Everyone wants to save a bit of money on their wedding however, there are certain things that you should simply leave to the professionals. Here are 5 Wedding DIY Don'ts.
1. Your Photos. This cannot be stressed enough. Far too many couples have hired a cousin or friend to take some casual photos at their wedding in an effort to save costs, only to be disappointed later on. You may think that quality photos won’t matter to you but they will when you first see your pictures that cousin Annie shot. Everyone wants to look back at flattering photos of themselves on their big day and even if you’re convinced that a friend or family member will do an excellent job, it will never quite be what a seasoned wedding photographer can produce. If there is any part of your wedding to NOT cut the cost from, it is your photography. This is such a big important day, I don't care how intimate and casual it is, hire a professional and get those gorgeous photos you deserve!
2. Your cake. In my 12 years I have only had this happen maybe 3 times; however, one scenario will forever be burned into my brain. A lovely bride of mine decided to hire a baker who casually bakes cakes from her home. Just an FYI this was against my advice as I do not condone this due to health code reasons, but she chose to do it anyway. The day before the wedding I received a text from a panic stricken bride because the cake was nothing like she and the baker had agreed upon. So of course being the wedding planner I had to fix this dilemma less than 24 hours before the wedding. I called up on my of my preferred bakers and was able to get them to whip up a cake. No, it wasn't what the bride had originally wanted in the sense of the design, but she at least had a professional looking wedding cake. In the end, it ended up costing her more money because now she had to pay for two cakes and then there was the added stress of finding a baker at the last minute. It's not worth it.
3. Your hair and makeup. Unless you have an in-depth knowledge of makeup and hairstyles or are a pro yourself, it’s recommended that you hire a professional to assist you. Wedding makeup artists and hair stylists know how to make your hair and makeup last the entire day, which is something you definitely want. Plus, this is your wedding day and you should be pampered on the morning of as you sip your wedding morning mimosas.
4. Your catering. Catering for a wedding is far more stressful and time-consuming than you can ever imagine and even if you had to rope in friends and family members, it could still end up causing you more stress than saving money is worth. Professional caterers know exactly what goes into preparing food for large groups of people and how to store and transport the food safely too. Besides, very few wedding venues allow you to bring in your own food and beverage.
5. Your music. It may sound simple enough to just put all of your music on an iPod and play it through a hired speaker but there’s something useful about having a professional DJ or a band assist you with your music. You won't experience any weird pauses as you transition through the night and again, why do you want to be worrying about your playlist or having a guest who should be enjoying the evening be tasked with that responsibility?
Whether you are an amazing baker, a professional makeup artist, or want to piece together your own silk floral arrangements, you should not be taking on additional tasks on your wedding day when it's not necessary. Let the professionals step in so you can focus on being pampered and spending time with your family and friends. You don't want to look back on your day and think, "dang I was so busy and so stressed out that entire week!" Surprisingly, a DIY wedding can end up costing just as much as an all-inclusive wedding package at a venue that will have the staff to take care of it all! So do your research before jumping head first into the DIY wedding pool.
Contemplating on whether or not to hire a wedding planner?
Check out my blog 5 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner.
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