Weekly Wedding Tips: To DIY or Not to DIY. That is the Question

We are hearing a lot these days about how to save money by "Doing it Yourself" (DIY), but before you rush out to the nearest craft store, ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a budget? & What is important to me? The best way to start thinking about DIY projects for your wedding is to look at your budget and the things that are important to you. If you have your heart set on a Vera Wang gown or a certain kind of flower, you will need budget your money first for those items and then look at ways to DIY in other areas.

Am I crafty? This may seem like an obvious question, but seriously, if you don't have a crafty bone in your body, you might be setting yourself up for frustration and disappointment. Martha can make things look SO easy, but if you don't have the "craft gene", you may want to rethink making your own favors, invites and the like. (photo courtesy of Flickr.com)

Are my friends/family crafty? Often, family and friends will rush to volunteer to make things for your wedding, from your dress to the pictures, cake or decor and favors. While this can be a fantastic way to save money, unless you know that Aunt Ethel is a very talented baker, accepting her offer to bake your wedding cake might result in a lopsided homemade box cake when you were picturing a 4 layer Sylvia Weinstock creation. (This picture is courtesy of CakeWrecks, where you can see more cakes gone horribly wrong!)

Do I have time to work on these projects? Do my friends/family have time (and do they want to?) There is a lot of work involved in putting a wedding together, even if you aren't going the DIY route. So, before you decide to make a lot of things on your own, make sure that you have the time to invest, and always plan on the project taking twice as long as you expect. Here's a quote from Wai Sze who was a DIY Bride "My DIY projects did not go as smoothly as I had planned. Even though I triple checked the invitations and programs, I still found typos. It not only drained my energy, it also wasted ink and paper."

And remember that nothing can create a "bridezilla" faster than forcing friends and family to work on a craft project (invites, decor, programs, etc.) when they just aren't into it. We all have friends who either don't have time or just don't like doing this kind of thing, so make sure to check on the availability of your "helpers" before signing them up to help!

DIY-ing can certainly save money and make your wedding more personal as long as you think things through and don't have unrealistic expectations. Your wedding planner is a great resource to talk with about your ideas; they can help guide you in the right direction.

Doing it yourself and doing it right, how PERFECT is that?