The 5 Wedding Vendors You Should NEVER DIY (And Why)!
- Events by Kae
- Nov 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 28
You’re a DIY Bride, and you love the challenge of planning and crafting your dream wedding, that's why you're here! Handmade centerpieces, custom signage, and even a DIY photo booth can save hundreds of dollars and add incredible personal charm.
To DIY or not to DIY
There are a few essential areas where cutting costs by relying on friends or tackling the job yourself can lead to major stress and regret.
When it comes to the DIY vs. Hire debate, these 5 wedding vendors you should NEVER DIY truly stands out for a reason.
These five categories are non-negotiable investments that will ensure the quality, safety, and smooth flow of your wedding day.
Why These Wedding Vendors Should NEVER be DIY!
This guide breaks down the five vendors you should never DIY, why they matter, and how they protect your investment, your sanity, and the flow of your wedding day.
1.) Wedding Photography & Videography
Your wedding day happens once. There are no retakes and no “let’s try that again.”
A friend with an iPhone or a “camera-loving cousin” cannot replicate the experience, skill, lighting mastery, and storytelling that a trained photographer or cinematographer brings.
What Could Go Wrong
Blurry or overexposed photos
Poor lighting during indoor + night shots
Editing, lighting, and composition aren’t “YouTube tutorial” easy
Weddings move quickly - non-professionals miss critical shots / cultural moments (e.g., money spray, breaking of kola, dance entrances, aso-ebi lineup)
Cultural elements need someone who knows what to capture
No professional backup in case equipment fails
Incomplete coverage
Why You Should Hire a Professional
Your photos and video are the only tangible items that will last forever. There are no re-dos!
The Technical Skill: A professional is a master of lighting, composition, and working with fast-paced, unpredictable moments. They know how to shoot in low-light reception halls and how to pose a large family group efficiently.
The Equipment & Back-Up: Professionals use expensive, high-quality cameras, multiple lenses, and, crucially, always have a back-up camera and multiple memory cards. If a camera dies, your entire day is still safe.
The Emotional Cost: Asking a talented friend or family member to shoot your wedding turns them into a vendor, not a guest. They will be stressed, missing key moments, and unable to enjoy the celebration. If the photos don't turn out well, the relationship could be strained forever.
Smart Spending Tip
Invest in the photographer first. If your budget is tight, choose fewer hours, never lower quality.
2.) Catering (Food & Service)
Your guests will remember the food.
Cooking for 20 people is one thing. Cooking for 150–300 guests while staying on schedule, maintaining food safety, and serving efficiently is an entirely different universe.
Food is one of the most memorable parts of any multicultural wedding, especially Nigerian, Ghanaian, Caribbean, South Asian, and fusion events. DIY catering becomes stressful, chaotic, and can even create health and safety issues.
What Could Go Wrong
Food running out
Incorrect temperature control
No serving staff
Long buffet lines
Delayed reception timeline
Family members end up stressed - working instead of celebrating
Cultural dishes require skill, precision, and experience
Why You Should Hire a Professional
This is a matter of expertise, logistics, and most importantly, safety.
Food Safety and Licensing: Professional caterers are licensed and insured to handle, transport, and serve food safely for a large crowd. DIYing food preparation (or asking family to cook) opens you up to massive liability risks, especially concerning allergens or temperature control.
Logistics and Flow: Serving 100+ guests is a logistical nightmare. Caterers handle the full scope: sourcing ingredients, managing kitchen space, heating/chilling stations, plating, and coordinating the service staff, all within a tight wedding day timeline.
Venue Requirement: Many venues require you to use a licensed, insured caterer for liability reasons.
Smart Spending Tip
Mix professional catering with culturally prepared dishes if needed - but keep day-of cooking OFF the schedule. Professionals bring equipment, staff, and a plan. Keep food out of your DIY list.
3.) Hair & Makeup
A long wedding day requires long-lasting glam.
Between the ceremony, portraits, traditional ceremonies, dancing, and weather changes, your makeup and hair must survive hours of movement, heat, and emotion.
What Could Go Wrong
Foundation oxidation in heat
Oily T-zone in photos (Flash photography exposes makeup flaws instantly)
Mink lashes falling off
Makeup not matching undertones (Friends rarely know how to match undertones or set makeup correctly)
Sweat, tears, and dancing break down low-quality products
Hair collapsing under veils, gele (head wraps), headpieces or dancing
You’re going to be hugged, danced with, lifted, turned, photographed, cried on, and celebrated all day. DIY glam rarely survives ceremony → photos → reception → after-party.
