As many of you know, my best friend proposed in December, and we set out on a journey to plan our dream wedding! (Read The Proposal story here.) I, like many girls, have been dreaming about my wedding day for years, and the hundreds of wedding idea photos I’ve accumulated on Pinterest are a testimony to the thought I’ve put into this.

Within a few days of the proposal, I began talking to wedding vendors, ordered The Knot’s Ultimate Wedding Planner (a must-have for brides!), and started trying to make decisions. Honestly, I had no idea how many decisions go into planning a wedding – certainly one for 600+ guests – and I definitely didn’t know how expensive everything would be.

Much to my parents’ dismay, I have extravagant taste (think Chiavari chairs, chandeliers, lavish flowers, etc.), so it quickly became apparent that we would have to use our wedding budget strategically. We decided that whenever reasonable, we would aim to handle wedding responsibilities on our own – a.k.a. DIY projects.

One of my first orders of business was to ask my dear friends to be my bridesmaids. I love seeing the cute and creative ways that brides ask their attendants, so I wanted to find a gift that would be both personable and functional. After some research, I decided I wanted to give my bridesmaids candles with their names on them. However, most personalized candles cost $12-16 a piece on Etsy, and with 11 bridesmaids, I decided there must be a cheaper alternative.

I began pricing the raw materials to recreate the candles and decided this would not only be more economical to make the gift myself but also more fun! Now, let me clarify… I did not actually make the candles from scratch. Instead, I went to local shops to look for candles infused with essential oils, and luckily, I found exactly what I needed for a discounted price!

From there, I bought rectangle and round labels, boxes, and crinkle paper on Amazon, and I set out to design my labels for the candles and boxes. Unfortunately, my vision for a watercolor floral border went above my design skills, so I decided to purchase a clipart set from Etsy (by HappyTarsier). The clipart set came with different variations that I mixed and matched to fulfill my vision. Using InDesign and label templates from Adobe, I was able to design the labels and customize them with each bridesmaid’s name.

Next, I removed the stickers on the top of the candle to place my own round label that said, “I can’t say ‘I Do’ without you!” I chose to leave the main candle sticker with information about the scent and essentials oils, and instead, I placed my rectangle label on the back, which said “_______, will you be my bridesmaid?”

I placed the candle and purple crinkle paper in the box, and to top it all off, I wrapped each box with a bow. To make sure the bow stayed in place, I placed on top a separate rectangle label that said, “I can’t say ‘I Do’ without you!”

Once the project was complete, I was thrilled to have spent less than 50% what I would have spent if I had purchased the candles on Etsy. The project took about 3 hours to complete with my mom’s help.

Because I know that people make a living by selling their products and creations on Etsy, I do not write this post to diminish their work. However, if you’re looking to save a little money and have the time/creative skills to do so, I highly recommend making your bridesmaid gifts instead of purchasing them.

Stay tuned for more wedding news and ideas!