questions for DIY!

Have you made your own stationery?  Will you email us a photo, or any ideas you have on making handmade stationery?

Aisling Mackey is the owner of DIYWedding.ie, a website specialising in helping couples on a budget make the most of their money.  The site features over 100 customisable wedding stationery DIY kits and other DIY products like Car Ribbon, Pew Bows, Disposable Wedding Cameras, DIY Wedding Favours and more.  Aisling also owns Cara Craft Supplies - a site for card makers and scrapbookers, and a UK arm of the wedding business - WeddingDIY.co.uk.