Do it yourself they say, it will be easy they say, it will be way less expensive they say……but, we all know sometimes, it doesn’t work out that way.
Now, I am not here to bash DIY. Actually, I think some DIY projects enhance a wedding experience by providing a personal touch. Just like anything else, there are ways to do it right, and there are ways to do it wrong. I wanted to showcase Maddie and Hudson’s wedding for this blog post, because a lot of their decor was created by Maddie’s mom, Rebecca. And it looks SO. GOOD. Now, we can’t all have a Rebecca, but I know for a lot of couples, hiring out a vendor for EVERY aspect of their wedding might not be an option. So when you are DIYing, here’s some advice from the pros.
Captured by Photos by Zoe Paige LLC
- Pick your top three areas to indulge in
This is going to be different for every couple. For some, the photography, videography, and decor are the most important aspects. For others, the food, drinks, and DJ are the most important. Figure out what is going to be most important to YOU on your wedding day and pay for the best vendors in those categories. For a lot of these categories, I would hire a professional no matter where they are on your list (DJ, catering, bartending, and photographer). Here are categories to consider:
- Venue
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Content creator
- Wedding Planner/designer/coordinator
- Flowers
- Catering
- Bartending
- DJ services/live music
- Hair/Makeup
- Dress
- Tux
- Decor: balloons, letters, backdrops, drapery
- Transportation
- Lodging
2. Be transparent with vendors
If you really want to use a vendor, but not sure if they fall in your budget, reach out to them. Abigail Espy, owner of Abigail Espy Photography stated,
” Be transparent about budget! I’m always willing to set up payment plans, create packages more tailored to the couple, and even tell them dates I’ll be running Spring, Summer, Winter, and Black Friday sales. ”
Along with transparency, some vendors have DIY options! Dreamy and Darling has Pop boxes, complete with a unique color scheme of high quality balloons, and all the installing materials, for the DIY bride. This allows you to still obtain the beautiful look of her show stopping balloons, as a discounted price.
Vendors are people too. If you are transparent about your budget, most are willing to find ways to still help you!
3. Utilize your tribe
Wedding Do’s By Melinda stated to,
“Ask family and friends who are experts in their craft to help/donate services.”
A lot of us already have great connections, however, I would approach this with caution. It is amazing to receive a gift like this, but can’t be expected. A lot of wedding vendors already have a crazy packed schedule, and it might not be possible for them to do this. If they are willing to do so, here are some considerate ways to honor them!
- Give them a shout out in your “Thank you” speech
- Write them a handwritten letter and maybe even a gift card to their favorite coffee shop
- Offer to pay for product
Something to consider is that DIY sounds great, but in reality, it is a lot of work and sometimes, just as costly. I’ve seen brides who are scrambling to blow up balloons an hour before their wedding, instead of spending the morning relaxing in the bridal suite. As Julie, with Julie Davidson Photo stated,
“Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire someone in the long run. I DIYed everything and hated it.”
As your wedding planning, remember to utilize your tribe, be transparent with your vendors, and pick your top three areas to indulge in. This will allow you to stick to your budget, and still have the stress free (or less stressful) day of your dreams!
