Photographer Mari Lezhava
By The Newport Bride
The wedding world is full of DIY tutorials and crafty suggestions for creative brave brides. The problem is, a suggestion by an impartial third source isn’t always helpful or realistic. The truth is, while making your own bridesmaid dresses might sound like a fun project when it’s 2am and you’re scouring Pinterest for cost cutting wedding ideas, but when it comes to actually having to make them, more often than not it’s just a hot mess. We’ve seen it all and we can tell you what is worth adding a personal touch to, and what you should just stay far far away from!
Lena Mirisola Photography
DO Favors – Personalizing your guest’s gift is a great way to add a fun touch (or flavor) to your wedding day. Whether you’re making homemade cookies, crafting christmas ornaments, or making a donation to the charity of your choice, wedding favors are the perfect item to DIY!
DO NOT Flowers – Wedding flowers are one of those things that couples are always trying to DIY and 95% of the time, it backfires big time. Creating a bouquet, centerpiece, or ceremony arch is more than just sticking flowers together. A knowledgeable florist knows exactly the environment each bloom needs to flourish, the support they need while being displayed, and most importantly, how to create designs that can last through a whole day of wedding fun. Hire a good florist and let them do the dirty work!
Joseph Laurin Photography
DO Programs – Ceremony orders are often something couples settle on just a few weeks before the wedding. With a Word document, Canva.com creation, or even Powerpoint, you can create a program with your exact wording, a beautiful font, and custom colors. Plus, you can print at home or a local office supply store.
Kim lyn photography
DO NOT planner – Being a wedding planner requires an extreme attention to detail, the ability to remain positive and calm throughout any type of situation, and a lack of relation to the people getting married. Anyone who is close enough to be invited to your wedding is someone who should not be asked to help run your wedding day. Find someone who is unbiased, who can help coral wayward uncles and cousins, and most of all who is on your side and willing to do whatever you need to help make your day perfect.
Melissa Robotti Photography
DO Guest Book – Personalized guest books are all the rage right now. Few couples opt for the traditional blank book covered with guests signatures. If you are having a nautical wedding, have guests sign the sail of a table top boat or an oar. If you love baseball, get a monogrammed home plate you can someday hang on your wall. Get creative and find or make something you can display forever!
Molly Anne photogaphy
DO NOT DJ – We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, an iPod and dance playlist does not replace a trained professional. A DJ is about more than playing one song after the next. A DJ helps smooth transitions, avoid any awkward silence, and MC the night keeping guest well informed and comfortable. There’s nothing that ruins a night like a iPod with a dead battery or a broken skip button.
Rachel Girouard Photography – www.rachelgirouard.com Stephanie Vegliante Photography
DO Table Decor Elements – Similar to creating your own guest book, table decor elements are a great way to add a personalized touch to your wedding decorations. Make a giant monkey’s fist knot ball, add pictures of you and your fiance, or include trinkets from your travels to each table for added interest that will keep your guests intrigued all night!
Sarah Pudlo Photography
DO NOT Wedding Dress – Surprisingly, the wedding dress is something many bride’s contemplate sewing themselves. Unless you are a master seamstress, we wouldn’t suggest tackling the challenge of crafting your bridal gown. Wedding dresses are extremely intricate, often delicate, and most of all, super stressful! Let your designer or seamstress worry about getting the exact fit and find a great local boutique that carries an array of styles.
Melissa Stimpson Photography
DO Officiant – Many couples don’t have a family religious figure who they want to conduct their ceremony. There are plenty of great officiants for hire out there, but we really love when couples ask a close friend or family member to marry them. This meaningful privilege is a wonderful way to include someone special. Plus, there’s a good chance their head will be in your first kiss picture so you might as well make it a face you want to see forever!
© 2016 Ryan DeVoll Photography
DO NOT Photography – Tops of the DO NOT DIY list is photography. You only get one wedding day, and you only get one shot to get the pictures that will last a lifetime. It doesn’t matter how much your cousin loves their camera, or how many of their friends they’ve shot. Weddings are long, stressful, and high-pressure events that should be handled with care by trained professionals. Do yourself a favor and hire someone with experience who is not related to you and who can provide you quality images you’ll want to show off.
Bio: The Newport Bride is a Rhode Island based bridal blog featuring tips, trends, and real wedding inspiration from the Ocean State. Started by a passionate bride-to-be, The Newport Bride blog is a resource anyone who love beautiful images, creative designs, and weddings! Their passion is highlighting local businesses and helping making wedding planning just a bit easier. Follow along with The Newport Bride on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @TheNewportBride and thenewportbride.co
