It's really not that difficult to do yourself. One of the main things to remember is do thin coats. You can always add another 2 or 3 coats if the color hasn't reached the opacity you want...just keep each coat thin. The nail care forum has tons of helpful info for DIY gel polish application, and I bet you could do it yourself...and probably with better results than you think you'll get.
Thanks - maybe I'll look into it! Honestly, after my last experience, I've just been doing my own nails with regular polish. I once bought a UV light and gel for my nails, but made the mistake of buying the kind that comes in the flat round containers and is really thick. It was a disaster, so I ended up returning it. Shellac seems so much more user-friendly, though.