All the awesome-looking ideas on Pinterest may tempt you to try a few DIY projects for your wedding. However, there are some things you should take into consideration before planning DIY wedding projects. These tips will limit the risk you’ll end up with a wedding catastrophe.
The Look
Do-it-yourself projects may give your wedding just the personal touch you’re looking for. They might also fit in well with the theme of the wedding. However, you might not achieve quite the same look as in the example. Test out the DIY wedding project. Buy the supplies and make just one or two to see if you can recreate the look you’re going for. Keep in mind all of those Pinterest fail posts you see on social media.
The Cost of the DIY Wedding Project
Many people decide they want to go the DIY route to help cut costs for their wedding. This doesn’t always work out. Sometimes you’ll find that buying the materials yourself can be more expensive. You don’t have access to the same suppliers as the pros do. See if you can find items locally or wholesale. Compare the cost of purchasing all the supplies vs. purchasing the ready-made alternative. Sometimes, you may find that purchasing someone else’s DIY (say from Etsy) may be the best solution. Another option is to buy used or borrow certain items.
The Skill Level Needed
No matter how easy a project looks in the directions, you may find that it’s beyond your skill level. This could mean that to achieve the look you want you must waste a lot of time and materials practicing, and the learning process can be stressful. Try to take on only DIY projects well within your current skill set. This will limit any potential frustration. You want your wedding preparations to be fun, so if DIY isn’t your thing, don’t force it.
The Time Needed
DIY wedding projects can take a lot of time. This is especially true if you’re making a lot of something, such as favors for the guests. Think hard about whether you have the time for all the projects you’re considering. It’s sometimes best to stick with just one or two DIY projects. Recruiting others to help can be a fun way to get the job done. However, don’t automatically expect that your wedding party or family members will help. You also don’t want to leave any project to the end. The closer it gets to the wedding day, the more there will be to do. It would be awful to find you can’t finish some necessary item in time for the wedding.
Offers of Help
While it’s great to accept offers of help from friends and family, make sure what they create is what you really want. Perhaps the friend who’s a photographer rarely takes pictures like those you prefer. She may get sidetracked talking to others at the wedding and miss important photos. The person who offers to help with the food may not make the dishes you’d like. You could have to settle for something different. Make sure the cost savings is worth the potential compromises.
Managing the Details
If you make a lot of items yourself, it’s helpful to have a wedding planner, or at least a day of coordinator, to help get everything set up. She will make sure you’re not forgetting any important details. For example, you could spend a long time putting up a light display in the trees and then realize that they’re electric lights and you have no extension cords handy to plug them in.