The “how” of a DIY wedding is surprisingly psychological.
What do you see when you look at this table? Do you see a beautiful, inviting place ready for your loved ones to gather? Or do you immediately see the wrinkles in the tablecloth and wonder why no one steamed it?
There is no right or wrong answer. Maybe the wrinkles genuinely do not matter to you. Maybe they matter a lot, in which case you can absolutely make steaming the tablecloths part of the plan. The question is: What is your level of detail, and what will allow you to relax and enjoy your wedding?
Then there is your family. Will they understand your vision—or will Grandma have a complete meltdown over those wrinkles? Will your family see a beautiful table in an orchard surrounded by redwoods, knowing how much that place means to you as a couple? Or will they spend the day wondering why you didn’t choose a ballroom with marble floors and chandeliers?
A DIY wedding is much easier when the people closest to you are on board. If they aren’t, you may need to provide some leadership. Can you clearly say, “This is our wedding, this is what matters to us, and this is how we’re choosing to celebrate”? Can you set boundaries with people who insist on criticizing or trying to turn your wedding into something you never wanted?
That may sound a little harsh, but a family that fights your vision at every turn can make a DIY wedding very hard. A family that understands you—and would love nothing more than to gather around that slightly wrinkled table and celebrate—can help make it magical.
Before you embark on a DIY wedding in the wild, think honestly about what you see, what your family will see, and whether you are ready to hold onto your vision. The tablecloth can always be steamed. The psychological part takes a little more preparation.