DIY Weddings: When to Go For it and When to Call for Help
Whether you’re having a small gathering or a huge party, wedding planning is a big undertaking. Add DIY elements to your planning process, and the work piles even higher.
I work with lots of DIY couples and have come to understand which projects work and are worth it (if you enjoy it), and which ones you should skip. Before we go any further, this is not meant to dissuade you from DIYing—getting creative and hands-on brings plenty of people happiness. Instead, I’m here to guide you so you don’t end up wasting time, energy and money. A common misconception is that DIY = money saved, but that’s not always the case.
Let’s dive in.
Flowers
Flowers fall into a grey area as it really depends on the look you’re going for. For larger, complicated pieces, my suggestion is to hire a florist. If you are going for lots of hanging pieces, I also recommend a florist. They’ll make sure that the right weight distribution is in place and secure wire where needed.
If you’re open to a simpler look, DIY’ing bud vases or garland is totally possible. Make sure to order a few different size vases and do some testing before you commit to a bulk order. Some small vases can look cute, but not be able to support even a single flower without tipping. On that note, if you’re having an outdoor wedding, you need to factor in wind. Sometimes, florists will add sand to the bottom of vases to ensure they don’t blow away.
Talk to a few different florists and see what your options are. Some will help you with your personals (bouquet, boutonniere etc), and sell you the rest of your flowers loose. If you’re in a city, you can make a trip to your local flower mart and speak with vendors about quantity.
If you are going to DIY your flowers, make sure you have a way to transport them and that you have someone to set up. As a wedding planner, I take responsibility for setting out table decor like small arrangements and garland.
Food and Beverage
This is a big “no no” DIY area. Food and beverage should both be handled by professional vendors. If you want to get a little crafty and order drop-off catering from a few of your favorite restaurants, no problem! Just make sure you hire a waitstaff company to handle the set up, bussing and clean up. Same goes for the bar. I’ve had plenty of clients purchase their own alcohol for their backyard wedding, and even create their own signature cocktail recipes. Once you’ve done all that, hire a bartender. They’ll set up your glassware, make sure the table stays clean all night, pick up empty glasses and break everything down when the party is over. Bonus: bartenders and caterers also have the right permits and insurance in place.
If you and your S.O. are foodies and are set on DIYing something related to f&b, try favors or welcome bags!
Invitations
If you’re envisioning a simple design without fancy paper or envelopes lined with a special design, by all means, please DIY! This is a great area to save money and for graphic designers (or even those who dabble), this tends to feel like a fun project! Once you design, you can use a company like Moo or take your file to Kinkos and get them printed. Just remember, if you aren’t using a paperie, you might end up hand addressing!
For those who want a laser cut or letter pressed invitation, go with a professional. The tools to make these types of invites happen are pricey and there’s a learning curve to using them.
Lighting
Unless you’re going with a few strands of super simple string lights and you have willing family members, hire a lighting vendor! Most day-of coordinators will not hang lights for you as it’s a big liability to get on a ladder and mess with electrical stuff. Further, even lighting as simple as string lights require you secure every few feet with tacks or zip ties, making it more time consuming than you think.
That said, lighting is definitely costly so this is an area to think about. In this case, you likely will be saving money to DIY your lighting, but factor in extra time and make sure those who install are willing to handle breakdown at the end.
Favors & Gifts
This is the perfect area to DIY! For my wedding, my family got together one night and made homemade limoncello and then had a bottling party. It was a way to spend some quality time with everyone and include everyone in a wedding-related activity.
You aren’t necessarily cutting costs by putting together your own favors, as you still need to source all of the materials. This is one of the first areas I tell couples to cut if they are tight on budget. It’s certainly not a mandatory piece and guests will not be upset.
Music
DJs and bands are up there with larger expenses for a wedding, so I often get couples asking if It’s ok for them to make their own playlist and just play music off their own device. A few things to take into account here: dancing is not your number one priority, you have a clearly laid out timeline and you have a dedicated person to press play, pause and cue certain songs when needed. A DJ isn’t only playing dance music—they’re also playing the music when you’re walking down the aisle, providing a microphone for speeches, and helping to cue certain announcements like cake cutting.
Can you have a friend or family member in charge of this? Sure! Just know you’ll have to rent your own AV equipment (if the venue doesn’t provide), and ask a friend to be your unofficial MC.
DIY DJ’ing really works best for those looking for background music or casual dancing.
DIYing is almost never a one person job. Enlisting help from your family and friends is a big ask, so it’s important to think hard about this before you move forward. Additionally, the final weeks leading up to your wedding are inevitably busy. Give yourself long lead times with DIY projects and make sure you’re extremely organized. And no matter what, do yourself a favor and hire wedding planning help (at least for the day)!