Save money, add your personal touch, do it yourself

When I was a Bride, I remember asking Aaron if I could do “it”, “it?” he asked “and what does that mean?” I told him I could do it all: flowers, favors, invites. Understand, I would have decorated a cake if they had let me!

I will never forget his words and share them with each and every bride that asks me the same question, ”Yes, but you can only do ONE major project.” Pick the ONE project that you want to do, have time to do, and that you can have completed at least two weeks prior to your wedding day. Delegate the rest or visit Etsy.com, surely someone there will offer exactly what you are looking for. You CAN do one or two smaller projects (if you insist), but make sure you can start and finish them months prior to your wedding day.

There is a lot to be said for the DIY craze, and yes it is a craze…. Facts are today marketers are making a killing on it in the process. They offer their printable invitations, programs etc, which are getting more and more impressive with each passing season, at prices that are incomparable.

Whether you’re a creative crafty person or your budget demands it, Do It Yourself might be just the route for you. It is a perfect way to add your own creativity and personal touch to YOUR wedding and it is usually a great way to save money. DIY does take time and ideas so keep that in mind. Most popular DIY projects are invitations, favors, bouquets, programs, menus, and place cards. It is estimated that most DIY Brides spend 40-60 hours on their projects.

7 Important Pieces of Advice

Cricut Mason Jar Programs and fans to compliment Brandee's 11/4/11 Wedding Photo Credit: Mary Sandy Photography

1.Plan ahead: Give yourself at least four-six months to plan and craft a DIY wedding if you choose to do more than one project like I suggested. Play with ideas and samples so you have an idea of the expense and time involved before jumping in and buying all the supplies.

2. Research prices before you start: Sometimes purchasing DIY sets or just shopping around may be a lot cheaper than you think. On the flip side some projects can easily become far more expensive than having a vendor provide it. So be sure to do your due diligence to be sure you are making the right commitment of your time and money.

3. Make the project you pick really personal: Try to add a sentimental touch, this day is about you two, share your personalities, your passions and your love.

4. Hire a Day of Planner: You have done all of this work for what: for it to be forgotten in a truck or left under a table. Leave these details to the pro’s, I know it sounds easy to hand it off to a friend or family member, but that makes it work for them and less time to enjoy the events of the day. DOC’s will also take the time to make sure it is done the way you want, perfect. Your DOC should also be prepared to fix any imperfections that may have happened during transportation or packing.

Brandee also made these menu cards Photo Credit: MarySandy Photography

5. Don’t be afraid to ask: If you need help and you have creative friends or relatives ask them to help. The worst thing that can happen is they politely tell you they don’t have the time today but do tomorrow.

6. If it is not working, take a break: If you are not satisfied with the way a project is coming along, take a break from it. Clear your head and revisit it in a day, week or month, whatever it takes to wrap your head around it.

7. Sleep and eat: Make sure to take care of yourself because you will want to be well rested and actually enjoy your wedding day that you have worked so hard on!

Hopefully these tips help you take a moment to embrace really what is involved in DIY projects and you are able to take on a project or two and enjoy the process and most importantly: your beautiful unique wedding day.

Mason jar favors once again with custom cricut details by Brandee Photo Credit: MarySandy Photography