DIY- And How

Bird's nest ring holder

You're engaged and looking at all those rustic, outdoor possibilities.   Barns, gardens, and tented lawns.  All perfect for the darling Pinterest ideas you have been collecting.   And, right in line with your budget.   WAIT.....!!!   Before you sign up for that clearing in the woods or that barn that has no heat, no kitchen and no bathroom facilities.   Before you start shopping and collecting mason jars and old bottles and burlap- Stop and take notes.  

Crafty brides- and some "not so crafty" brides are becoming commonplace.   But, girls, you need to consider the facts.   When you book a venue with a clearing in the woods, over a bridge, down an embankment to a pavilion, all that crafty stuff has to get there, get set up and get back at the end and into a car.   YOU also have to get there, in a wedding gown.  

Rustic handmade card box

Once all those boxes of homemade stuff get there, WHO is going to set them up?  Most venues give you limited time on the day of to set up.   If you have not hired a florist to do your centerpieces, your caterer is not going to do this for you.  And, a florist is not going to set up your DIY centerpieces if they are only delivering bouquets.   Are you prepared to spend your wedding day sweating it out to put up tables and decorate them?   Shouldn't you be having your hair done, spending time with your bridesmaids and relaxing for that special moment when you walk toward your groom?   But, OK, you enjoy all that crafty stuff and you are on a budget.   Hire a planner to coordinate your wedding day.   Have that someone who will set up all the wonderful things you have put together.

I recently was helping out a friend who runs a venue.  The bride and her maids came to the venue, all made up with hair done, and proceeded to put up tables and chairs and decorate the space.   By the time they were done, they were all sweaty, exhausted and had to rush to get ready.   Is that how YOU want to spend the start of your wedding day?    Now, I know everyone is on a budget.  You would rather be putting that money toward a house or even the honeymoon.   And, you can do all those DIY projects if you are up for the challenge.   But, hire someone to take care of them on your big day

DIY signage

Another thing to think about is, crafty or not, some of those ideas you see on line are not as simple as they look. And, how much time do you really have to create centerpieces for 13 tables. a welcome sign, personal details, a seating chart, your own bouquets, work a full time job, have a life? When you see a great idea on line or think that fake flowers are more affordable or imagine that you can use your Cricut and do all of the signage yourself, you may be creating more stress in an already stressful situation- planning a wedding.

So, think carefully and ask yourself, do you have the time for all of these projects, where will you store them until the wedding, are you crafty enough to take on one more big project while planning your wedding and who is going to make sure all of your DIY creations are set up that day? Over the years, I have seen many wonderful weddings with DIY touches. I have also seen brides ready for a nervous breakdown when it's the week before the wedding and those projects are still not finished.

Enjoy the journey, enjoy the personal touches you create, but hire professionals where you are not prepared to tackle a challenge that may be harder than it looks. The brides whose personal touches are featured here, knew what they wanted the day to look like. And, they hired me to make sure that they were not sweating it out instead of enjoying that glass of champagne with their bridesmaids. Questions? You can reach out on my homepage or via email. Happy Planning!