the craftier side of being a bride

If there is one thing that being a professional wedding planner before becoming a bride has taught me, it is that there is a delicate balance between “hands-on” and hair-brained. While I’ve always been, and love being, the crafty type, I also know where to draw the line when it comes to committing to creating trendy DIY elements myself versus hiring professionals to do what professionals do.

Phil, for his part, loves (LOVES) when I spring crafty things on him: for the holidays, home décor and now, the wedding.

In the early stages of planning, all of these ideas and designs would pop into my head and I would write them down first, and then relay them to Phil and my family. Most often (and most wisely) they would roll their eyes and say things like “we are NOT baking 6 dozen desserts 3 days before the wedding”. I got the message: VETOED. Once I checked myself and the excitement of “OHMYGOSH I CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE CRAFTS FOR THE WEDDING!” subsided, I accepted that we hire professionals to do their jobs for a reason. It is critical to me and to my family not to feel stressed and overwhelmed the week before the wedding, so we set priorities.

For example, I really, really wanted sparkly pom pom drink stirrers (hey, we all have our things!). Over the holidays, the family and I made that happen. However, I did NOT want to be making boutonnieres and bouquets Friday after the rehearsal dinner. 

In wedding planning, just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

You must, must, must recognize the balance and choose wisely. As someone as obsessed with the details as I know you are, take it from an experienced pro. I cannot emphasize that enough.

So, here is the list of DIY elements that you may see at my wedding. Of course, you won’t see all of them – surprise!

-          Drink Stirrers

-          Table Numbers

-          Dessert Display

And possibly more fascinating, here is the list of DIY items that were once on the list but have since been vetoed:

-          Custom Dance Floor Design

-          Decorative Signage

-          Homemade (as in homemade by US) Desserts

-          Spray Painted Vessels for the Flowers

Our wedding day is about Phil and I and joining our families. It is not about sticking designs on the dance floor one hour before the wedding, or slaving in freezing temperatures to spray paint glass vases. My hope those of you reading this is that you make the same choice and examine your own wedding priorities.