What is your best piece of advice for couples looking to create DIY details for their destination weddings?
Utilize things that are native to your destination! Include elements like local and seasonal flowers and incorporate them into your details, décor, and favors. Try tropical fruit place cards for island weddings. Artichokes, lemons and olive branches are perfect in Italy as centerpiece décor! Pick projects that you know will enhance your experience, not stress you out. Authenticity is in the imperfections, this is how you know things are handmade. So, relax and have fun creating your masterpieces. It’s important to enjoy this amazing experience!
Your guests are excited to experience your chosen locale and what makes it so special to you both. These DIY details will not only be great for your budget, but will also create a unique experience for everyone.
What is one of your favorite DIY projects you’ve done for a wedding?
I love doing DIY flowers in unique, small milk glass vases. This project takes away much of the stress that DIY brides feel when faced with needing a fresh, floral design. This project is inexpensive and doesn’t take a lot of time. Plus, it adds character to your celebration! Inexpensive flowers such as mums, hydrangeas, carnations and tea roses have a big aesthetic impact without breaking the bank!
What is the most misconstrued aspect of DIY projects, and how would you dispel it?
It’s important to understand that things can (and do) go wrong, and you’ll need to prepare the best you can. One of the great things about destination weddings is that resorts and venues will provide a day-of coordinator and event planner. This person will soon become your best friend and life saver on your wedding day.
It may seem that when it comes to DIY’ing a wedding that all of the work happens when you actually create the item, but that isn’t the case. Your day-of coordinator will be the one putting your handmade favors out or setting up the photo booth with the props that you made. Your closest friends and family should be the ones celebrating with you, not stressing out about small details throughout the night!
Where does most of your DIY inspiration come from?
The internet is my inspiration highway! I spend the first hours of every morning drinking my coffee and looking for new inspiration on fabulous websites like Pinterest (of course!), Martha Stewart Weddings and truly great wedding blogs such as Style Me Pretty and The Wedding Chicks. There are tons of awesome, DIY blogs that are not 100% wedding focused that are my go-to’s as well such as DIY Network, A Beautiful Mess, Studio DIY and Almost Makes Perfect. I recommend all of these to be your guide to DIY bliss!
What are the challenges that come with doing a DIY wedding? And what are some of the rewards?
Time, energy, skill and knowledge are all needed to create a successful DIY wedding celebration. Adding extra work to your plate can create a time crunch at the eleventh hour, and committing to too many projects at once can lead to bigger details being tossed aside. ‘Pinterest fails’ are a common occurrence, so choose your projects wisely, and always leave time in your planning timeline to try again!
At the end of the day, DIY weddings save money and allow you to completely customize your event. It’s very rewarding to showcase you and your partner’s personalities, so fun have with it!
What’s the best way to save money on certain DIY projects?
Shop around! Thrift stores, antique shops, eBay, Craigslist and wedding trade sites like Ruffled, Wedding Recycle and Tradesy offer low-cost options for sourcing DIY items that other
couples may recycle from their own event! Even though you have to do a bit of research before you buy, you’ll take home some treats that were not only a good deal but extra unique, too!
What do you find are the most popular DIY projects for destination weddings?
I would say welcome bags for guests, invitations, wedding favors and any decor that utilizes local produce, cultural
trends and reflects the character of the couple’s chosen destination. The unique setting of a wedding abroad allows extra creativity to be present when DIY’ing these types of celebrations.
For more DIY wedding inspiration, be sure to check out our latest issue of Get Married Away! If you’re ready to speak with a Specialist about planning your very own destination wedding, click here!