Why You Should Hire a Professional
Pro artists know how to work with your skin tone, your cultural attire, and the longevity your day demands.
Flawless, Camera-Ready Results: Professionals use advanced techniques, quality products, and camera-specific knowledge to ensure your hair and makeup are seamless, long-lasting, and look perfect under any lighting or photography conditions.
Expert Knowledge and Customization: They possess the technical skill to create a look personalized to your features, style, and event needs, guaranteeing the style holds up and common issues (like flashback or falling curls) are avoided.
Time-Saving and Stress Reduction: Hiring a pro allows you to relax and enjoy the process, eliminating the stress and time commitment of doing complex hair and makeup yourself on a critical day.
Smart Spending Tip
Book artists experienced with melanin-rich skin tones, multicultural weddings, and multi-ceremony days.
4.) Entertainment (DJ / Band /Master of Ceremonies - MC)
The energy of your reception depends on one person.
Your reception is only as strong as your entertainment. A Spotify playlist or a speaker from home cannot match the skill of a DJ who knows how to read the crowd, transition smoothly, and manage sound for a large event.
What Could Go Wrong
Awkward silence/transitions
Wrong versions of songs
Mispronounced names during intros
Poor-quality speakers
No microphones for officiant/speeches
Technical issues / Equipment failure with no backup plan
A playlist cannot read the room or mix genres (Afrobeat, highlife, soca, etc.), honor cultural requests, and keep the energy flowing from entrance to last dance.
Why You Should Hire a Professional
A professional entertainer is more than a playlist; they are the energy and voice of your reception.
Reading the Room: A professional DJ or band knows how to transition music seamlessly, manage the volume, and adjust the playlist on the fly to keep the dance floor packed and the mood consistent. An iPod playlist cannot do this.
Master of Ceremonies (MC): Your DJ/Band often serves as the MC, making announcements, directing guests to the buffet, and managing key moments like the grand entrance and last dance. This is crucial for maintaining flow.
Professional Equipment: They provide high-quality, professional sound systems, microphones for speeches, and often lighting. Relying on venue-provided speakers or a guest's small set is a risky move that can lead to sound failure during your vows or toasts.
Smart Spending Tip
Hire entertainment that specializes in your cultural style: Afrobeat, highlife, amapiano, gospel, R&B, soca, dancehall, or fusion. Good entertainment controls not just the music, but the atmosphere.
5.) Day-Of Coordination
Someone must run the day, and it cannot be you.
Even if you plan your entire wedding yourself, you should not be the one managing vendors, family, traditions, and timing on the day-of. A professional coordinator protects your peace.
Your auntie, sister, or bridesmaid cannot enjoy the wedding and manage the vendors, timeline, and family expectations.
What Could Go Wrong
Delayed ceremony
Timelines fall apart without a designated leader
Missing décor items
Family disagreements
Cultural sequences can get out of order
Vendor confusion
No one knows who is in charge or who vendors should report to
Nobody is available to handle last-minute issues
Family members become “working staff” instead of enjoying the celebration
Why You Should Hire a Professional
While you may have planned everything, you cannot execute everything while wearing a wedding dress.
The Stress Shield: Your coordinator is the first person to arrive and the last to leave. They act as the "bad cop" with vendors, manage guest issues, and handle all the inevitable emergencies so you can focus on being the bride.
Timeline Enforcement: They are the impartial authority who ensures vendors arrive on time, the ceremony starts when it should, and the reception transitions smoothly from speeches to dinner to dancing.
The Set-Up & Pack-Up: Who pins the boutonnieres, lights the 100 candles, and packs up your gifts at the end of the night? A coordinator manages their team to set up all your hard-earned DIY decor and ensures everything is returned or stored safely. Do not force your Maid of Honor into this job.
Smart Spending Tip
Your coordinator frees you to experience the day fully, not manage it.
Your coordinator becomes the captain of your day - hire one no matter what.
Final Thoughts: DIY Smart, Not Hard
A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. DIY can be beautiful, meaningful, and cost-effective, as long as you know what NOT to DIY.
Spend smart by investing in the professionals who:
Protect your memories
Protect your time
Protect your peace
Carry the weight so you can enjoy your day
The right team gives you something DIY never can: Calm, clarity, and complete confidence on your wedding day.
