DIY Weddings

” I already know that we are going to spend HOURS trying to figure out who sent in their  RSVPs and who we need to reach back out too. I am already dreading it” my friend said as we walked along the Schuylkill River. She was about to send out her beautifully custom  wedding invitations, designed on Basic Invite (shout out to my amazing card company partners at Basic Invite), and was trying to balance her work, school and wedding planning. This was one thing she really did not want to spend time on. “I just learned this awesome trick” I said as we started picking up the pace to more of a jog. “If you take a pencil, and mark each RSVP card with a number…on the back of course, it will be SOO much easier to keep track of.” I said as the beat of the music started picking up tempo in my ear. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, “That is a genius idea!” She explained as she threw her hands in the air. I smiled and said “Come on, I bet we can finish this run in under an hour!”

Excel + Pencil = Time: Numbers make everything better….Make things as easy as possible for yourself. I know what you are thinking, I don’t want to ruin my RSVP cards with a penciled in number in the corner. I get it, you spent all that money and all that time making sure your wedding stationary is perfect, You are going to love your stationary a lot more when it is easy to organize.  All you have to do is three easy steps:

1. Fill out an EXCEL sheet with your guest list on it (which, I am sure you already have)
2. Make sure each household has their own number
3. Mark each household’s RSVP card with their specific number!

Therefore, when the RSVP cards start coming in but number 43 is still not returned, you can go to your EXCEL sheet, look up number 43 and BAM, you now know you need to call Aunt Margret to see if she wants the fish or chicken. 

“How do I not have enough friends to help with my wedding projects” asked my bestie as she was describing how many hours she spent on her DIY centerpieces the night before. “I mean, when we started all this wedding stuff, I seriously thought we’d have it all done by now.” Her wedding was only a few weeks away and it sounded like she needed all hands on deck. “What can I do to help?” I asked as we made our way through the hustle and bustle of Rittenhouse Square. “OH MY GOD. Seriously!?? You want to help me put the rest of the centerpieces together tonight???  I’ll buy the wine!” She asked me with the biggest puppy dog eyes possible. “Of course!” I said, and with that we walked into La Colombe and I could tell she felt a little bit closer to her goal.

DIY weddings – keep it helpful, not stressful: DIY Weddings can be an awesome idea; Cost- effective and adds that extra little something that makes your wedding personal and intimate. But, and this is a big but guys, DIY takes a lot of time, planning and energy. Some brides absolutely love it! They have a vision, the organizational skills and the creative touch to be able to DIY without even a sweat. And for those brides, I say go for it! You do you booboo! But for those brides who are more like me: for those brides who find themselves never having enough time or never having the specific details in mind and more of a general idea of what you want, I advice you to be very selective on your DIY projects. Don’t go overboard! Sometimes, just like in business, it is easier to outsource than do it yourself. You don’t want to overwhelm you, your family and your fiance even more!

If I was you, I would choose three big DIY projects that can be done months in advance; for example, centerpieces, table numbers and even party favors. This way, you can work on them over time instead of rushing to the finish line. Don’t forget! You are engaged to the one you love! This time is special and should be cherished. These DIY projects are your wedding details and should be meaningful and loved instead of stressful and rushed.  Leave the time sensitive details to the professionals. It will make the wedding planning that much less taxing!

xo,

Yael