Congrats! You just got engaged and are basking in the warm glow of the love of your future partner and the congratulatory gestures of family and friends. Now it dawns on you that planning a wedding is expensive and you’re not sure how to pull off a traditional wedding with the finances you and your partner currently have.
More and more couples are looking into DIY weddings and ideas because there is a notion that doing it yourself will save you money. But is it really worth it?
In the past, it was a tradition for the bride’s family to arrange and pay for most of the wedding. However, couples today are choosing to pay it for themselves and there are a lot to spend for: wedding clothes, venue, food, decor, flowers, music, photographs, and more. Like it or not, the reality is that it will cost a figurative arm and leg to pull off even a small event. Therefore, it is no small wonder that many people are going to the DIY route.
Seriously, if you and your partner are DIY deities, there’s no reason why you can’t pull off an entire wedding by yourselves. However, if you’re just a regular person looking to save money by exerting a little bit of effort to do things on your own, there are ways to offset some expenses with smart planning. The consensus is that there are some things left to professionals when it comes to weddings.
With endless DIY blogs scattering everywhere on the web, thousands of seemingly no-effort wedding project tutorials on Pinterest, and easy access to wholesale craft supplies online, it can be very easy to think that all of these are doable in a short amount of time. It was already mentioned that some projects are doable or worth doing on your own, but not everything. Before you decide anything, ask yourself and your partner the following:
What Are the Most Important Things in a Wedding for You?
A lot of to-be-married couples are laden with a lot of pressure about what weddings should look like. The things seen in blogs, magazine spreads, and Instagram photos may look lovely and ideal but they may not necessarily reflect your own set of values. It would be nice to have millions of floating candles or for the venue to look like a winter wonderland in the middle of summer but at the end of the day, all you need to get married is to sign a marriage license.
Find out what things are important to you and prioritize it. Make sure to be in the same page as your soon-to-be marriage partner and remember to compromise on some things. When everything is ironed out, you both will know and agree what kind of wedding you want to have and everyone will be all the better for it.
Is DIY Something You Want to Do?
If you truly are committed to doing a DIY project, especially a big one such as your wedding, you would know right away if the first answer that comes to mind is a resounding yes. Planning a wedding is no simple feat and adding another stressor such as doing it by yourselves may have you second-guessing in the long run. There is no shame in answering no; you may need to reconsider your options or wait until your finances are in order to get a professional wedding planner.
Do You Have Time Available?
Most worthwhile DIY projects may cost cheap but they cost considerable time and effort. If you are working within a limited time frame, you may want to consider alternatives or rearrange your finances in order to thin out the budget in a reasonable manner. If you have a lot of time on your hands, ask for help from willing volunteers because it makes the task lighter.
Are the DIY Projects Reasonable & Easy?
It is very exciting to think about what kind of themes or elaborate projects you want for your special day but do make sure that they have easy to follow instructions and are reasonable. Some projects may look effortless and easy but make sure to have backup plans in case it doesn’t work out. Also, consider doing projects that involve craft supplies you already have or are accessible.
Some of the most doable DIY projects are anything involving paper and a bit of writing. Paper is most accessible and available everywhere even specialty ones like translucent vellum ones. You can use those for invitation cards, thank you notes, table markers, and more.
Will You Be OK Spending Your Engagement Period Doing DIY?
This is one of the biggest questions you need to think about before going the full DIY route. Your engagement period should be a time of excitement and further bonding with your future husband or wife. If you do projects by yourself, you will have the added stress of budgeting your time especially if you have a full-time job.
Help from family and friends may help but there may be unavoidable circumstances that may cause delays in finishing big wedding projects. You also need to ask yourself if you’re okay with some crafts not looking up to par or what you hope for it to look like ideally.
Things to Reflect On
There are so many things to consider when it comes to looking for ways to plan a wedding and doing DIY projects to supplement your lack of income. Now is the time to think about what you are good at and use it to your full advantage. We all have different talents. Some people are really good with their hands and can DIY anything perfectly on the first try.
If you’re not one of those people, channel your strengths and use it where it can be applied. If you are a good cake maker, bake your own wedding cake and build your dessert bar or if you’re a good seamstress then make your own wedding gown and so on. The most important thing is that you should be and live in the moment especially on your special day and you can’t have the clarity and peace of mind if you’ve been too stressed for weeks leading up to it.
Remember that there are things that you should not DIY or rely on amateurs because it is a special day and comes only once in a lifetime (if you’re lucky). Do you think DIY wedding ideas and projects are worth it? Tell it in the comment section below.