chicago bridal planning

Often I hear of couples trying to shave a few dollars off of their wedding costs by doing things themselves. Being an avid do-it-yourself-er, I applaud their tenacity and willingness to sacrifice their time and energy to make their wedding a success. However, there are some cases when DIY is complicated, time-consuming and exhausting which all add up to a recipe for disaster.

Catering- Although rare, there are some brave brides and grooms who have the inconceivable idea that because they are proficient in the kitchen the can handle catering their own wedding. There is no circumstance where this is a good idea. There is no time of day, location, theme or moment in time where this is going to have a happy ending. The end result will be stress, mess, and little success! If you are having the most casual outdoor wedding possible, find a restaurant that caters food you love and have it sent in, even if you don’t have servers, have it sent in and give the delivery person a tip to do some set up for you. Pasta looks great on the table but not so much on your wedding gown.

Cake – Second only to catering, this DIY has the potential to wreak unimaginable havoc. Making the cake yourself is a bad idea, having a friend who makes really cute Christmas cookies do your cake is a bad idea. If you cannot afford an over-the top confectionery masterpiece from the best bakery in town, don’t fret. Today bakeries offer cakes that are beautiful, tasty and affordable at the same time. We understand – staying within your budget is as important as finding a cake that tastes and looks good.

Flowers - One of the most often attempted and most likely to produce an epic fail. Choosing a great wedding florist is easy,doing your own flowers is not quite so easy; flowers need to be handled carefully so they won’t get crushed, arrangements should be done no more than a day or two before the event and flowers need to be refrigerated properly (not in the same refrigerator as food) so they won’t wilt, change color or completely die. Ask yourself this question: Which would you rather be doing the days before your wedding: relaxing, pampering yourself and enjoying the pre-wedding festivities or staying up all night arranging, twisting and fretting about flowers? Even if you are a trained florist it is better to find a colleague or co-worker to handle this for you.

DJ- Making several mix tapes in college does not qualify you to host an entire wedding, much less your own. Having the right DJ will change the mood of your event (for the better) and can create an atmosphere that is positive and upbeat. Since the DJ is the host of your entire event, he or she will handle the timing of all of the wedding announcements (cake cutting, first dance, toasts), transitioning from one segment to another flawlessly and effortlessly take charge of the room. Doing this yourself means you will be responsible all night for handling all of the details and timing. So in the middle of a conversation with a friend you will have to stop whatever you are doing and go to the microphone and announce that you are about to cut the cake. Find reliable DJ and familiarize yourself with him or her before the event.

Hair and Makeup – The reason brides book professional makeup artists to handle everything for the entire bridal party the day of the wedding is simple: it makes things easier. If you decide that you are going to do everyone’s hair or makeup ( or both), you will spend the entire morning working and most likely be stressed out by the time the wedding starts. The reason people get paid to do hair and makeup is because it is work! There is also skill and talent and products involved but, it is work and should be respected as such.

Photographer – Hire a professional wedding photographer. The idea of putting disposable cameras on the table is cute as a bonus but, it was never intended to take the place of the real photographer. Now, couples are opting for photo-booths in lieu of table cameras in order to get their funny and candid guest shots.

If you are determined to get your crafty hands on one of the wedding projects, find something you can do well in advance so that you won’t be spending the days and hours leading up to the wedding stressed, overworked and worrying about the end result. There are so many better ways to spend your time, not to mention you could wind up spending more since you have to compensate for your failure on top of hiring someone in the end. Do things yourself like tying ribbons on table favors, bedazzling a card holder, wrapping attendant gifts or designing beautiful wedding programs. Leave everything else to the professionals and you are likely to have a Much happier ‘Happy Ending’.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

If you are getting married over the holidays, you probably have a to-do list that is as long as your arm. Although this is the best time to blend a family celebration with a wedding , it is also the busiest time of the year for shopping, running errands and getting just about anything done. How do you handle all the stress?

1) Unplug. Make a certain time of day to unplug your cell phone, computer and do nothing. Even if it is for only one hour, the act of doing nothing will refresh your outlook. This is the perfect time for guilt-free nap, which can be quite beneficial.

2) Find a release. Engaging yourself in a hobby will occupy your mind in other areas. Don’t try to do anything too complicated, just get your mind off of the wedding and holiday planning. Crosswords and online games work just fine as does a round of zombe-killing on Xbox. Set a limit of 30 minutes a day or you may find yourself addicted to ‘Words with Friends’.

3) Release the endorphins. Take a walk, go to the gym or put on a workout DVD and get moving. Endorphins are natural pain and stress fighters that are released from the brain during physical exercise (and intimate activities) . You can also get an endorphin boost from chili peppers and chocolate.

4) Ignore the voices. If your family is like mine and they all feel like their every opinion is so valuable that it needs to be voiced immediately, ignore them. When they call just tell them you’re busy and you’ll catch up after the wedding. They will try to drag you into a conversation but, avoid it.

5) Off- hours. Try calling business during non-peak hours so you aren’t wasting as much time on hold. If you can, try avoid rush hour traffic as well since road rage can come out of nowhere and have disastrous results.

6) Pamper Time. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking some time out to do something you want to do for yourself can be the single most therapeutic thing you can do this time of year. Get your nails done, get a full-body or foot massage or just sit and watch a movie you have wanted to see for a long time. Anything you have put on the back burner should be placed in the front because pampering yourself (even just a little) will help you unwind.

7) Drink. Even my 9 yr old knows that if you are feeling sluggish, a glass or bottle of water will perk you up. Carry a water bottle everywhere with you and make a note of where the bathrooms are located. Drink early and often! For every cup of coffee, soda, wine, beer or juice, drink a bottle of water.

The last thing you want to do is ‘snap’. Over-scheduling, lack of sleep, too many energy drinks and family pressure can lead to an epic meltdown days before your holiday wedding. Taking it slow, sticking to the essentials, delegating responsibilities and staying hydrated will keep you in focus and out of ‘panic mode’.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago