Real Wedding Inspiration: DIY Bride Ashley

"My main motivation for DIYing was just the fun of it! I've always been an artistic type so I wanted to infuse as much of my personality and creativity into the wedding as I could. Some of the DIY projects saved us a lot of money but that wasn't always the case. The invitations, for example, cost quite a bit more than I was expecting (probably more than if we just purchased a kit from the store), but the end result was well worth the extra effort and expense! We received numerous compliments on all of our little custom touches, from the water bottles to the aisle runner, so I think our guests appreciated them as well.

"The process of DIYing was really enjoyable for me, and it was actually a welcome break from all the stress of dealing with the more tedious work of wedding planning. I had to sacrifice a few of the details I wanted in order to stick to our budget, but for the most part, everything turned out exactly how I hoped it would. If I had to go back and do it over again, I would have started on some of those projects sooner rather than putting them off until the last minute."

Thanks again for sharing your pictures, Ashley, and congrats on your marriage and beautiful day. Other DIY brides -- we want to hear about your experience too! Leave a comment, or e-mail us at editors@mydiyweddingday.com.

Images: Jaime Smith Photography/Couture Wedding Studios; Green Cove Springs, FL