Wedding planning: things you can do yourself and things you should not

Wedding Cake by Sweet Athena Bake Shop. Paige Lorraine Photography photo

Everyone wants to save a bit of money on their wedding and DIY projects are a great way to do just that. However, there are certain things that you should simply leave to the professionals.

Don’t DIY:

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 do make a big difference, especially considering your photographer takes hundreds of photos in order to select a handful of beautiful shots that are then also processed. 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. There are many local Sunshine Coast Wedding Photographers in many different price points, be sure to ask your wedding planner for recommendations. 

2. Your cake. Yes, it may sound easy enough to buy a few boxes of cake mix and whip something up at home but if it’s not a cake that you would be proud to present to family and friends and have in your photos, it’s best to leave the baking to the professionals. Plus, this would just be one extra thing that you would need to do right before your wedding when you should be relaxing.

Coastal Weddings Tip: If you are having a dessert bar you could add some additional desserts to your cake table by asking relatives to add their favorite chocolate chip cookies, or special recipe nanaimo bars or other special treat. This is a great way for family to be involved easily and can help save costs at the same time. You can have them drop them off to your wedding planner and they will handle making sure they are put out nicely and at the right time. 

3. Your hair and makeup. Unless you have an in-depth knowledge of makeup and hairstyles and could be mistaken for a pro, 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 and taken care of.

4. Your catering. Catering for a wedding is far more stressful and time-consuming than you can 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.

5. Your flowers. I think this is something people underestimate the time it will take. It takes hours for the processing time alone and I think most people are kicking themselves once they are spending hours picking off loose leaves and rose thorns when all their friends and family are arriving and excited to see you! Also different flowers all need different care and handling and you don’t want to be dealing with droopy hydrangeas as you are walking down the aisle! 

You can DIY:

1. Wedding Favours. I love local wedding flavours myself but even these may need packaging or special additions. Wedding favours are a great DIY as you can make then ahead of time and just bring them to your wedding.

2. Signage and Seating Charts. Again this is something that can be done well in advance and you can either work with a designer (Coastal Weddings Hint: Etsy has some great ones!) or design the whole thing yourself but a great thing to be able to check off the list early, as long as all your guests have RSVP’d on time of course!

3. Table numbers. Again something else that you can add your personality to, I have seen some fantastic ones. Adorable pics, maps or mementos of places you have been have been a few of my favorites.

When deciding on your wedding DIY projects, really think about everything that goes into successfully completing that specific task before you decide to take it on yourself. If you need any other tips be sure to ask your wedding planner!  

Melissa Tripp, 

Coastal Weddings and Events