This month, I've incorporated bright gerbera daisies and fruit to create a great spring centerpiece for around $20.
Showing posts with label DIY projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY projects. Show all posts
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
To Do... Or Not To Do (by yourself)
The subject of budget weddings always brings up the important topic of DIY (do-it-yourself). Part of the fun (and frustration) of having a lower budget wedding is that it usually involves a lot creativity and hands-on projects. So, what should you do yourself and what should you leave to the professionals? Well, you will get different answers from different people, which is what I'm hoping to get from this post. I'll go ahead and share my opinion and I welcome anyone in agreement or disagreement to post your comments...
When I got married a year and a half ago, I decided to do the following things myself. I'll tell you what went well and what I wished I had turned over to the pros.
Makeup- This really depends on your comfort level. I really liked doing my own makeup because I was always horrified when I got my makeup done for prom/ homecoming, etc. I looked like a completely different person! I just got some really pretty colors and practiced a few times to make sure I knew what I wanted. I couldn't have been happier with the way it turned out.
Favors- I made my own mix cds, which sounds like a really great idea in theory... but I could have saved myself hours of hard work and headache by ordering something equally as inexpensive like candies or seedling packets or personalized matchbooks. I wouldn't recommend doing favors yourself unless you have lots of helping hands or a really small number of guests.
Flowers- I absolutely loved making my own bouquets and centerpieces with the help of my wedding party and family. Keyword: HELP. I would never have done it alone. I ordered the flowers I liked (3 different kinds- don't get too ambitious) to be delivered to the house a few days ahead of time and kept them in coolers with water. Then, I had a bridesmaid/ family luncheon where we enjoyed some lunch and drinks and put everything together. It was so much fun and they turned out great!
Things I considered but I'm glad I didn't...
Invitations- I have enough trouble trying to get a Word Document formatted correctly. I can just envision myself ripping my hair out when invitations come out of the printer with words trailing off the page
Music- I can definitely see why people would opt to put together a playlist on their ipod and plugging it into some speakers, but I would make sure you have a friend em-cee for the fun announcements that a DJ would make (like introducing the wedding party and cutting the cake)
Hair- I always worried that letting someone else do my hair would end in disaster. They might think that something looks really pretty while my eyes start welling up with tears. But even worse than that would be me trying to deal with the pressure of making my own hair look gorgeous with everything else going on that morning. Go get a practice run with the stylist and make sure you get exactly what you want (and take pictures!)
Do you have any advice or comments on what you should leave to the pros?? Please share!
[Technorati Blog Claim Code]
VQH5GA5ZHNJW
When I got married a year and a half ago, I decided to do the following things myself. I'll tell you what went well and what I wished I had turned over to the pros.
Makeup- This really depends on your comfort level. I really liked doing my own makeup because I was always horrified when I got my makeup done for prom/ homecoming, etc. I looked like a completely different person! I just got some really pretty colors and practiced a few times to make sure I knew what I wanted. I couldn't have been happier with the way it turned out.
Favors- I made my own mix cds, which sounds like a really great idea in theory... but I could have saved myself hours of hard work and headache by ordering something equally as inexpensive like candies or seedling packets or personalized matchbooks. I wouldn't recommend doing favors yourself unless you have lots of helping hands or a really small number of guests.
Flowers- I absolutely loved making my own bouquets and centerpieces with the help of my wedding party and family. Keyword: HELP. I would never have done it alone. I ordered the flowers I liked (3 different kinds- don't get too ambitious) to be delivered to the house a few days ahead of time and kept them in coolers with water. Then, I had a bridesmaid/ family luncheon where we enjoyed some lunch and drinks and put everything together. It was so much fun and they turned out great!
Things I considered but I'm glad I didn't...
Invitations- I have enough trouble trying to get a Word Document formatted correctly. I can just envision myself ripping my hair out when invitations come out of the printer with words trailing off the page
Music- I can definitely see why people would opt to put together a playlist on their ipod and plugging it into some speakers, but I would make sure you have a friend em-cee for the fun announcements that a DJ would make (like introducing the wedding party and cutting the cake)
Hair- I always worried that letting someone else do my hair would end in disaster. They might think that something looks really pretty while my eyes start welling up with tears. But even worse than that would be me trying to deal with the pressure of making my own hair look gorgeous with everything else going on that morning. Go get a practice run with the stylist and make sure you get exactly what you want (and take pictures!)
Do you have any advice or comments on what you should leave to the pros?? Please share!
[Technorati Blog Claim Code]
VQH5GA5ZHNJW
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wedding Budget Drama
While planning your wedding, you'll most likely find that the most wonderful day of your life is actually the place to find family and friend drama-- center stage! Why? Because it's your special day, of course ;)
From bridesmaids flaking out on their duties to family feuds, you could run into a lot of headaches. I was just reading a blog from a bride who seemed to have every person in her life butting heads. I just kept thinking, this is no way to spend what is supposed to be a fun and exciting process. And then I realized, I bet that some aspects of being on a budget could eliminate most of this drama.
See, with limitless options, your wedding could soon become more of a spectacle than the intensely intimate and special event that it is supposed to be. While some brides might be losing sleep over the type of rose that will be in her centerpiece, someone on a budget needs to be flexible. If you can say to yourself right from the beginning, "I'm going to go to a farmer's market 2 days before my wedding and pick out whatever is in season that I like", you don't have to worry about these futile details.
Flexibility is what will keep you sane in this whole process! When your friends and family offer to help you, graciously accept their offer. If you think that you're the only person you can trust to do it right, then you're going to have some high blood pressure come the week of your wedding. Make the projects fun and social- don't worry so much about everything being perfect. Let the memories of your wedding planning to be the fun you had with friends and family along the way- not the stress of everything that didn't go perfectly.
If you can learn to let go, you'll have a lot more fun both on your wedding day and during the process of getting ready for it :)
For more budget planning tricks and tips, visit http://www.budgetwiseweddingmd.com
From bridesmaids flaking out on their duties to family feuds, you could run into a lot of headaches. I was just reading a blog from a bride who seemed to have every person in her life butting heads. I just kept thinking, this is no way to spend what is supposed to be a fun and exciting process. And then I realized, I bet that some aspects of being on a budget could eliminate most of this drama.
See, with limitless options, your wedding could soon become more of a spectacle than the intensely intimate and special event that it is supposed to be. While some brides might be losing sleep over the type of rose that will be in her centerpiece, someone on a budget needs to be flexible. If you can say to yourself right from the beginning, "I'm going to go to a farmer's market 2 days before my wedding and pick out whatever is in season that I like", you don't have to worry about these futile details.
Flexibility is what will keep you sane in this whole process! When your friends and family offer to help you, graciously accept their offer. If you think that you're the only person you can trust to do it right, then you're going to have some high blood pressure come the week of your wedding. Make the projects fun and social- don't worry so much about everything being perfect. Let the memories of your wedding planning to be the fun you had with friends and family along the way- not the stress of everything that didn't go perfectly.
If you can learn to let go, you'll have a lot more fun both on your wedding day and during the process of getting ready for it :)
For more budget planning tricks and tips, visit http://www.budgetwiseweddingmd.com
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)