Abby B

The recession era bride seems to always be looking for yet another way to pinch those pennies, or make that wedding day budget stretch even further. Many are tempted to turn to DIY (do it yourself) options for their weddings. But is the DIY option always a money saver? Not so! Let’s talk about some popular DIY options and when they can save you money – and when they can cost the same….or even more.

Option #1: Wedding Dress

The bride who can DIY for her wedding dress needs to be very confident in her sewing abilities. A wedding dress is more advanced than basic sewing skills. Especially if you want lace, satin, beading, any of these options are not ideal for the basic sewer to tackle. But the bride who can DIY her own wedding dress is the one who loves to sew – or has a family member or friend who can help teach her the advanced sewing skills that she needs to create a beautiful wedding dress.

Option #2: Wedding Cake

It sounds so easy to make a cake, doesn’t it? But actually making a wedding cake can be far more challenging than making the everyday cake you’ve made time and time before. Most weddings have more than 50 guests, so that wedding cake will be quite large. Simply creating a wedding cake of that size can be challenging to some brides. Then there’s the added expense of trying your wedding cake before (to make sure it works smoothly for your wedding) and learning how to make beautiful wedding cake accents, whether they be flowers, monograms or other lovely items. The bride who is best DIY at her wedding cake not only loves to bake but also doesn’t mind a bit of pressure at the last minute. Remember that your wedding cake must be fresh and yummy, so baked just a few days before your wedding and then iced quickly before your wedding. Most brides have so much to do just before that wedding day, unless baking is truly your forte – this is one DIY to pass off to the professionals.

Option #3: Makeup and Hair

When many brides discover just how expensive it can be to have professional makeup and hair for their wedding day, some realize that they could do their makeup themselves. This can be an option for some brides, especially if you’re handy with a lip-gloss and know your way around a flat iron. But remember that professional hair and makeup often looks (and behaves) a bit differently than hair and makeup you do yourself. The pros have access to high quality makeup, and know great tips to do your makeup so it will look its best for wedding photos and video. The same with your wedding hair. You can do a soft twist to attach your veil or a classic French braid, but a pro may know tips that you simply do not. But for the beauty and hair savvy bride, DIY can be an ideal choice in some circumstances. Try testing out your makeup and hair before the big day; to be sure you get the look you dream of for your wedding day.