Don't It Yourself

Aah, the DIY bride. What a great idea! You can save oodles of cash, customize everything to your very specific desires, and walk around your reception with the Stepford-like, self-satisfied feeling that you did it all by yourself.

Yay! Right? Ok, not so much.

Don't get me wrong - I think DIY is awesome. I made my own little cards to ask my bridesmaids to join me on this crazy journey. It was fun, and I got to go to Michael's. However, all DIY projects are not for all people.

Many brides choose to DIY their stationary, and the thought crossed my mind for a fleeting moment. What could be sweeter than Mr. McBriderson and me hunched over the printer, cursing and sweating, each of us clutching an exacto knife, trying to figure out why our Cards and Pockets pocketfold won't fit into the A10 envelope? And why does the insert look one way on the screen and another way on paper? And what, exactly, is widow/orphan control?
They say struggles are what help build a relationship, you know.

Seriously, though, what I am finding is that sometimes, in the end, it is cheaper to hire a professional and save your time and sanity as well. Stationary is one of those things for me. I do not want to be up the night before the wedding at a Kinko's (yes, I know it's FedEx Office now, but it will always be Kinko's to me) in the middle of NY printing programs and menu cards. For what it will cost to have them custom-designed and printed, I probably would only save about $20, when you factor in all the paper and ink I'll waste trying to get them "just right."

This doesn't mean I've turned my back on the craft store forever - I have some DIY decor up my sleeve, and you'll just have to wait and see...