The Truth About DIY Wedding Costs To Watch Out For

It always starts with good intentions — a Costco flower run, a Michaels cart full of “rustic chic” décor, and maybe Aunt Linda’s famous barbecue recipes. The dream? A DIY wedding that saves thousands and is “Pinterest-worthy”.

The reality? Fast-forward to midnight before your wedding and you’re knee-deep in floral foam, crying into takeout pizza, wondering why you thought you could arrange twelve centerpieces after a full work week.

Here’s the truth: a DIY wedding looks cheaper on paper, but the hidden costs (in money, time, and sanity) add up faster than you can say “hot glue gun.”

The Illusion of Savings

Couples usually think: If we DIY the big three — flowers, food, and décor — we’ll slash the budget in half. Spoiler: you probably won’t. Let’s break it down.

Flowers (Fresh)

Bulk flowers from Costco, Sam’s, or Trader Joe’s sound like a steal… until they show up looking half-dead, at the wrong time, or in the wrong colors. You’ll need coolers, buckets, clippers, ribbon, tape, vases, and about 36 hours you don’t have.
And when those bouquets start wilting? Cue the last-minute florist rescue — which is not only stressful but also wildly expensive.

Flowers (Faux)

And then there’s the “we’ll just do faux” plan. At first glance, it sounds genius — they don’t wilt and you can buy them months ahead. But here’s the catch: good faux flowers aren’t cheap. By the time you buy realistic stems, greenery, and enough to actually fill bouquets and centerpieces, you’ve spent the same (if not more) than fresh.

Plus, you still need all the supplies — wire, floral tape, vases, foam, ribbon — and a place to store everything for months. (And unless you want to eat dinner on the floor, your dining room table probably isn’t the right spot for towers of faux hydrangeas.)

And let’s be honest: most couples don’t dream of a DIY wedding that looks like a Hobby Lobby aisle exploded.

Food

Cooking for 100+ people is not like hosting Thanksgiving. It’s not just the food — it’s equipment, chafing dishes, serving ware, refrigeration, staffing, health permits, and insurance.

And who’s setting it all up? Do you want your mom and aunts in family photos — or working as catering staff? Who’s making sure the drinks stay filled and the ice doesn’t run out? Your cousins probably want to eat dinner and hit the dance floor — not refill sweet tea pitchers all night.

Even a “simple” buffet requires warmers, trays, and an army of servers. And let’s be real: nobody wants lukewarm casseroles at their wedding.

Décor

Sure, thrifting sounds fun — until you’re buying mismatched glassware, endless candles, table linens, and signage. Any idea how many thrift store trips it takes to find 100 glasses in the perfect mismatched shades?

And where are you storing all of it again? (Spoiler: it ends up in your garage or stacked in your dining room.)

Then after the wedding you get the joy of listing it all on Facebook Marketplace because wasn’t that part of the plan? “Buy cheap, resell, break even”? Except now you’ve sunk hours chasing buyers who ghost you — so really, the cost is just your time (and your sanity).

Rentals through a venue or all-inclusive wedding package are usually cheaper, prettier, and a whole lot less hassle.

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What a DIY Wedding for 100 Guests Really Costs

At this point, you might be thinking, “Okay, but how much are we really talking?” Let’s look at the actual numbers couples spend when they go the DIY wedding route.

Flowers

• A FiftyFlowers wedding kit for ~25 arrangements runs $700–$1,200 before you buy supplies.
• Add in buckets, shears, ribbon, tape, foam, and vases → another $300–$600.
• Storage? That’s your dining room table for months.
  DIY Flower Total: $1,200–$1,800

Food

• Bulk ingredients for 100 people: $1,500–$2,000 (Costco/Sam’s Club).
• Equipment rentals (chafing dishes, warmers, beverage dispensers, serving ware): $800–$1,200.
• Disposable or rented plates, napkins, cutlery: $300–$500.
  And remember — without catering staff, that setup usually falls on your family.
  DIY Food Total: $2,600–$3,700

Cake + Desserts

• Ingredients if you DIY bake: $200–$400.
• Add pans, stands, and the joy of stress-baking at midnight.
• Most couples end up buying a bakery backup anyway.
  DIY Dessert Total: $300–$600

Décor + Rentals

• Table linens: $15–$20 each × 12–14 tables = $200–$300.
• Mismatched glassware: even at $1–$2 each, 100 pieces = $100–$200.
• Candles, signage, arbor draping, “just one more” Hobby Lobby run: $700–$1,000.
  DIY Décor Total: $1,200–$2,000

Venue Costs (DIY-style)

• Renting a space-only North Georgia wedding venue: $2,500–$4,000.
• That usually includes tables and chairs, but setup, teardown, and cleaning? That’s on you (or your family). Which means at midnight, when you’re ready to crash, someone’s still stacking chairs and hauling trash bags.
  DIY Venue Total: $2,500–$4,000

Miscellaneous + “Oops” Costs

• Gas for thrift store runs.
• Coolers, bins, totes, safety pins, ice, “just in case” Target bags.
• Easily another $200–$500.

