Real brides weigh in on the pros and cons of their big-ticket wedding costs.
By: Daniel P. SmithMany brides tackle DIY wedding projects to offset the budget so they can splurge elsewhere. Here, some recent brides assess their efforts.
DIY Yes!
Megan crafted the signage and welcome boxes for her wedding and found her DIY efforts proved “therapeutic for the planning stress.”
DIY No!
Laura tried to make her own bouquet and wedding favors. But when those tasks proved too time consuming, she opted for ready-made solutions. And though she did make her own centerpieces, she says it wasn’t worth all the fuss. “People remember the free margaritas and the party, not what was on the table,” she says.
DIY Yes!
Julia tackled a number of DIY projects to save money and personalize the day. She made table runners, centerpieces, favors, corsages, boutonnieres, programs and gifts for the wedding party and both sets of parents, corralling help from friends on various “wedding work days” at her home. It was a significant amount of work, Julia admits, but also what elevated her wedding day into something truly special. “We incorporated so many small touches that reflected us as individuals and as a couple.”
DIY No!
For her destination wedding, Tarah handcrafted personalized beach bags packed with practical items like sunscreen, lip balm, ibuprofen and trail mix. Though many of her guests used the items, Tarah confesses it was stressful to create 45 bags and a gigantic effort to transport all of the completed bags down to Mexico.
DIY Yes!
Alongside her mom, Katie made all of the desserts for the sweets table to provide guests dancing into the night an extra boost of energy. Many of the treats relied on recipes from katie’s late grandmother, which injected added emotion into the DIY effort. “It was as if my grandmother were there with us,” Katie says. “It was a lot of work, but I’d do it again.”
