Gown & accessories
Having a specific dress in mind made it a bit of a challenge for Alicja to find exactly what she was looking for while staying true to her contemporary style (and budget!). "I was specifically looking for a dress made of dupioni silk with a sweetheart top, ruching in the bodice, no beading and a pick-up style bottom… Good luck finding all that in one dress on a budget!" But this is where more of her creativity shone. She managed to find a Paloma dress off the rack that had a few of the elements – it was made of dupioni silk, had a sweetheart top and ruching in the bodice. And since the price was right (it was discontinued and off the rack!) she bought it and took it to Noccé Custom Gown Design in Kitchener.
The ladies at Noccé made the bottom into a pick-up style, removed the straps, and added brown ruffled chiffon to the top and a brown ribbon around the waist to match the bridesmaid dresses and the overall wedding colour. Alicja says she was able to come in under budget and still have the dress of her dreams.
To finish off her look, Alicja wore a birdcage veil, which she fashioned herself from materials (netting, feathers, etc.) she purchased from a store in the fashion district in Toronto. Armed with a glue gun, Alicja created a birdcage veil with white silk orchids and white and brown feathers. "It was fun and creative and ended up adding some funky flair to my wedding day attire," she says.
Overall, not only did Alicja get to marry her best friend, but the couple was able to stick to a budget while creating their own unique, personalized touches for their special day. And, Alicja confirms that they reached their goal of making sure everything wedding related was a blast. "If I could marry my husband over and over again, I would 100% plan another wedding!"
Alicja's advice for other DIY brides:
• Inspiration, inspiration, inspiration! The 
internet is an amazing resource for DIY project inspiration. Keep folders on your computer named after each DIY project you hope to accomplish and fill it with photos and details of all of the things you come across that you like. This way, when it comes time to organize the DIY project and buy supplies, you have a whole folder of inspiration and ideas to draw from.
• Give yourself lots of time. "The most important piece of advice someone gave me before my wedding was, do things ahead of time even if you think you have a lot of time," says Alicja. It will help decrease stress and allow enough time to complete projects. It can also help you budget - if you know you’re going to do a DIY project, you can look out for sale items or deals for the items you need, with lots of time to spare.
• Take lots of breaks. Sometimes when you work on a DIY project for a long time, it starts looking funny or you get frustrated. "My advice for brides, leave it and come back to it!" suggests Alicja. "You are doing a DIY project because you are creative and know you can do it. Sometimes walking away and coming back to it with a fresh perspective allows you to re-focus your efforts and be happier with the end product."
• Purchasing power! Negotiate if you’re buying large quantities of fabric or other items. Alicja found that many vendors were willing to give a discount, the more she bought.
• Have fun with it! DIY projects allow you to add personal touches to your wedding, reflecting your style and showing off your creativity. Involve your parents, bridesmaids and groom in the projects. It can be a fun bonding experience and save you some money as well.
• Sell it! Many brides are looking for those unique pieces without the work of doing it themselves. "I have already sold many of my DIY projects online," says Alicja.
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