DIY brides: hard truths no one is saying
there is a lot of talk in the world of events, especially weddings, about how you can do it for cheap, or inexpensive, or getting more for less. And I am not going to tell you that you have to spend thousands of dollars or even hundreds of dollars on a wedding. In fact the only couple things you legitimately need to get married:
a person willing to marry you
money for the license
somebody to make it legit.
So anything else is your CHOICE to spend.
But please, let's cut the shinola - your wine bottle with string or glitter or whatever glued to it is just that: a bottle with string or glitter or whatever glued to it. it will not look like a million dollar centerpiece no matter how hard you try. And nobody says you have to spend on stuff you don't see value in. But lets not repackage your cheeleader banner level craft project as the next Mona Lisa.
It's a bottle...
...that you glued crap to.
and we aren't fooled.
And I've been there - I lived in a trailer house with a cable spool for my outdoor table and crappy green plastic chairs from walmart that cost 5.97. I told myself and my friends that it was just like a nice set of outdoor furniture. Guess what? it wasn't. Did it get the job done? absolutely. Was it still nice to have an outdoor table and chair set? of course. Was I deluding myself about the quality of the patio furniture as it relates to the jones's? you betcha.
Are you deluding yourself about the unbelievable beauty of your painted mason jar? somebody needs to say it to your face...
But what really frustrates me is how much time and money I know most of you are spending on these projects that could be spent so much better elsewhere. If you want to make a high impact statement in a space with centerpieces for example - do it the right way - spend on larger elements that impact the space. Smaller details will get lost. Rather than spending money (and time) gathering 10-15 small vases to try the latest pinterest craft-tastrophe for all your tables, consult with a professional and find out what you can rent vs what you have to make for the same price. That is what event rental companies exist for - use us, use our inventory alongside your own.
Also - try to incorporate at least one third of your centerpieces oversized in scale to the space. It will have high impact that will remain after the first guests trickle in. Just take a second to think about all that cute stuff that is small and at waist level. What happens once the first 20 or 30 people are in the space? Those small cute details are lost quickly.
Larger points of interest are required to get the feeling of expensive design. Centerpieces are the easiest way to accomplish that because the tables dominate the space of any wedding venue. BUT if your budget allows for additional decorating, go big and think tacky! You are not decorating a small room in your home, you are trying to impact massive, often cookie cutter feeling, spaces.
And for the love of all that is glittery and magical in the world, consider the comfort and time of your guests. When you plan to do so many of the details yourselves, you will need to enlist help because you have other things to do - things like getting ready and enjoying time with your friends and family. Guess what? that is exactly what your guests are planning to do!
We hear this all the time from party goers - they resent being asked to work to set up for your wedding. They aren't telling you this but they are telling everyone else. Remember, you invited them to a party. They should be guests, not staff. If you plan to have them work, you have invited them to a chore with food afterward. Act like a hostess and treat your guests to an event they actually get to experience.
This will most likely mean balancing your budget and giving up a little bit on ALL the elements you want for your big day. But hey, that is what the next hundred years of your marriage will be about so you might as well start now.
