With the current economical situation more brides are opting for a more Do It Yourself approach to weddings. They are hand-making their own invites, table decorations, wedding favours and doing their own hair and make-up all in a bid to reduce the cost of their wedding.
Not only are they opting for the DIY approach they are also cutting things such as chair covers and some even opt out of having a professional photographer and use guests images or a friend with a "professional" camera to capture their special day.
Is it worth cutting costs? There are pros and cons to a DIY wedding. Obviously the cost reduction is the main reason for "Doing It Yourself", but what about the time invested in making invites and RSVP's, decorations, wedding cakes, place settings and the wedding breakfast? By the time you source all the items to create the perfect invite, pay for them and make them you could be looking at a week or more of work, at the minimum wagethat is £237.20 for a 40 hour working week plus the expenses of the items. You could be looking at £300+ to make them yourself!
Many brides are opting to do their own wedding day make-up. Often going to a beauty counter in a department store for a free trial and then purchasing the items. This can be a great money saving idea. If you were to go to someone like Estee Lauder for a trial and then purchase the basics for your wedding day, such as primer, foundation, concealer, powder, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow and a lipstick you could be paying around £160 and that doesn't include the brushed you may need to purchase! Many bridal make-up artists charge from £60 for a trial & from £60 for the wedding day, this works out cheaper than the Estee Lauder and many other brands. The plus side is you get to keep the products and your bridesmaids could potentially share some of the products.
When thinking about capturing your special day on film or camera the costs can be very frightening. Many photographers prices start at around £500 and can go in excess of £2000-£3000, so getting a friend or family member to take the pictures can seem like great idea. However, you can not guarantee the same quality, especially if the images taken are on your basic home camera or even disposables. The wedding day itself can often go by so quickly that you miss out on moments or you don't remember them until looking at the pictures. By getting a non-professional to capture the day you may miss those moments, an experienced photographer knows what to look out for. So do you save money and potentially miss out on some memories or pay a pro and get amazing pictures. That is the compromise.
A DIY wedding is a great way of adding your personal touches and personality to your wedding day and I fully encourage everyone to make their wedding day as personal to them as possible, but not to compromise on quality if you can help it.
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