I’m a creative person by nature, so I too, LOVED the idea of DIYing parts of my wedding.
Why buy stuff when you can make it for half the cost, right? You think it’s easy and cheap, so why not?
Well, not exactly. There are creative ways to enhance your wedding without spending hours and hours trying to glue gun stuff together. At our wedding, I ended up with a balance of DIY, “bought” DIY, and some creative workings in between. Most importantly, we left the complicated stuff to the decorating professionals.
So here you are, you want to DIY but you’re not sure what, how, or IF you should even bother. Let’s get down to what you need to know:
PINTEREST!!
The place you go when you know you might be getting engaged soon and you want ALL the ideas you can possibly imagine so your wedding can be more amazing than the last person!
Don’t tell me you didn’t have that private board on Pinterest with your wedding ideas already started before you got engaged… (We all did!). And for you girls who are yet to be married, seriously do it! Pinterest is a great place to get ideas and save them, no arguments there. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Pinterest is your friend and your enemy at the same time, whether or not you choose to accept it.
It’ll make you crazy. You look for unique ideas, but then you come across something else you like. No wait, there’s another idea, and another, and another.
Pinterest inspires all of us. I’ve gotten a lot of great ideas from there, but it also gives you this feeling that there’s always something else out there that’s better. But at the end of the day, it’s there, and we use it.
So to that note, here’s my take on how to end of up with a final list of what to DIY and what NOT to DIY:
- First, pin all of your DIY ideas to your DIY board, and then print out your board (in color ink).
- Then go through the steps I’ll outline below to nail down your final board – what you should DIY (yourself) – if anything, what to eliminate, and what to buy (pre-made DIY).
Should I DIY or Not?
When you DIY, you need to make some decisions before execution time. Decide what to take on and what you can’t take on yourself. This is crucial. If you’re not a baker, don’t try to make desserts. If you’re not good at creative stuff (like if you’re really bad it at) just don’t attempt it at all. But even the no-brainer stuff like spray painting 100 pairs of dandiyas is time-consuming and requires effort. Is it worth it? Maybe not.
Don’t let Pinterest trick you into thinking something is easier than it is. It’s not worth your precious time when it comes to your wedding planning.
And lastly, even if it’s easy, sometimes it just doesn’t look good:
DIY FAIL
Think about the practicality of bringing your idea to life. You’re having an Indian wedding. Some of your ideas are awesome, but if it involves multiplying them for the amount of guests (think: favors), then it might not be a good idea.
Of the items you want to DIY, are they hodge podge or would they fit into your theme and wedding décor? Sometimes we pin things that we absolutely love, but they just don’t go with anything in the wedding and it’s just a random “thing.” If it doesn’t fit, don’t force fit it. It’s better and easier to eliminate it.
There are some things you should leave to the professionals – including but not limited to mandaps, much of the decor, photography/video, and food. Don’t attempt to DIY those – with the caveat that you could make an exception for smaller at home pre-wedding events like a smaller mehndi party or even the engagement ceremony (under 100 ppl).
DIY Ideas:
- Wedding card box
- Stationery / templates : drink menu, guestbook sign, food labels, etc
- Décor for events hosted at home (saree drapings on the ceiling for a pre-wedding ceremony)
- Welcome bag contents (depends what it is!)
- Gift for the groom or family members
- Hair accessories for flower girls
- Ring pillow
- Matching pocket squares for dads
- Cake topper
- Welcome table items
- Chalkboard signs for pre-wedding
DIY projects are not always a good place to involve a bunch of friends or family at one time. Why, you ask? Many (or MOST) of these projects involve attention to detail and not much distraction. If you have a friend (or two or three) who you know are good with crafts and details, then ask them for help. But trust me when I say that many DIY projects are not a good place to involve a bunch of people. A good place to involve friends? Try assembling welcome bags or folding programs or something that doesn’t involve a lot of thinking and concentration and you can create an assembly line. You know you and all of your friends will be chatting away (which is awesome because that means you’re having fun!), so keep it simple.
Consider Buying DIY
Buying DIY means buy it on Etsy or somewhere else online or in store. It’s amazing what you can get now. You might think that sellers are ripping you off, but that’s not always true. DIYing something can actually be more expensive in some cases. Add up the cost of the items to the cost of your time. If the cost of DIYing outweighs buying the item made by someone else, then re-consider your options. Is it really worth your time to make that item? If you can complete the project in a few episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress“, then maybe. If we’re talking 20 hours or hammering stuff that “looks” easy and isn’t, well then maybe not.
Check out our curated list of things to buy from Etsy here.
One word of caution – Etsy is like Pinterest… it WILL take over your life if you let it!
Lastly, BE CREATIVE!
I can scream this from the mountaintops. I love being creative and thinking of creative ways to do the same things we see over and over again. Think outside of the box. I really encourage you to be creative.
When I was planning our wedding, I literally walked around my parents house – the basement, the closets where old décor pieces are stored and looked in storage boxes. I picked up pieces I liked. I found old Indian draperies, statues, candles, rangoli platters, you name it. If you have family (and extended family) that’s open to this, see what you can find.You never know what you’ll find. Package that up with some store-bought décor from places likes
Package that up with some store-bought décor from places likes World Market or Pier 1 Imports and you’ll be good to go. Items could be for your pre-wedding events like a Mehndi party at your house, a pre-wedding ceremony at your house (or the temple or a hall), the entranceway to your Sangeet, a welcome night, or any other event!
TIP: Besides entranceways and small hallway and entrance details, leave the heavy lifting of the main décor for your wedding and reception to your decorators. Take on the smaller details of items they might not be able to provide.
One exception! Flowers, Flowers, Flowers. Indian weddings have lots of flowers. For our pre-wedding event, we used marigolds from my mom’s garden for a water vessel. I loved that they were from my mom’s garden.
Remember that Pinterest board I told you to print out? NOW, you’re ready to pick your DIY items and eliminate the rest of the ideas you won’t actually use. Stick to what you can manage, and you’ll create a unique touch for your wedding without getting overwhelmed and going overboard. Eliminating ideas is the hardest part. Some ideas are great, but they might not be feasible or practical for your wedding. I know that they’re soooo hard to let go of but you will survive! Save them in another board – you never know, you could use those ideas for your 25th wedding anniversary party 🙂
Check out our Resources toolbox for places to shop for décor and hidden finds.
At the end of the day, be selective with DIYing. You don’t have to make it yourself but if you do, keep it simple.
What are you DIYing for your wedding? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo sources
Table number photo: StyleMePretty
Dog Chalkboard Sign: WedMeGood
Mason jars: Something Turquoise
Mehndi Mason Jars: Ode to Inspiration
Wedding wands: Southern Weddings
Wedding card box, Chalkboard Printable: Etsy
For more ideas, visit our resources.