From Proposal to Wedding Day: DIY weddings

 “Do-it-yourself (DIY)” weddings are becoming popular very fast. For some, it is a way to inject some individuality into their affair, for others it is a way to save some money.

Read on for tips on how to incorporate the DIY elements into your wedding and how to do it successfully and tastefully.

Don’t “OVER-do it yourself” and make your wedding look like “Etsy” shop exploded at your wedding reception. Things like personalized stickers for cookie favors, photo guest books, personalized signs are your safest bet. Unless you are a graphic artist and have a talent for stationery design, leave menus, invitations and escort cards printing to the professional printer. Stationery printed on a home printer looks amateurish and takes a lot of time and supplies.

If you are planning on many DIY components, make sure you start early in the process and don’t leave it for the last month/week. Nothing will stress you out more than having unfinished projects lurking at you while you try to focus on many other details that will need your attention in the wedding homestretch.

Prioritize and delegate. You can make signs, favor stickers, favor bags etc. way in advance, while packing up the cookies will have to wait till the final week. Make sure you have plenty of friends on hand to help out with your last minute DIY. Be grateful for any help you receive and make it fun-like martinis and cookies packing party!

Don’t try to “do-it-yourself” the whole way. Only DIY if you are absolutely certain that you can pull it off without it looking like a preschooler art project. For other things, stick to “designing” it and then letting professionals produce it for you.

Don’t be afraid to say “no” to friends and family who, although meaning well, might not be best at creating things.

In my next blog let’s talk about incorporating holidays in to your wedding theme. In the meantime – happy wedding planning!