Planning a wedding involves a long laundry list of things to do. It is time consuming and leads to the most exciting day of your relationship. With all the things that have to be taken care of it’s easy to make mistakes. After all they’re bound to happen when there are so many difficult details to include. Since we always hear nightmare stories about brides who lost their shoes or the decorations didn’t match the venue, we figured we’d try and make a list of things to avoid.
Avoid these top wedding planning mistakes for a fairytale wedding.
Most of these mistakes can be avoided by making a checklist and sticking to it. Use this starter by Koyal Wholesale to avoid the most common wedding planning mistakes and to create your own checklist with the deadlines. Have a few key people check over your checklist to verify everything has been accounted for.
- Budget: You checked your pocket book and pulled together resources, to come up with a budget everyone can handle. Whether you’re paying for the wedding yourselves, or the parents are taking the reins, sticking to a budget is crucial. Buying bulk wedding supplies and a discount wedding dress only helps if you’re willing to draw the line before excessive and unruly creditors come running after you. Stick to a budget that you’re comfortable with and you won’t be paying off loans throughout the newlywed stage.
- Guest List: The guest list can be complicated when it comes to inviting friends and families. Properly counting the guest list in the beginning allows you shop for venues with a number in mind. If you put down a deposit on the perfect venue and your guests list throws the capacity out the window, you’ll be stuck without a wedding venue! When creating the guest list, remember to include the people important to you that would appreciate being there. Everyone will give you their opinion on who to invite and who needs to be there. The two of you will be the only ones who remember your day and all the details so be sure to include the people that you want to include.
- Vendor Contracts: So often we see brides who forgot to get their vendor agreement in writing, stuck without proper supplies or a DJ who is less than ideal. A professional wedding vendor will assure you of the details and make sure you both have signed copies of the document. If you talk with a vendor who won’t give you a vendor contract, walk away and look for another vendor. This is protecting your wedding plans and your wallet.
- Weather Permitting: If you’re having an outdoor wedding plan for rain. We all plan for the sunshine and forget that if it starts to rain all of the guests will have to run to the nearest shelter and your wedding will be soaked. So, make a plan for rain ahead of time and you’ll be prepared if the weather man feels rain is imminent on your big day. Most rental places rent tents that be constructed the morning of if rain starts to pour. Don’t let the rain or shine play an important part of making your day what it is, if it really worries you there are plenty of unique indoor wedding venues that can house both options.
- Miscalculation of Food & Drinks: Most weddings we’ve been to have a plethora of food and drinks to choose from. However, there’s nothing worse than being at an event that serves delicious crab cakes or fizzy drinks and you go back for a second and they’re gone. When planning a DIY wedding it is especially difficult to get the amount of drinks and food necessary. Books and websites will tell you one thing and the stores will tell you another. Remember, there is no set number of drinks per person because not everyone drinks the same amount. Plus, people who don’t normally consume alcohol or eat fried food, might at your wedding. When out and about at social gathering people are bound to step outside their box and indulge. And you want them too if it means having a good time and experiencing your wedding. So, be prepared with plenty of food and drinks for everyone. As a side note, if you’re serving candy or desserts a dessert table, be prepared to buy bulk candy as people will most likely want some to take home.
- Bridal Party: The bridal party is made up of all your favorite people right? So remember to be considerate of their feelings and take into account how they want to spend your big day. Your bridesmaids would appreciate wearing outfits that don’t require a bank loan and might be wearable afterwards. Not transforming into a bridezilla will increase your chances of having friends after your wedding day.
- Lack of Personality: A lot of weddings plan on having style or a theme and fall short of delivering. The key to having a unique wedding is incorporating your personality into every detail. From the ceremony vows to the party favors, your personality and style is important. Your guests will appreciate being a part of your day if each and every detail reminds them of the two of you. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box if you want to incorporate your pets or hobbies. Heck, a sports theme grooms cake is a great way to get the men all hyped up and involved. Nothing says manly dessert like a cupcake in a sports theme cupcake wrapper!
- Getting Trashed: The first day of your marriage should go off without a hitch. The easiest way to stay focused and on task is to avoid alcohol. We’ve heard horror stories of couples who had a little too much to “calm their nerves” and well, there are some stains you can’t get out. So stay on the safe side and nix the alcohol from your preparations list. You might get away with having a quick toast with your girls but anything more and you might not remember your big day.
- Losing Perspective: Your wedding is about more than just shoes and the dress. Stay grounded and don’t lose perspective on what is really important. The decisions that you make should include both of your opinions. Don’t forget that your wedding day is about the two of you. If you want one color and your partner wants another, compromise. The wedding decorations and reception supplies aren’t nearly important enough to ruin the engagement process. Include each other when making decisions and your marriage will begin on a solid foundation.
- Forgetting What a Wedding’s About: At the end of the day, you’ll be married to your soul mate and taking off on the most incredible journey of your life. Indulge in patience, invest in compassion and remember to always kiss each other good night. Those are the words of wisdom that other couples will tell you. Advice and experience will give you the insight to make it through the bickering and disagreements. Remember to remember what your wedding is all about. Sure, the candy buffet looks like it might melt and you really want to have a cute parasol in your photos, but at the end of the reception nothing is more important than starting your marriage off with true love and a strong connection.
Avoiding these wedding mistakes will make it that much easier to plan the perfect wedding. Remember, it’s normal to have something go wrong. If it doesn’t then you’re one of the rare few, so consider it normal and perhaps even a good omen if something small goes wrong. We can’t always have everything how we want it to be but with these wedding planning mistakes handled you’re one step closer to having the wedding of your dreams.