Let me start by saying that I DIY’ed quite a few items for our wedding. I am glad I did! What nobody tells you about DIY-ing your Greek destination wedding is that ‘doing it yourself’ can cost more than hiring a professional, sometimes.
After going through the process myself, and trying to maximize the amount of items I could DIY to cut costs, I put together a list of those items worth DIY-ing. I ran the calculations, and spoke to professionals to accurately compare the costs; whenever DIY was worth going for, I simply went for it.
What to DIY for Wedding: The Real Money Savers
1. Wedding Favors: DIY Wedding Worth It at €2 vs €8
Traditional Greek Koufeta / Bombonieres
Making your own koufeta pouches is genuinely cost-effective. Buy almonds in bulk from local Greek suppliers (€15-20 per kilo), add tulle from the fabric district in Athens, or order it online (€2-3 per meter), and you’ve got favors for €1-2 each versus €5-8 from wedding shops.
Organize a favor-making party with your bridesmaids. Assembly line style works best. One person counts almonds, another cuts tulle, someone ties ribbons. 400 favors in one evening? Done.
If you still decide to buy your wedding favors, you can choose a good cause such as ‘Hamogelo tou Paidiou’ (Greek Children’s Charity) – they sell wedding favors for €1-€2 each, as those are made by volunteers, and their designs are beautiful!
We went for the latter, and we were extremely satisfied with the quality, the price, and the looks of them!
Local Product Favors
If you choose to move away from the traditional Greek wedding favors, you can pivot to local product favors, an option that has been getting more popular lately. Small jars of Greek honey or olive oil with custom labels run €2-4 DIY versus €8-12 professionally done. Buy wholesale from local producers, design labels on Canva, and print at a local shop.
Just remember any import restrictions if guests are flying home and be mindful of their sizes.
2. DIY Welcome Bags: Wedding Elements to DIY for 70% Savings
Welcome bags for guests are a nice, thoughtful touch. I you choose to create welcome bags for your guests, then this is one of those items you can save serious cash on by DIY-ing.
Buy canvas totes in bulk (€1.50 each) and fill them with local treats from the supermarket or local producers. To add an element of personalization, and depending on how big your destination wedding is going to be, you can either add a handwritten note, or a personalized digitally created printed note. Also, find a tote vendor that can print the canvas tote with your wedding monograms or wedding information. This still maintains the same cost and is totally worth it!
In our case, the offer we received from the hotel we cooperated with was €30 per bag.
Expected total DYI cost: €8-€15 per bag versus €30-45 from hotels or planners.
Recommended items to include that won’t break the bank
- Local cookies from the bakery (€2)
- A delicacy that Greece or the island is famous for. Consider: a can of sardines, a small bottle of olive oil (100ml), a small bottle of wine, or a small bottle mastiha liquor, etc.
- Mini water bottles with custom labels (€0.50)
- Hangover kit: Paracetamol and electrolytes (€2)
3. Wedding Signage: DIY Cost €150 vs €1.500
One of the things I was very happy to DIY was the wedding signage, and in general all wedding artwork. In fact, I saved about 10% of my wedding costs just there.
During the planning process, I had a very clear vision of the areas I wanted to spend more of our budget on. And also a clear idea of the wedding items that mattered less. After receiving 3 different offers from vendors, and after surviving the initial shock of the prices I show for outsourcing the wedding signage, I decided to DIY all the wedding artwork. It was one of those items I didn’t want to overspend on, and one of those things that I knew I could easily do myself.
Design these yourself using free templates, print at local copy shops for a fraction of professional costs. A welcome sign that would cost €150 from a calligrapher? €20 at the print shop if you design it yourself.
And before you say it’s too much work…I didn’t know how to design either! I found the calligraphy items I needed online, and invested time into dusting my outdated Adobe Illustrator skills. If you’re not as ‘hardcore’ as I am, then a solution like Canva, or buying templates on Etsy can easily do the trick!
Money-saving reality
Greek print shops charge about €0.10 per A4 color print. That A1 seating chart for my wedding? I spent €50 versus €550 from wedding vendors.
The DIY Wedding Disasters: Where You’ll Spend More (and Cry)
1. Why DIY Wedding Flowers Always Cost More
One of the things I thought about doing to save some costs was to import flowers. I live in The Netherlands, the country of tulips and the biggest exporter of flowers in the world, so I considered myself lucky. After running the numbers, I realized that not only I wouldn’t have saved, but instead I would have spent a lot more money than hiring a local florist. By the time you factor in:
- Wholesale flower costs (not that much cheaper in Greece)
- Refrigeration/storage issues in Greek heat
- Transport to venue without air conditioning
- Creating the arrangements
- The inevitable wilting disaster
- Time spent (easily 10-15 hours)
You’ll spend MORE than hiring someone on location, plus the stress that such an operation brings isn’t worth those Instagram photos of dead center pieces. Trust me on this one.