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The DIY Wedding Total for 100 Guests

• Low End: $8,000–$9,900 (if everything goes smoothly).
• High End: $11,800–$12,600 (with hidden costs + last-minute fixes).

And that’s not counting alcohol, attire, photography, or the hours of your life you’ll never get back.

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The Pleasant Union Farm Comparison

Our all-inclusive weddings in North Georgia start around $16,000 for 100 guests. That includes:

• Gorgeous florals for ceremony and reception.
• Chef-crafted catering with setup + service included.
• Tables, chairs, linens, and décor.
• Coordination and flow managed start to finish.
• A team to handle setup, teardown, and the inevitable hiccups.

✨ Translation: You get the wedding of your dreams — without the late-night craft projects, family drama, or a garage full of mismatched glassware.

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So sure, a DIY wedding might look cheaper at first glance — but when you see the numbers stacked against the stress, is it really worth it? Even if you could stomach the cost, you still have to deal with the endless hours and mental load. And that brings us to the next hidden cost…

The Time + Sanity Tax

Here’s the cost nobody tells you about a DIY wedding: your time.

DIY eats up weekends and evenings like Pac-Man. Instead of date nights and actual fun, you’re drowning in projects. Planning your wedding starts to feel like a second full-time job (minus the paycheck).

Example? One Hobby Lobby doesn’t have 20 matching vases, so now you’re driving to three more stores to track them down. Thrifting for décor feels cute the first couple of times, but by visit #14 you’re over it.

Meanwhile, your fiancé has given up on waiting to start the movie you promised “just one more quick thing” three hours ago.

“You didn’t get engaged to become a part-time florist, caterer, and rental manager.”

And don’t forget the emotional cost: stress, burnout, and yes — the inevitable fights with family over “whose job it was” to iron the tablecloths.

The Last-Minute Fix Factor

Something always goes wrong at a DIY wedding (really any wedding, but when you DIY – you’re on the hook to fix it). Flowers wilt, décor gets left at home, food runs out, the cake knife disappears.

Did the bag with the unity candle get packed in your car, your mom’s, or Aunt Sophie’s? You’re supposed to be in the chair for hair and makeup, but your sister (who’s decorating the arbor) just texted that she needs safety pins — and suddenly you’re the one running to Target.

And when those hiccups happen, the “cheap” route gets expensive fast.

• Last-minute florist = $$$
• Emergency Target run = $$$
• Begging a vendor to save the day = $$$

DIY doesn’t leave wiggle room for Plan B — and trust me, you’ll want a Plan B.

The Free Labor Illusion

“We’ll just have friends and family help.” Famous last words.

Yes, your people love you — but asking them to set up chairs, haul coolers, or serve food on your wedding day? That’s not free. It costs them the chance to be present with you.

Don’t you want them sitting and laughing with you in the bridal suite, fully present during your ceremony, ugly crying during your vows, and cheering you on during your first dance — not running around like unpaid staff?

The Stress-Free Alternative

(Also known as the “Be Fully Present and Enjoy Your Wedding Day” Option)

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to DIY your way into a breakdown.

At Pleasant Union Farm, our all-inclusive wedding packages cover the big stuff (and the little stuff you didn’t even think about). That means:

• Seasonal flowers grown right here on the farm.
• Chef-crafted catering with setup + service included.
• Tables, chairs, linens, and décor.
• Coordination and flow managed start to finish.
• A team to handle setup, teardown, and the inevitable hiccups.

So instead of sweating over table linens, you’re sipping mimosas in the bridal suite with your mom and sisters. Instead of running to Target for safety pins, you’re dancing in the garden while your mom happy-cries and someone else sets up the appetizer table.

Translation: you actually get to enjoy your engagement and your wedding day. Imagine that.

Rethink “Budget-Friendly”

A DIY wedding might look like a money saver, but it often costs more in dollars, time, and stress.

If you want the beauty without the burnout, the curated details without the chaos — go with the option that’s already thought through.

✨ Ready for a wedding that’s simple, stunning, and stress-free?
👉 Explore our Classic and Farm-to-Table Packages and let us handle the messy stuff.

FAQ: DIY Weddings vs. All-Inclusive Weddings