Charleston Women Spring 2021

www. Char l es tonWomen . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. Facebook . com/Char l es tonWomen CW T hinking of organizing your own nuptials? The internet has armed do-it-yourself couples with copious info and hacks galore. Pinterest and wedding blogs provide the knowledge and the (sometimes false) courage for couples to tackle the wedding ceremony and festivities themselves — affairs that used to require professional planners. But is a DIY wedding a good idea? Paige Crone, founder of Charleston Protocol, explained, “When doing it yourself works, it really is fabulous. But when it doesn’t, the outcome can be pretty disastrous. For any bride who tries to take on a DIY project for her special day, it should be something she feels very comfortable with and is equipped to do.” One example of a charming success, she said, was the hand-designed invitation that a talented bride she knew created herself. Mary Macrae Chapman, who studied fine arts at the College of Charleston, designed her refined yet cheerful invitation with a very personal touch: an elegant coat-of-arms-style monogram. Still, professional wedding planners know the local scene, have strong relationships with the vendors and are aware of the many facets where there are potential trip- ups. Their experience and contacts can smooth the path to a delightful event. “When it comes to taking the reins on wedding projects, we always recommend that the task you’re trying to DIY shouldn’t be urgent,” said Samantha Anderson of Anderson Event Design. “For example,” she said, “making your own favors — like our recent couple who decided to make their own strawberry jam as favors — works out well, since there are no time constraints. You can work on the project in advance in order to have it completed by the wedding.” “On the flip side,” she cautioned, “projects that can only happen the weekend of your wedding, like doing your own flowers or installing your own lighting, should be left to the professionals. Tackling these big projects may seem like a fun way to cut costs, but the headache of trying to organize them, the things that could potentially go wrong and the added stress on the weekend of your wedding isn’t worth the actual ‘savings’ you might receive monetarily.” Another great DIY project is addressing your own envelopes — that is, if you have good handwriting. Or for computer-savvy brides, you can purchase a calligraphy font for your computer and print the addresses at home. Whether you address the envelopes yourself or hire a professional, check and double-check spellings and details before putting the suite in the mail. Charleston real estate agent Joni Hazelton recalled proofreading the already-printed invitations that her mother was about to mail out. Oops! The groom’s surname was misspelled, a major faux pas. Back to the printer they went for a do-over. BY ANNE SEMMES Wedding DIY Do’s and Dont’s Photo by Fab i o l a I sabe l Photography. Samantha Anderson and Sarah Rickman of Anderson Event Design set the table for an intimate wedding full of personal details. Bride Mary Macrae Chapman designed her own wedding stationery, including a special coat of arms and fun pattern.