I want to first say that you ladies are very talented and if I tried to do most of these DIY invitations, cake toppers, etc it would look like a 5 year old did it.
After lurking on the DIY board I'm curious to ask you all when do you decide to take on a DIY project or just go out and buy it?
I understand saving money is the #1 reason but I'm very curious to know how do the most talented DIY knotties determine if their time is worth the money saved?
For example, my coworker who just got married regrets DIY invitations because she said by the time she was done they didn't save that much and she was stressed out.
What are your thoughts?
Wedding date July 7, 2012
Re: DIY Projects?
Wedding-Countdowns
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Wedding-Countdowns
[QUOTE]I'm honestly not saving THAT much money DIY'ing when you factor in time. <strong>I honestly enjoy doing it and have found that I'm more appreciative of the things I create. They mean a little more to me.</strong>.. ETA: I've saved HUNDREDS no doubt... but it's taken hours of my time. Speaking of which.. I'm about 75% done with the runner!
Posted by Soon2BSand[/QUOTE]
THIS. Also I can customize it to exactly what reflects us.
Honestly, I will probably buy snacks for my niece and her friends and ask them to do it with me (with: read: for)
I enjoyed doing all the projects I did and would do it again. I think you have to know what kind of person you are and go by that. Nothing wrong either way though.
I DIY'd my invitations and although they took awhile to do, the $600 I saved was well worth it to me.
Bouquet's - my ceremony flowers were $200 and each BM flowers would have been $175 + $25 for bout's times 5, was not going to pay $1000 for my BP flowers for a 20 minute ceremony. DIY'ing them cost $60.
I also don't factor in time it takes to do something, for me they gave me something to do versus being lazy and hanging on the couch all day which is what I would have done. DIY also gave us extra money to put towards other things or pay off vendors quicker.
I went out an bought things when I felt I coudn't make it or H didn't want me to waste my time making it. In the end I only bought a few things though. When I look at the pictures I remember how many compliments we received on all the decorations, centerpieces, programs, cake topper, card box, favors, flowers, invitations and it really makes me happy.
[QUOTE]I'm honestly not saving THAT much money DIY'ing when you factor in time.<strong> I honestly enjoy doing it and have found that I'm more appreciative of the things I create. They mean a little more to me...</strong> ETA: I've saved HUNDREDS no doubt... but it's taken hours of my time. Speaking of which.. I'm about 75% done with the runner!
Posted by Soon2BSand[/QUOTE]
Thanks for explaining! I truly didn't understand. This makes perfect sense.
When I read how some ladies spent 2 days making a cake topper, and I found really nice ones on Etsy for $12 I said heck, I'm buying that bad boy LOL!
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: DIY Projects? : Thanks for explaining! I truly didn't understand. This makes perfect sense. <strong>When I read how some ladies spent 2 days making a cake topper, and I found really nice ones on Etsy for $12 I said heck, I'm buying that bad boy LOL!
</strong>Posted by Carla1019[/QUOTE]
Too funny!!!
[QUOTE]@Soon2BSand - Nice work, I likey alot!!! I enjoyed doing all the projects I did and would do it again. I think you have to know what kind of person you are and go by that. Nothing wrong either way though. I DIY'd my invitations and although they took awhile to do, the $600 I saved was well worth it to me. Bouquet's - my ceremony flowers were $200 and each BM flowers would have been $175 + $25 for bout's times 5, was not going to pay $1000 for my BP flowers for a 20 minute ceremony. DIY'ing them cost $60. I also don't factor in time it takes to do something, for me they gave me s<strong>omething to do versus being lazy and hanging on the couch all day which is what I would have done</strong>. DIY also gave us extra money to put towards other things or pay off vendors quicker. I went out an bought things when I felt I coudn't make it or H didn't want me to waste my time making it. In the end I only bought a few things though. When I look at the pictures I remember how many compliments we received on all the decorations, centerpieces, programs, cake topper, card box, favors, flowers, invitations and it really makes me happy.
Posted by wallacje[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>You too?!? lol</div><div>
</div><div>Thanks!
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For me i think its more of a fun thing to do. Like i was so excited to do my cake topper, which i ended up loving! However, i did my cardbox and i feel like even though i gave it my all......its just not THERE!!! It doesnt look as good as what i've seen other people do.
I wish i was more artistic, i would do A LOT more DIY projects.
I did my invitations, but they mean little to me. I bought a kit on clearance at Wal Mart. I used MS Word to format, and took it to a printer to print. When I found out the brown ink was higher than the black, I went with the black because (IMO) the invites will soon be forgotten and trashed, so my time and effort wasn't worth it.
For anything worth the money or the time spent into doing it, I ask how much this means to me.
Wedding Bio
The Brown's Planning Bio updated 7/5/11
[QUOTE]I had the same experience. I did DIY Save The Dates magnets and boy was it a LOT of work...partly because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and it took forever to get every one of them to look the way I wanted to. At the end of the day - would I have prefered to have spent the $ and had someone else do it...heck yeah...however, that's not the reality of my situation. We are doing a lot of projects DIY because we are the only ones paying for this wedding and if I have to be stressed for a little while to save the $, then that's just what I have to do. Once I mailed them out everyone complimented us on how nice they looked - so I felt good about that at the end of the day. Fortunately, I am good at seeing something someone else did and figuring out how to duplicate it...the downside is that my lovely fiance really wants to help and his attention to detail is...well...not there...so I end up having to re-do and throw away things he's attempted to do...sigh. I think I've finally convinced him to stick to the things he CAN do well, and let me do what I do <strong> So, the main way that I decide what I DIY and what I don't is based on if doing it DIY costs less...if it does, then DIY it is!
</strong>Posted by cntwedding@sbcglobal.net[/QUOTE]
This right here! lol. I also enjoy doing crafts but reality is also a factor. I work alot and I'm limited on my time. So I factor time in there as well...if I can get it done in a night I'll do it but if it will take days and days I'm going to figure out another way to get it done..If that means I have to semi-diy. :) lol