The Dos and Don'ts of DIY: Part Two- The Don'ts

Doing things yourself is a great way to personalize your wedding and save money, but what is appropriate for you and your family to take on and what projects will haunt your dreams and make your perfect wedding a disaster waiting to happen? Inspired by an article on theknot.com, here is a guideline to steer you in the right direction.

The Don'tsThe Cake- I think this one's a no brainer....it is SOOO easy to mess up a cake and SOOO difficult to fix it. There are so many stressers concerning taste, decorating, and transporting the cake that its just not worth it.

Photography- Photography along with videographery are the lasting impressions of your special day. Its important to get all of the shots that you need to remember every last detail. The only way to guarantee this is to hire the pros.

Coordinating- Your wedding is all about you! How can you be the guest of honor and the coordinator at the same time? Doing the coordinating yourself does not give you the oppurtunity to relax and be the bride. Instead of getting your makeup done, you will be wondering if your florals arrived on time. Not to mention that coordinators will be able to set-up and breakdown. Who wants to work on their wedding day?

Centerpieces- Okay, so I don't completely agree on this one. I think it is perfectly acceptible to do candle centerpieces and stems in vases. Anything that can be done before the wedding and set out by your coordinator is fine (especially if they supplement the big extavagant floral arrangements). With that said, you should leave large arrangements or anything else more complicated to the pros. Its just too much work for you to have to worry about.



Caterering- I think this one's another no brainer and most facilities will not allow you to do this. There is to much risk of contamination. Also, what it the food runs out? Who will be taking care of the serving and the bussing? Who will clean up and put away the left over?



Music-  Your entertainment is one of your most important vendors. Your DJ or band will make or break the party. They get your guests dancing and enjoying everything and they will make your wedding memorable. They know how to make announcements, direct your guests, and cover awkward moments. They will also be able to judge the crowd and cater towards their likes. If there's something that doesn't work, they can quickly change it and get the party going again. Not so with an iPod or a friend acting as a DJ.  Leave this one to the professionals.

For different ideas on the same topic go to
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/diy-do-it-yourself-weddings/articles/diy-wedding-dos-and-donts.aspx

The Dos and Don'ts of DIY- Part One: The Dos

Now booking weddings for December and 2013.  For a free initial consultation email or call, austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com or 512-657-7209.  Wedding planning services no higher than $750!!

Doing things yourself is a great way to personalize your wedding and save money, but what is appropriate for you and your family to take on and what projects will haunt your dreams and make your perfect wedding a disaster waiting to happen? Inspired by an article on theknot.com, here is a guideline to steer you in the right direction.

DIY Dos:1) Wedding Day Makeup:
Many of my brides are very leery about having a professional do their make-up. Who wants to look like a completely different person on the day of their wedding? Another option; have a trusted friend do your make-up for you.

2) Ceremony Decor:
Many times the ceremony site is already beautiful without additional decor. For a church you may only want to mark a few pews with ribbons and stems. You can even do mini pomanders. If you have an outdoor ceremony, nature is your decor. I would define the aisle with large candles in cylinders or petals, but a lot of decor is not necessary. For anything more I would leave it to the pros. I can't imagine a bride in a tree hanging flowers and votives three hours before the wedding. You should definitely include this decor in the reception area. Designate someone to transport before hand to make sure this task gets done.

3) Your Favors:
The work can be done a month before the wedding and this can easily add a personal touch. Procrastinators and busy brides beware: Creating favors can be laborious...I suggest having everything completed by two weeks before the wedding. You do not want to spend your last night of being a single women cutting, pasting, and filling favor boxes!

4) Your Invitations, Programs and Save-the-Dates:
Again, a project that will be completed months before the wedding. Now-a-days you can purchase price friendly invitation kits. I love the ones at Target! I also suggest vistaprint.com for save-the-dates, but remember to allow time for delivery.

For different ideas on the same topic go to
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/diy-do-it-yourself-weddings/articles/diy-wedding-dos-and-donts.aspx

Stay tuned for Part 2: The Don'ts

Wedding Day Emergency Kit

Now booking weddings for December and 2013.  For a free initial consultation email or call, austinbudgetweddingplanner@gmail.com or 512-657-7209.  Wedding planning services no higher than $750!!

(Note: This is not the actual kit I put together, forgot to take pictures of that one, butound this at http://mymojuba.com just so you can get the idea)

Below is an example of what I put in my wedding day emergency kit:

Agenda (shoulder bag-front pocket)

Allergy medication (first aid kit)

Anti-Diarrheal (first aid Kit)

Baby powder (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Black socks-men’s (shoulder bag-main pocket)

Bobby Pins (bead case)

Bubbles for send-off back-up (main case)

Bug Spray (main case)

Cake cutting set (main case)

Chap Stick (shoulder bag-lipstick pocket)

Clear nail polish (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Clothes Pins (shoulder bag- back pocket)

ContactSolution/case(main bag)

Corsage Pins (bead case)

Cotton balls (bead case)

Deodorant (main case)

Dryer Sheets-for static cling (main case)

Ear ring backs (bead case)

Emery board (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Energy Drink-5 Hour Energy (shoulder bag-front inside pocket)

Extension cord (main case)

Eye drops (first aid kit)

Eye Hook (shoulder bag- inside flap)

Eyelashes/Eyelash Glue (shoulder bag-front inside pocket)

Fake rings (bead case)

Fingernail Clippers (bead case)

Fingernail polish remover (main case)

Fingernails (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

First Aid Kit (main case)

French tip nail pen (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Garter (main case)

Gas Relief (first aid kit)

Gloves-for cake (bead box)

Glue Stick-great for sticking material to skin (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Goldfish Crackers (main case)

Hair ties (bead case)

Hair brush/comb (shoulder bag-front inside pocket)

Hairspray (main kit)

Hand Sanitizer (shoulder bag-front pocket)

Itch relief (first aid kit)

Lighters2-long necked (shoulder bag- front pocket & inside)

Lint Roller (main kit)

Lotion (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Mints (shoulder bag- front pocket)

Mirror (main case)

Pads/Pantiliners  (main case)

Pain reliever (first aid kit)

Pens (shoulder bag-inside flap)

Peptobismol (first aid kit)

Push pins (bead case)

Q-tips (shoulder bag-front inside pocket)

Razors (main kit)

Reserved Signs (main case)

Ribbon (bead case)

Safety Pins (bead case)

Scissors3 (shoulder bag-front & back pocket)

Sewing kit (shoulder bag-front pocket)

Sharpie (shoulder bag-inside flap)

Snacks-Kashi granola bars (main case)

Spot Remover (shoulder bag-back pocket)

Straws (shoulder bag-front main pocket)

Sunblock (shoulder bag-back inside pocket

Super Glue (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Tampons (main bag)

Tape-double side (shoulder bag-back inside pocket)

Tissues (shoulder bag-front pocket)

Tooth picks (bead case)

Toothbrush/Paste (shoulder bag-front main pocket)

Tweezers (shoulder bag-front inside pocket)

Urinary pain relief (first aid kit)

Water (main case)