Designing with intention: why we never include diy elements in weddings we curate and plan

There’s something undeniably charming about the idea of involving some DIY elements in your wedding - those handmade touches, crafted with care, often by family or friends. Whilst we agree that the sentiment is often beautiful, the reality - especially for the kind of celebrations we are commissioned to design - is far more complicated.

At the top level of event planning and production, we feel that every element should be intentional, elevated, and aligned with the experience we’re creating overall.

That’s why we no longer include any DIY elements in the weddings we curate and plan unless the gifted services or products are from professional vendors with the right level of skill and insurance that we have come to expect in over 15 years of professional planning. It is an intentional choice we made some time ago and we want to share why we made this decision so that it helps our clients understand and perhaps educates others who are considering going along that route.

Execution matters just as much as aesthetic

A wedding isn’t just a collection of objects or moments. It’s a well planned flow of atmosphere, of experience, of detail. When you introduce DIY elements into a finely tuned, professionally executed event, you’re often introducing:

• Unreliable or fragile materials

• Inconsistent finishes or visuals

• Set-up challenges that fall to family and friends (or us) on the day

Even when something looks charming in concept, in practice it often clashes with the intentional, cohesive environment we’re crafting. One handmade sign or wonky cake can distract from (or totally undermine) the design as a whole.

Guest experience comes first

We design weddings with the guest experience at heart throughout every stage: how it feels to arrive, how the space is navigated, what they touch, sit on, and interact with. When items are brought in that haven’t been professionally vetted we’re not just risking aesthetic imbalance, we’re risking:

• Safety issues (poor quality, instability, damage to outfits, lack of food hygiene)

• Inconvenience (items not fitting, being forgotten, or breaking)

• Moments of stress that take the focus off the celebration

Our role is to protect the ease and effortlessness of the day. DIY rarely, if ever, supports that goal.

It’s not about price, it’s about precision

DIY is often seen as a cost-saving option, but more often than not, it becomes a cost shift- of time, stress, and responsibility. We’ve seen couples spend more on crafting tools, materials, replacements, and day-of panic than they would have by hiring a trusted supplier or vendor who has the necessary experience and qualifications.

When every other element of your day is curated and intentional, DIY elements rarely meet the same standards, and it dilutes the precision you’ve invested in everywhere else.

Responsibility and reputation

As a professional planning and design agency, we are legally and ethically responsible for everything we bring into the day. That includes structures, materials, décor, and anything guests or vendors interact with. We simply cannot - and will not - be accountable for items made at home or brought in from informal sources.

Even when we aren’t directly responsible, if something fails, looks out of place, or disrupts the day, it reflects on the event as a whole - and by extension, on us. That’s not a risk we’re willing to take on behalf of our clients or their guests.

Personal ≠ Handmade

None of this is to say your wedding shouldn’t feel personal. Quite the opposite! The work we do is deeply rooted in telling your story, reflecting your style, and making the day feel unmistakably you.

However there is a difference between personal and homemade. One speaks to intention, identity, and emotion. The other, often, speaks to budget compromise or last-minute solutions.

We’ll always advocate for personal, but that doesn’t require a glue gun or handwritten signage. It requires thought, storytelling, and professional curation.

Ultimately... your day, your way

If your vision includes DIY elements lovingly crafted by friends or family, we fully respect that choice you are making, but unfortunately it means we’re not the right fit for you. Our role is to create an experience that is seamless, intentional, and elevated from start to finish.

We believe in doing fewer things, but doing them beautifully. That should start with hiring and trusting professionals, not improvising with inspiration from social media.

If you’re looking for a team that values quality over quantity, feeling over fuss, and effortless elegance above all - we’d love to hear from you.

To enquire about your wedding please complete our consultation form here.