The Case Against a DIY Wedding

Let’s get one thing straight before I dive in here- I am all about DIY. I love to take care of things myself, I like to tinker and fiddle and create things. I don’t like to call in experts, or hire people to do things that I think I can do (with the help of a few YouTube videos, of course). However, after working on many weddings, and seeing many brides stressed at their DIY projects gone wrong, I am not so sure that DIY is the right choice for your wedding day. Here are a few reasons why…

Time.

First, it is time consuming! Let’s start on Pinterest, where many wedding dreams begin, where you will likely search for at least an hour for just the right look for your homemade centerpieces. In the end, you’ll probably have a few versions of what you want saved away. Your next step is to gather all of the materials for your craft. This can be a straightforward trip to Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, or it can be a spaced out adventure, slowly collecting unique pieces at thrift stores and garage sales (click here to read our blog about thrifting your wedding decor!).

By now, you are at least a few hours into the process and you haven’t even started gluing yet! If you are lucky, you didn’t forget any essential pieces and don’t have to make any return trips for back up supplies, but if you’re like me, you probably forgot something or grabbed the wrong option of something, so at least one or more additional store runs are necessary before you really get started.

Some Assembly Required.

Now it’s time to actually assemble your wedding DIY project, whew! I am not sure of your level of craft-master, but if you’re like most of the world it’s probably not expert. You will likely have some false starts, some failed trials, and likely a few swear words as you get your project going.

I hope, for your sanity, that your project turns out like your beautiful Pinterest image. However, the likelihood is pretty small that you can exactly replicate the beautiful precision and perfection of your pin, and there’s a good chance you will come out with a version that’s close, but not quite right.

Pinterest Fails are everywhere for a reason, they happen all of the time.

Hidden Costs.

Now, a second reason to consider skipping the DIY “fun” is the cost. When you start planning your wedding it can be shocking how much everything costs and it’s natural to look for ways to save some money where you can, but often these DIY projects that are supposed to save you money end up costing more in the end.

Consider the fact that you have to purchase every single aspect of the craft you’re planning to do. I’m not sure if you’ve been in a local craft store lately, but it’s not cheap! You might be able to use that 40% off coupon, but eventually the bits and pieces are sure to add up.

Crafting is expensive even when you do it perfectly, with no fails. Consider the fact that you’re likely to goof on a few pieces and you’ll have to either get extra materials to start, or do a second run to replenish what you’ve created that doesn’t quite pass inspection.

When you’re considering a wedding DIY, price out all of the supplies you need to complete the task and be sure to multiply that by how many you need to create. Give yourself a realistic idea of how much money you’ll really save before you get elbow deep in the project.

Now What?

Finally, when you’re considering creating things for your wedding, ask yourself what you’ll do with them afterwards. 20 homemade centerpieces are great at your wedding, but how are you going to store them at your house? Even if you offer for guests to take some home, they rarely do! So, you’ll probably end up loading up nearly all of them after the wedding and you’ll have to decide what to do with them from there. You don’t want them cluttering up your garage or gathering dust in a forgotten corner.

So, next time you’re on Pinterest looking up amazing wedding DIY crafts, look up some Pinterest Fails to make sure you are ready for the long and difficult task ahead!