How to Be a DIY Bride at Your Wedding
Get Organized
The biggest piece of advice is this: don’t go into DIY bride-dom blind. Get yourself a bridal binder to keep track of receipts, ideas, recipes, photos, and other paperwork. Without a wedding coordinator to keep track, it’s up to you to make sure things don’t fall apart. The rule of thumb is when in doubt, save it. Don’t throw away any paperwork relating to the wedding. You also want to be sure to keep track of all your ideas. If you see something online, print it out and stick it in there. If you see something in a magazine, tear it out. When you decide to sit down and do your invitations, you don’t want to have to hunt for that photo of those pocket folds. You just want to open your binder and pull it out. Part of being a DIY bride also involves ordering online. At the check-out portion of the order, the company will bring up a receipt screen. It’s easy just to nod and then close it, but don’t do that. Print is out. Glitches happen, and you want to be sure you have proof of your order in the event it doesn’t arrive on time. These receipts can lead to refunds in the event that a dealer doesn’t live up to your expectations.
Stationary
Invites and other stationary are one of the easiest items to do yourself. Websites abound that allow you to order components for invites and save the dates, menus and programs. Many offer inexpensive and even free samples of their colors and paper types. Check the company’s policy, because often the cost of the sample comes out of your final purchase total, which makes the sample completely worthwhile. You want to be sure the perfect shade of pink as it appears on your monitor isn’t the color of Pepto Bismal in real life. You can either order the components and print them off on your home computer, or have the whole thing done online. Obviously printing them yourself is cheaper, but you’re sacrificing quality. Ordering the outer invitation stock and having the text printed at your local Kinko’s is cheaper than having the engraving done, thought, and most of the quality will remain. Keep in mind postage when ordering, as well. Square invitations or cards with a number of heavy components such as ribbons require extra postage, which adds up faster than you think. Order something in a standard size and you’ll be able to use regular stamps and keep your budget low. You can incorporate photos into your stationary using a variety of websites, such as Kodak.com and Apple.com. You can upload your photo or graphic, add text, and soon you’ll have your very own save the date postcard coming in the mail. Just be sure, if you’re using a professional photographer that you get permission from the photographer and credit them properly. A small watermark in the corner is often sufficient, but be sure you contact them to be on the safe side.
Use local students
If you’re trying to save money but still want quality, college students are a great resource. If there’s a college or university nearby, you may have found your photographer and ceremony musicians (including singers and instrumentalists). Put up fliers at the local fine arts department or music school, or comb the university’s web site. Students in training are clamoring for experience and don’t charge professional prices. Just make sure you really are getting the best. Audition your musicians and find out whom they’ve studied with. If they’ve played a wedding before, contact the newlyweds to see how the music went at their ceremony. For photographers, be sure to see a large profile. You’ll want to particularly see if they have portrait work under their belt. It’s not good if their specialty is blurry, avant garde shots. You want to be sure there are pictures of your face (and your dress) on the big day. The other issue to remember with people who aren’t quite professionals is to get a signed contract with every detail in writing. Lay out your pay schedule (remember, the higher the education, the higher the pay) and have them sign a contract prohibiting them from backing out at the last minute. With your photographer, set an exact date by which you will receive your photographs to be sure you aren’t waiting months while a student finishes finals. Also provide them with a list of “must” shots, ie, photos you want to be sure get taken. These include cake cutting, first dances, kisses, and family portraits. A professional would know to include these, but a newbie might not realize.
D�©cor
Centerpieces and favors are the easy to do yourself, because if they’re made of nonperishable items, they can be made up to months in advance. Comb bridal magazines and websites to find ideas, then set off to your local craft supply store. Michael’s and Hobby Lobby are great resources. You can find inexpensive glass bowls and vases, candles, silk flowers, glass beads, greenery, and ribbon for all your centerpiece needs. Don’t commit to the first one you see, though. Shop around for the best price, because there’s no point being a DIY Bride if you blow your budget. Also, don’t buy in bulk right away. Buy enough to create just one of your centerpieces, then create a mock-up. Show is around to your friends and family to get input, try it out on a white table cloth, and think about transportation issues. And if you’re using candles, don’t forget to purchase matches or lighters. These little details are easy to miss.
Playing Chef
Catering the affair yourself is perhaps the hardest part of being a DIY bride, and one many end up turning over to professionals in the end. But if you insist on cooking yourself, there are some major pointers that will keep you from crying your eyes out at the stove on your big day. The biggest is to avoid the sit-down dinner. Making all that food and actually enjoying your day closes in on impossible. Hors d’oeuvres are definitely the way to go. Small pastries and finger foods can be prepared in advance, don’t need to be heated, and can be served without killing yourself or your relatives. Comb Costco and Sam’s Club for cheap food in bulk. Items such as frozen shrimp and sausage balls are a great idea, as well as cheap and easy to cook. Use FoodTV.com to find recipes. Recipes can be sorted by difficulty, allowing you to find easier eats to dive into.
With regards to a cake, a tiered look really should be left to professionals. It’s tedious and difficult to make a big cake like you see in Martha Stewart. Give it a few trial runs and you’ll see. One item that is a bit easier and is increasingly trendy is the cup cake tree. You can make one small cake for the top that you and your new husband can cut for pictures, and beyond that your guests can feast on cupcakes. This also allows a number of flavor choices for your guests, from fruity to chocolate. You can decorate them in a uniform fashion or in a rainbow of colors. Use candy flowers to decorate. Get as intricate or simple as you like. And when it comes to dÃ?©cor, just arrange the mini cakes in any fashion you see fit. Cupcakes are great because you can make them ahead of time. But be sure you have both the kitchen space for them and the storage space. You don’t want them sitting on your counter overnight. See if your venue can store them in the walk in fridge overnight, or divide them amongst your family.
Preparing for the actual day
Don’t underestimate your time frame. Being a DIY bride takes work, and if you want to avoid running around frazzled on the big day, create a timetable and stick to it. Budget each minute of both the day before and the day of. Be specific: don’t just say “decorate reception hall.” Give yourself time to do centerpieces, arrange flowers, set up food, and arrange the music. If you’re delegating, put that person’s name and contact information next to the task, and be sure they get a detailed description of what you want.
Following these tips will help keep you sane and keep you out of the poorhouse. It’s not worth being a DIY Bride if you blow your budget or if you end up in tears on your wedding day. Stay organized, do as much as you can ahead of time, and don’t forget to delegate. No bride can do it all herself.
