• Real Weddings

Photography by: First Comes Love

Ask the expert

The term DIY (Do It Yourself) gets thrown around a lot. In this new era of brides I find that many brides, both on a strict budget and even those who employ the services of a planner, designer, or florist, want to have a few DIY elements in their celebration as an expression of personality.
While there are endless websites, blogs, and books that tell you how to do it, before you embark on the road of DIY, you really must weigh your options and make sure that the DIY elements you are considering are not only things that you can do, but are things that you want to do. Many brides over-do it and find that by the time they are done setting up all the elements, they are exhausted. Remember, what goes up must come down...or it ends up in the round file.
You must know what is ideal for DIY elements for you and what should be left for the professionals. People often under-estimate the cost of supplies for the projects; ink, stamps, cutting tools, embossers, fabric, ribbon.... the list goes on and they all cost money and we often under-estimate the cost of trial and error. It can really add up. Here are some great tips to make life easier and save time, energy, and money!

Stationary - have the items professionally printed, cut, scored... and then you can do the embellishments and stuffing on your own.

Guestbook - this is a great place to get original and bring in your personality and is perfect for DIY. Picture books, wishing trees, signed river rocks - there is an ample amount of eye candy and ideas available to help you make this a fun and interactive project for your guests.

Placecards - another great item for DIY. Get creative; attach them to your favors or even make them your favors. There are endless opportunities to have table elements that are unique and will tie your design together.

On the other hand, there are also things that I would recommend that you leave to the professionals. Yes, I am a wedding professional, but that is not the reason. You are the bride, you should not be involved in putting together flowers, erecting the bar, or even managing every little detail on your big day.
Flowers are a huge investment whether you hire a professional or DIY. Whether your budget is large or small, don't take the risk that all of your hard work and investment will be lost due to insufficient refrigeration, not using the right floral preservatives, cutting the stems incorrectly, or a botched delivery. Each flower has it's own set of instructions to maximize its beauty and it can take years to learn all the ins and outs. You're busy planning your wedding, figuring out the ABC's of floral design, well.. it's just not the time! Don't forget who is going to set up and most importantly, who is going to break it down.
DIY can be fun if you plan accordingly and you make sure to be finished with more than enough time - last minute DIY will drive you insane!!!

I Do Venues wants to recognize the talented team of wedding professionals who helped to make this bride's dream a reality: Photographer - First Comes Love, Day of Coordinator - Crystal Myers of Berkeley City Club, Cake - La Farine and Berkeley City Club, Catering, Beverages, All Rentals - Berkeley City Club.