Local florists get wholesale prices you can’t access, and have refrigerated vans. Let them handle it – you’ll be glad you chose peace of mind.
2. Wedding Cake DIY: Real Costs Nobody Mentions
Unless you’re a professional baker, attempting a wedding cake in a vacation rental kitchen is a recipe for disaster. Greek ovens are different, ingredients measure differently, and buttercream in 35°C heat? Forget it.
Hidden costs of DIY cake:
- Multiple practice runs: €50-100
- Special equipment/pans: €80-150
- Ingredients for final cake: €50-80
- Transport box and cooling: €40
- Your sanity: Priceless
Just order from a local bakery (€150-300) or ask your wedding caterer if they can provide it as part of their catering offer.
Money-saving reality
Not everyone eats the wedding cake. Instead of investing a significant amount of your budget on a wedding cake, choose a smaller size, and/or offer additional dessert options to your guests. Normally those are included in the price a wedding caterer is going to share with you.
3. Photography and Videography: Always hire a professional
“My cousin has a good camera” is the fastest way to regret your entire wedding. Your wedding day lasts one day, but the memories last forever. You cannot outsource professional wedding photography to someone who isn’t a professional photographer, and doesn’t know the wedding venue.
Why this always fails:
- No backup equipment when something breaks
- No experience with Greek lighting conditions
- Missing key moments while figuring out settings
- Editing time takes longer and result is questionable
To see a curated list of top Greece wedding photographers, check my directory here.
4. Invitations with Intricate Details
Those letterpress beauties on Pinterest? The equipment costs more than hiring a pro. Handmade paper, wax seals, and calligraphy take weeks to perfect. By attempt #47, you’ll have spent double a professional’s quote.
The math that hurts:
- Calligraphy lessons: €100
- Practice materials: €80
- Quality paper and envelopes: €200
- Wax seal kit: €50
- Mistakes and do-overs: €150
- Professional calligrapher: €300 (should’ve started here)
The “Depends on Your Skills” Category
Wooden Signs and Décor
Worth it if: You’ve got woodworking skills and tools, or if you can find cheaper equipment elsewhere compared to renting it
Skip if: Your DIY experience stops at IKEA assembly
Greek hardware stores have materials, but factor in:
- Wood and supplies: €30-50 per sign
- Tool rental: €50-100
- Professional custom signs: €80-150 each
What we did
We knew we wanted to have wooden easels on the reception tables. However, the quotes were expensive, and the wooden shades were off. Instead, we bought small easels at €1 each, and we decided to stain them shade we wanted. We packed them in our suitcases and we just imported them to Greece.
The Real Cost Formula
Before attempting any DIY project, calculate:
True DIY Cost = Materials + Tools + Time (€20/hour) + Stress Factor + Backup Plan
If that number exceeds professional cost by even 20%, hire the pro. You’re already managing a destination wedding – your time is valuable.
Ready to see your full Greek wedding budget in one place?
I built a free calculator using real vendor quotes across Greece. Enter your details and it builds your complete estimate, so you know exactly where DIY saves you money and where it does not.
Smart DIY Strategy for Greece
- Start early – Ship or buy materials during venue scouting trips
- Get quotes from vendors to validate that DIY is worth it – follow the formula to take the right decision
- Account for the heat – Nothing involving chocolate, buttercream, or delicate flowers
- Have backups – What’s your plan when DIY fails?
- Delegate wisely – Assign simple tasks to willing helpers
- Know when to stop – If it’s not working by attempt #3, hire someone
Extra DIY suggestions
Water bottles
If you’re having a wedding during the hot season, it’s strongly recommended to supply your guests with water, and keep the hydration going.
In our case, we requested our decoration vendor to also share a quote for water jars with a slight flavor; think of those jars that you see with watermelon slices, mint leaves, or lemon wedges in them. After looking at the cost of those, we decided against it. Big margins for them, low effort for DIY replacements for you. So, instead, we opted for water bottles which we bought from the local grocery store, and ended up saving 80% of the cost!
Grocery store 500ml water €0.50 vs. €450 for 3 flavored water jars.
Rice packages
Money-saving reality
A tulle, small package costs €0.10, 1kg rice costs €2.00 and 50 stickers, printed with your information €10.00 vs. €250.00 from vendor.
The bottom line
DIY works for simple, non-essential elements that won’t make or break your day. Anything involving specialized skills, equipment, or refrigeration in Greek summer? Pay the professionals and pour yourself another glass of Assyrtiko.
Remember: you’re flying thousands of miles/kilometers to marry the love of your life in one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. And so do your guests. Some things are worth every euro to ensure they’re done right.
Save money on the favors, splurge on the flowers, and definitely don’t try to make your own wedding cake in a villa kitchen. Trust me on that last one.
Still not sure what to actually book first?
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