Things You Should Never DIY For Your Wedding... EVER
Weddings can be expensive. The average price of a wedding in the U.S. nowadays is about $30,000! Since not everyone has an endless bridal budget, it can be tempting to save a few dollars on do-it-yourself (DIY) wedding projects. But going the DIY route is not always as a good an idea as it might seem.
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"When it comes to planning your wedding, the very last thing you want to do is find yourself stressed, busy, and in the middle of a massive DIY project the day before — or of — your wedding," says Meghan Schoen, vice president of marketing and editor-in-chief for MyWedding.com. "This is a time you should be enjoying and soaking up, as well as acting as a host for family and friends who are in town and ready to celebrate your marriage."
Attempting a DIY project for your wedding, large or small, can be disastrous. Here's why: DIY designs require creativity, labor, and attention to detail. Since they're so time-consuming, you may need extra help from friends or family and everyone can burn out fast on the job. Even if you're committed to the project, things might not go as expected. Often seemingly easy tasks turn into lengthy jobs that cost more money than you think and end up looking sloppy or amateur.
Want to make your own cake? Sew your own dress? Play your own music for the party? Think again before you decide to tackle some of these wedding essentials. You'll likely be overwhelmed and won't be satisfied with the finished project.
Websites like Pinterest make do-it-yourself tasks seem easy and fun, and while some DIY tasks are doable, many aren't worth your time, money, or effort. "If you're really eager to incorporate DIY projects into your wedding, stick to ideas that you can work on towards the beginning or throughout your engagement," says Schoen, noting DIY projects often take longer than you think. "That way you have the extra time to devote to them without the additional stress of a looming deadline."
From stationery to flowers, food, and more, read on about the 11 Things Nobody Should DIY for Their Wedding...EVER!
Your Dress
Wedding gowns can be pricey, but it doesn't pay to stitch your own.
"Don't try to sew your own dress," says DIY weddings expert Jen Carreiro of SomethingTurquoise.com, who explains dress design can be "incredibly difficult to accomplish, unless you have a background" in that area.
Cake
Baking a cake is easy, right? While it seems all you need is sugar, flour, and eggs, there's actually a lot more involved in crafting a wedding cake.
"A traditional wedding cake is expensive for a reason," says Isadora Martin-Dye, owner of Rixey Manor. "The baking and decorating are time consuming, almost impossible to get right without many trial runs, and so easy to mess up."
Things to consider: the wedding cake is typically very large and needs to serve at least 100 guests; the cake's finish needs to look smooth and balanced (no cracks in the tiers); and the cake must taste terrific!
"It is surprising how many people want a friend to make their cake," says Mike and Sandy Wieber of Bayfront Marin House, a Florida bed-and-breakfast that hosts many weddings. "The problem is that if it doesn't turn out well, it's too late to get a replacement. "Have your cake and eat it too: hire a baker."