Wedding Tip of the Week: Do you DIY?

What to do… and what not to.  The DIY trend in weddings is very popular with crafty (and even the not so crafty) brides to be. Taking a cue from TheKnot.com’s list of suggested bridal projects, I’ve chimed in with my own opinion on the realisticness of the wedding DIY as well!

5 DIY Doables

Makeup: While there is no substitute for professional makeup job, you do your own every day and know what you like/don’t like. If there is not room in your budget for a makeup artist, but you do want to change your look, I’d suggest asking a friend whose makeup you always admire for some tips, or visiting a department store make up counter for a quick lesson.

Ceremony Decor: Your guests come to the ceremony to watch you get married – not to oogle over the decorations. Keep it simple and DIY this or if you are saying your vows in an already lovely location, dare I say this, skip the décor altogether.  

Favors: Here I suggest the donation as a favor idea or a DIY edible goodie.  Homemade chocolates or cookies are a welcome treat at the end of the night. (Moment of truth, a good percentage of your guests will forget to take their favor at the end of the night anyway.)

Invitations, Programs and Save-the-Dates: Not for those who aren’t willing to put in a lot of time and hard work, but for those that are, this is definitely an area to try DIY. Between the many templates available online (check out WeddingChicks.com) and ready-to-print packages in the craft stores, DIY-ing your paper is very doable. 

5 DIY Don'ts

Photos: Candid shots may be more your style, but even though they will have fun behind the lens, I can pretty much guarantee that your guests will not be able to capture all of the moments and details of your wedding that you will surely want. Showing your someday grandchildren a photo of your best friend's date’s wedding shoes is no substitute for a picture of your wedding cake.

Coordinating it Yourself: Just don’t try it. You want to enjoy your wedding – not spend the day fending off all of your vendors questions on timing, deliveries or any problems that arise throughout the day. If your venue does not provide an on-site coordinator and/or you do not have room in your budget for one, ask a trusted friend to play the role on the day of. 

Centerpieces: Per The Knot.com, flowers can cost upward of $3,000, depending on your taste and the season. Yes, this is a lot of money, but unless you thoroughly enjoy spending the two days before your wedding unpacking de-thorning and arranging flowers, I would highly suggest NOT DIYing your wedding flowers. (Note: some people have done this beautifully, but just know that it does require a lot of effort!)

Food/Catering: The LAST thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is cooking and serving the food. Leave it to the pros.

Your Music: This one is honestly a toss up. More times than not I’d suggest against doing your own music, but if you have connections to the proper equipment (remember the acoustics you have to consider) and a tunes savvy partner then maybe creating your own wedding playlist is right for you. 

For those of you who are feeling inspired and crafty, there are countless resources out there for you including step by step tutorials on the perfect accent decor projects for your wedding. (This is an area I 100 percent recommend attempting a little DIY). A few of my favorite sites for inspiration include: Ruffled Blog , Once Wed , Project Wedding. DIY brides be sure to check them out and let me know if you try any of the projects!

Do you have any favorite wedding DIYs to share?  Are you planning to take on any DIY projects yourself?

Newly married or engaged?  Share your news in the Announcements!

Author Erin Ethier is a shoreline CT resident who writes a daily wedding blog Sparkle & Hay: Inspirations for a Rustic Chic Wedding.