3 handmade wedding gifts you can make on a budget

“Budget” and “wedding” are two words you’d never normally expect to hear together. They are certainly not affordable affairs, and rightly so when they’re among the most important days of our lives! Thing is, you reach a certain point in life where it feels like you’re at a wedding every other month and buying a gift each time can add up. We love celebrating with our friends, but sometimes a minister’s salary doesn’t stretch to buying beautiful and unique gifts for those we love.

Having given this some thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that wedding gifts don’t actually need to be expensive. What a special day needs is a special gift, and it’s very possible to hand-make a beautiful, unique present without spending very much. Here are three ideas I’ve had recently that are incredibly easy and affordable, but will still be treasured by your newly-wed friends.

1. Handmade cushion covers

The first home that a couple lives in together can feel like the start of adult life. When Phil and I first got married, it was time to start investing in home pieces that would last us a lifetime. On our wedding list, alongside the practical bits (hello can-opener), we added rugs, bed linen and cushion covers to help make our tiny flat feel like home.

However, store-bought linens and decor can be expensive, and there are lots of easy DIY options out there. My favourite is to make cushion covers. I like to use good quality fabric like linen, silk or embroidered cotton to make them as beautiful (if not more so!) as off-the-shelf options. eBay is an excellent place to find affordable fabric remnants. I have a search alert for some of my favourite textile designers like Margo Selby and Merchant & Mills, and buy when I see a good deal.

The simplest cushion cover you can make is an envelope style, as in this tutorial. Even if you're a sewing newbie, you should find this super easy! If you think you have the skills, I find adding buttons to the back is worthwhile to help the pillow keep its shape.

there’s a tutorial on the blog for this amazing cushion

Click here

2. Embroidered wall hanging

I’m fairly new to embroidery, but I’ve been surprised at how easy it is. Even the simplest patterns with just a few stitches can be very beautiful! There is a huge variety of free patterns online and I’m currently obsessed with the options available at DMC. Pinterest also has loads of inspiration. I love the idea of embroidering words, phrases or dates that are special to the couple.

You could embroider a simple piece of cotton and use the embroidery hoop as a frame, or you could even embroider an item of home decor, such as a cushion cover, as I did in this post. The fact that you’ve spent very little won’t matter at all when your friends have something they can cherish for a lifetime!

3. Bespoke home fragrance set

For my own wedding day, one of the things I put most thought into was the fragrance I planned to wear. Scents are so wonderful for evoking precious memories, so I wanted to choose something I knew I’d never tire of. Likewise, giving a home fragrance gift can be a wonderful way to celebrate the start of a marriage.

Making your own scented candle, diffuser and room spray with household products and essential oils is surprisingly easy and affordable (see my reed diffuser how-to here, or check out Pinterest for an abundance of inspiration). You could even develop the scent together with the couple, so they can choose notes that they love, or that remind them of precious moments.

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