helping hands

There's much to be said for asking for help! There are lots of things I'm good at doing - for instance, I knew that I could sew my own dress, but there's no way I could crochet a shawl for myself... But my mom is a talented fiber artist and so she created an amazing silk shawl for me.

I did trades or just simply asked friends and family for their help with quite a few things.

• My brother & his friend are both professional audio technicians, and together with my iPod, they replaced a DJ.
• My Dad is a jazz musician, and he played during cocktails at the reception.
• My MIL-to-be wanted to help, and so she folded hundreds of origami butterflies to decorate the ceremony location.
  
• Several of my girlfriends helped me put together wedding favors. I made some munchies and we spent the evening hanging out together.
  
• The girlfriend of one of my Dad's musicians is a talented photographer - so we bartered for wedding photographs.
  
• One of my closest friends is a videographer, so as part of her present to us, she filmed the ceremony.

You don't want to burn your friends or family out with requests for help - but you'd be surprised by what happens when you ask!

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