DIY, in which potentials are realized and limits defined

[Martin]

Since discovering it, I've spent dozens of hours checking out www.instructables.com shoveling round the flat and piling up usable materials for dozens of intriguing projects (so will you, believe me). Although a 'wedding' keyword doesn't show too many hits, the point is that this and countless other resources can be drawn on to tackle as many wedding-related needs as you wish.

Needless to say, a positive side-effect of DIY wedding projects is saving possibly boatloads of money. Financial contributors can usually be persuaded to go along with your own idea if it'll be cheaper and more special to you.

Doing things yourself only enhances the spirit of the event, and really throws your commitment into relief. Thus my thoughts so far on DIY and weddings, what kind of projects and stimuli can we pool here?

[Alan]

We're going to be doing a LOT (most) of our wedding DIY or outsourcing to friends who will be doing so. I'll totally post ideas on here as we go along!

A friend gave us a book on DIY weddings, and it's got a lot of good (well, and some bad...) information in it -- it's definitely a resource worth having but I can't for the life of me think of the actual title or author -- I'll have to look it up when I'm at home and post it on here for others to check out!

[Martin]

Was it 'DIY Bride' by Khris Cochran? That's a solid kick-off. Also, 'Bridal Bargains' by D.&A. Fields has a healthy set of ideas, projects and advice. My jacket pattern is from www.folkwear.com, and we're building a photobooth housed at instructables.com. Her dress inspirations came from www.whirlingturban.com

That's my first hand. And Offbeat Bride has groups centered on tattooed ladies which my b2b is making much use of, if that's relevant to anyone.

[Chris]

Aaaaaaaaaaand I'm completely addicted to instructables now. Thanks... Spent the whole day at work yesterday looking at cool stuff.

[Aaron Moring]

Indeed, I am another instructables junkie. I looked at the same post for the photobooth, but the price for the computer program turned me off to it. I was wondering if you went that route or found some way to get around it. Thanks!
(First post, too. Yay!)

[C. Lane]

The photobooth market is blowing up and a lot of companies are renting them out like bounce houses. Also, if you can 1) buy in bulk 2) ask family and friends or 3) even find any still in production getting a few polaroid cameras and a cork board can allow family and freinds to channel their inner Anne Leibowitz and pin them up in a sort of real time art piece that you and your forever chick can display in your home. I like to think of it as a low-tech blogg.

[Martin]

Also, on the subject of photography: it can get really expensive, really fast. Honestly, decide whether you really NEED a custom leather album and 17 couple prints and complimentary vinyl trim and all the rest of it. You are likely to get hounded by inlaws and relatives, but I see no reason I should float the cost of that.

Or, more precisely, why they should float the cost for the wedding industry.
And personally, I don't trust a wedding-only photographer. Show me your other work, buddy. I wanna see what catches your eye when you're not being paid.

We've decided to get a single DVD with all the wedding images for the day, e basta (Okay, 2, if a back-up counts). We'll pick the prints we actually want and we'll let the guests help themselves, too. Everybody gets what they desire, no more but definitely no less, in whatever aesthetic and financial dimensions they see fit.

Next to no carbon footprint keeps the Drama Llama at bay.