12 Things You Should Never Do For A DIY Wedding

There is no denying how expensive weddings are: Even if you plan on having a low-key, relaxed wedding with just your closest family and friends, the price of everything will soon add up to an astronomical sum. So it's no surprise that DIY weddings have rapidly grown in popularity. Brides and grooms (and their families) are now attempting to tackle every part of the wedding set-up and hosting themselves: Everything from the cake, to the invitations, to the bride's bouquet are often now "homemade" in order to save money. But which parts of a wedding are really feasible to DIY... And which parts aren't? Let's have a look at the parts of a DIY wedding that should really be avoided, regardless of the cost.

If you're not willing to DIY your own wedding dress, you shouldn't be forcing a DIY dress on your bridesmaids. You can, of course, have a say in what they wear, but it should not be made by you or any of them.

No matter how good a cook you are — even if you're a professional chef — we would never recommend that you cater your own wedding. You can obviously be involved with the catering planning process as much as you like; you can decide the menu and work out every single detail of how the food will be served, just don't actually cook it yourself.

You'd be surprised by how many people do attempt to have DIY fireworks at their wedding in an attempt to create an extravagant party that doesn't blow their budget. But seriously, this is extremely dangerous. We'd rather you baked your own wedding cake while wearing your wedding dress than attempted to DIY fireworks.

Though we do recommend that you work closely with your florist on your wedding flowers, we don't advise that you actually create everything yourself. Let a florist do the hard work of building the bouquet and flower arrangements, while you simply prescribe exactly what flowers you want and what vibe you want them to create.

Lighting a wedding venue or marquee is difficult. You're going to need more than a few candles and a string of fairy lights. Hire some professionals, and combine their knowledge with your tastes for a perfectly lit ceremony and reception.

You may think that making a playlist and plugging your phone into some speakers will suffice for post-dinner entertainment. But when it gets to that time on your wedding day and you suddenly have to take on the role of DJ, it's going to seem less easy. Hiring a DJ or band means you don't need to worry about it, and you can focus on having a great time.

Yes, wedding photographers are horrifically expensive. But there's a reason: They know what they're doing; they will always get that perfectly lit, romantic shot; and will create the most beautiful, everlasting memories of your big day. Hiring a photographer who really, really knows what they're doing is worth every cent. Letting a wannabe photographer friend take charge is just going to be disappointing: You don't get two attempts at these photos.

A wedding day is always a big occasion, no matter how low-key and casual you may try to make it. Being a server at a wedding is a hard and stressful job, which takes practice and expertise. Don't ask your friends' kids to do the job for you: They have the power to accidentally ruin the whole day by spilling red wine all over your wedding dress.

Whether it's your post-wedding "getaway" car, the guests' transportation to the venue, or moving everyone from the venue to the hotel, you should leave it to the guests themselves or a professional company to sort out. Don't even think about asking your parents to start driving people around all evening.

Yes, it is possible to make your own wedding cake, and yes, we know people who have done it, but honestly, you'll be a happier, saner bride if you don't try to do this. If you don't want to order from a professional bakery, you could ask a skilled friend to make it for you, or you could skip the traditional wedding cake and go for something more alternative like a tiered stack of cupcakes or doughnuts.

You may think you're a superstar fashion designer with fantastic sewing skills, and that you'll definitely be able to replicate that dream dress you've pictured in your mind ever since you were 5 years old, but we doubt that you really will. Making your wedding dress is a huge, and hugely stressful, undertaking, a never-ending task of tweaking and altering, and when it doesn't turn out exactly as you imagined (which it won't), you'll be disappointed and feel as if you've let yourself down.

Pitching a tent large enough to seat 100 people is harder than it looks. It's hot, stressful, and challenging work. Let some professionals do the job for you to save you a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, as well as stopping you from spending the entire reception worried that the whole thing may suddenly fall down.