Happy Friday!! Today we want to talk about DIY projects! DIYing can be amazing, classic, and (of course) cost-effective! We have DIYed many things over the years from invitations to decorations, backdrops, centerpieces, calligraphy, bouquets, guestbooks… you get the picture. After so many hours of DIYing, we want to share with you our tips for deciding to DIY or not!
You should DIY if…
You like the style
First things first, choose a DIY project that fits into the style of your wedding! Especially when you want to create a design that doesn’t exist, the answer is to do it yourself! Angela and Chris created their own wedding invitations and they showcased their collective style perfectly and not to mention it was a custom one-of-a-kind design 🙂
You want to take the time
DIYing takes about double the amount of time than you think it does! There are three parts to DIYing – gathering all of the materials, taking the time to improve your skill, and then making the item. At least one of those parts will take SO much longer than you think! I made tons of tassel garlands and they took a few months to finish! Granted I had to start over (re: the fire) but it definitely wasn’t a task I could have gotten done in a month with all the stuff going on in my daily life.
You realistically have the time
If you aren’t practiced in whatever activity you will be doing, the first time you do it shouldn’t be for your wedding day! Take a few days to do practice runs, especially if you have to do extensive setup the day before the wedding! Realistically, DIY projects don’t take *that* long but don’t forget DIYing can easily fall on the back burner of life.
You shouldn’t DIY if…
You are in a time crunch
DIYing shouldn’t be a last minute resort! Plan it out a long time beforehand so you have plenty of time to produce your décor at the quality you deserve! Buying vases from your local store instead of renting it from a rental company may give your wedding a more unique vibe but it is unlikely that you’ll find all 20-25 vases in one store! Going from store to store or waiting until your store restocks all take time so start early!
You are planning on winging it
Have a definitive step-by-step plan for big DIY projects! The last thing you need is to be stressed out the weeks and days before the wedding so having a straightforward plan allows you to delegate the construction and setup tasks to other people 😉
You only want to save money
DIYing isn’t always cheaper! Taking into account buying the supplies, the time spent by you, the manpower (time spent by others), and the gas it takes to drive back and forth to the store – you could very well end up making a product that would cost the same as if a professional made it but that could very well look not as well made. Sometimes it is better to save time, consult the experts, receive a quality product and have less stress!
How do you guys feel about DIY?