As wedding costs soar, more couples look to save cash – and add flair – with DIY tips.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s glamorous 1981 wedding cost an estimated $70 million in today’s dollars. Kim Kardashian’s short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries cost about $10 million.

But non-celebrity brides and grooms experience sticker shock, too, even for simple celebrations. As wedding costs rise, so does the DIY movement.

In 2008, writer Dana LaRue launched a blog to give and get affordable, creative tips for her wedding. “The Broke-Ass Bride inspires and empowers you savvy, unique readers to make the most of what you have by using creative, outside-the-box ideas rooted in practical advice, to save your money and your sanity,” she writes at www.brokeassbride.com.

Some of the site’s ideas involve elaborate and specific directions, like how to paint cheap glass to look like vintage bronze. But it includes a lot of easier DIY tips, too.

A few key bits of advice from DIY brides of the Monterey Peninsula: Enlist your friends to help make it happen the way you envision, be selective about what’s really important, and manage your expectations.

Whether the motivator is to save money, indulge your inner artist or infuse your wedding with personal touches, here are a few manageable DIY ideas.

Throw a potluck.

You can assign out certain items – salads, casseroles, breads – to accompany a few main dishes from the caterer. If each guest brings one thing, it’s not too much to ask of anyone. As far as alcohol goes, you can serve homebrew, and ask an artistic friend to design labels customized to your wedding day.

Bake dessert.

Homemade desserts make a welcome appearance at some of the most finely planned weddings. It’s a way for your aunt to share her famous chocolate cake, or your best friend to bask in the glory of his cherry pie. One couple invited family members to bake cookies. Ten signed up to whip out five dozen each, creating a table of 600 cookies. Wedding guests mixed and matched them into favor bags stamped with a cute bird of the bride’s own design.

Vowing down.

Work with a friend to officiate your wedding. Choose the readings and messages to represent what the day is really about for you and your partner. Even if you don’t create an original ceremony, you can still write your own deeply personal wedding vows (see story, p. 32).

Smell the flowers.

Assemble bouquets from the farmers market and use small jars to keep them fresh. Succulents are easy to grow in your own backyard and make for interesting centerpieces, boutonnieres or party favors. Plus, you get points for being drought-conscious.

Go eco-friendly.

It’s not easy to make a big party a green affair, with guests flying in from all over. But you can help mitigate the impact with just a little bit of planning and labor. Set up bins to collect food waste for composting. Instead of printing out programs for the ceremony, write the relevant information on a chalkboard at the entrance. Buy carbon credits to make up for the greenhouse gas emissions from your wedding: A great local option is The Offset Project (www.theoffsetproject.org).

Get thrifty.

Instead of spending big on a new dress, wear your mom’s or grandmother’s vintage wedding gown altered to fit beautifully. Add a custom bit of bling, like a sash or a fancy hair accessory, to make it yours. Or search out a promising used dress for a reasonable price – after all, they’ve only been worn once.

Pick a park.

There are dozens of affordable, accessible and stunning locations for outdoor weddings at public parks all over Monterey County. Of course you can’t control the weather, but if you set a date for the fall, the summer gloom is likely to be over and winter rains should be a few months off. You can get affordable permits to use many public spaces, and most let you set up however you like.

Dishing it out.

Table settings can be done with thrift-store silverware and china. One Carmel Valley couple made gorgeous table settings – and a conversation starter for guests – by collecting dinnerware from estate sales and secondhand shops, with no two plates the same. Transform vintage fabric into tablecloths and napkins. Serve drinks in mason jars, and make your own spa water with cucumber or lemon slices in large jugs.