DIY

DIY VS STYLIST

YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS ARE BRIMMING WITH INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES, YOU FOLLOW INSTAGRAM’S FINEST DESIGNERS AND YOU’RE TALENTED WITH A HOT GLUE GUN, SO HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO STYLE YOUR OWN WEDDING? NICOLE BULL, WEDDING DESIGNER AT PENNY LANE STUDIOS, SHARES INSIDER KNOWLEDGE TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHETHER TO GO IT ALONE OR CALL IN THE PROFESSIONALS.

When I cut my teeth in the events industry some 20 years ago, the only ‘stylist’ at any wedding was the hair and makeup person. Fast-forward to 2017, and the traditional roles of wedding decorator and florist have given way to a new collection of highly skilled suppliers, including the wedding stylist.

While hiring a wedding stylist may be a luxury for some couples and a no-brainer for others, when considering whether or not to DIY it pays to take a giant step back and look at your overall vision for the celebration, the provisions for set-up and your personal priorities on the day.

BEING BUDGET WISE

Cost might be an obvious reason for going down the DIY path, but it’s important to look at the pros and cons, and whether you will realistically have the time to nail it. I’m frequently being contacted by panicked brides who had every intention of styling their own wedding, but soon became overwhelmed by all the other tasks associated with getting married.

Depending on the size of your wedding, it’s often the case that the benefits of DIY will be outweighed by the time and money savings associated with engaging an experienced stylist in the early stages of your planning. A stylist will be able to tell you where your styling budget is best spent. And, as well as having an inventory of props at hand, a savvy stylist can also share tricks of the trade to ensure you get the most out of your budget.

Hiring props is cheaper than buying them. And while you might not need a stylist on the day, hiring props from an established stylist or event-hire business, and engaging their pre-wedding advice with regards to design, set-up and packdown, will also help ensure your special day is problem-free.

Have you been dreaming of styling your wedding since your pre-teen days? If you’re a natural-born stylist, my advice is to go for it! I love to encourage clients who want to DIY. Some clients want to do everything, including the invitations, flowers and reception styling, but it’s often easier to focus on one aspect of the design and outsource the rest.

I’ve seen countless brides coming to my studio to collect their prop-hire orders who are completely exhausted after visiting the flower markets in the early hours – and they still have to decorate their venue, tick additional things off the seemingly endless checklist and appear radiant as they get set to marry the love of their life the following day.

My advice is to either phone a friend or two, or engage a professional who can see your vision and is willing to share the load. Taking a slightly less ‘hands-on’ creative role in your wedding will leave you with more time to enjoy the beauty session with your bridal party on your big day and ensure you look and feel amazing when you walk down the aisle.

Let’s not sugar-coat it – styling a wedding involves “ a lot of lifting, lugging, unpacking and tidying up. And you have to do it all again in reverse once the celebrations are over. “

YOU WANT TO ENJOY EVERY SECOND

If you like the idea of going to the day spa to sip champagne with your bridesmaids while the boys play a round of golf, or you’re planning to enjoy a fun afternoon of rehearsals before a family dinner, I have three words for you – book a stylist!

Wedding stylists are worth their weight in gold when it comes to getting down and dirty for the set-up and packdown of events. Let’s not sugar-coat it – styling a wedding involves a lot of lifting, lugging, unpacking and tidying up. And you have to do it all again in reverse once the celebrations are over.

The majority of my clients want to spend the time immediately before their wedding connecting with their guests. After all, weddings give you a rare opportunity to have all the people you love together in one place to celebrate your good fortune. And after the day you will likely want to do nothing more than hide under the covers and savour your newly wedded bliss.

CREATIVITY ISN’T YOUR STRONG POINT

A few years ago a groom called me and said: “Nicole, we haven’t a creative bone in either of our bodies and the venue we booked has ugly walls. Can you help us, PLEASE?” As it turns out, Mitch didn’t know there were people like me, but after a short phone call and a face-to-face consult, Mitch and his fiancé left my studio feeling like they had handed over the hardest part of the wedding – the decorating.

As their stylist, I was able to take the reins in preparing a design and executing the styling to ensure their wedding looked amazing (and to take the focus away from the ugly walls), while making sure their big day reflected who they both were as a couple.

You’ve booked the best photographer, you’re wearing the designer couture gown and you’ve gone all out on the venue, the food and the cake – it’s all about blowing your guests away. And the icing on the cake will be seeing your wedding on the pages of a glossy wedding magazine or blog.

Some people really want to ensure their day is the most memorable event ever for everyone involved. If you and your betrothed want to make an everlasting impression, I’m all for it… But it goes without saying that outstanding styling is essential. If you’re a designer familiar with decorating amazing spaces, then it’s important to engage a stylist who shares your vision and makes you feel 100 per cent confi dent in their ability. Take the time to carefully research your chosen stylist and have an honest chat about your vision and your budget. Building trust is imperative – it will allow you to let go and give your chosen expert the freedom to use their skills, knowledge and creative power to fulfi l your wildest wedding dreams. BML

SOPHIE & MATT’S WEDDING VENUE Chapel Hill Resort, Berambing STYLING By the bride, Sophie PROPS Penny Lane Studio FLOWERS Jessica Grace Flowers PHOTOS Zoe Morley Photography

NICOLE’S TOP FIVE TIPS

• SEEK ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS • DON’T TAKE ON TOO MUCH • GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME • HIRING IS CHEAPER THAN BUYING • SHARE THE LOAD WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

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