5 Things NEVER Worth DIY-ing

I have a love-hate relationship with DIY-ing things for events.  I love the money savings. I hate the time it eats up.  


As a host, you always over estimate how much time you will have to take on all these "fun" projects and, instead, you end up sweating up a storm as you finish them 24 hours before guests arrive.  They sometimes end up being no fun at all.


That said, there are just some things that are absolutely never worth doing yourself.  And, I am providing you with this very professional list of what those are (in my opinion, of course)...


1.  Food.  Stop thinking about it and call in your order now.  Seriously.


2.  Invitations.  Unless you actually do it for a living, spend the few dollars it takes to get them printed professionally.  


3.  Florals.  Unless you have only one table you are dealing with - call in the big leagues.  I mean, yes, we can all handle putting together 1 large or 3 small centerpieces.  But don't kid yourself into thinking that you can tackle 30.  You will have bigger fish to fry when  the times comes to put them together.  Trust me.


4.  Photography.  If you are throwing a soiree that must result in fab photos, please don't hire your favorite friend who owns a nice camera.  Please.


5.  Hair & Makeup.  Sorry, I said it.  We all need a little professional help to look our very prettiest.  


But, on the flip side...here are 5 things you surely could do yourself:


1.  Onesies.  That means that if there is one of something to put together, you can probably handle it.  Examples include unique guest book, aisle runner, cake topper, pet outfit, flower girl bucket, etc.  


2.  Favors.  But give yourself enough time to order supplies and put things together.


3.  Easy decor.  Examples include candles and other small accents.


4.  Alcohol.  With help, a beautiful bar can be set up by you and cost a lot less. (Ask for help with quantity recommendations because there is nothing tackier than running out before your party ends)


5.  Lighting.  You don't always need the professionals to get the ambiance you are looking for.  Many rental companies have can lights you can rent and easily uplight your walls to provide the feel you want.  (disclaimer: the pros do a pretty awesome job though!)


It is a tough balance between going overboard with the DIY projects and getting it just right.  Try to be realistic and not antsy to do everything on your own.  You won't regret handing off some of the bigger tasks to the experts.  


Boldly Yours,
Lori