1. Lack of Personality – The biggest mistake seen in wedding planning is an event that lacks in the couple’s personalities. Don’t go mainstream and don’t pick an overused theme. Put your own spin on the officiant’s reading, your décor, menu, music, stationary, etc. As the most important day of your life – it should reflect your life!
2. Wasting Money – Although there is a lot of good advice among vendors in the wedding industry, there is also advice from people who will profit from it. Be careful when meeting with vendors – don’t let yourself be talked into things you don’t want or need. Make sure you have a budget and you know what is important enough to splurge on and what isn’t.
3. Forgetting Whose Wedding It Is – Don’t forget that this is your special day as the bride and groom. Try not to stress over everyone else. Plan for the wedding that will make you and your future husband/wife happy.
4. Not Knowing the Master of Ceremonies – These are two people whose personalities are as important as the bride and groom’s – the MC of the ceremony (the officiant) and the MC of the Reception (the DJ). Unfortunately, if the officiant is boring and dry, your ceremony will most likely be boring and dry. If the DJ is goofy and cheesy, you’ll be doing the Macarena and the chicken dance. Make sure your personalities mesh well with these people.
5. Assuming Everything Will Always Go As Planned – Let’s face it, things happen. Don’t forget to plan for the unexpected. If you have an outdoor venue, make sure you have an alternate location in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. If you don’t have a planner/coordinator, give a trusted person a list of vendors, their phone numbers and expected times of arrival so that you aren’t left searching for that information when they haven’t arrived 10 minutes prior to the ceremony. Put together an emergency kit for last minute repairs and other issues that may arise.
6. Not Following the Budget – You make a budget for a reason. It’s okay to reevaluate and move some numbers around mid-planning. If you spend more than budgeted on your shoes, cut back on your veil. If you didn’t budget enough for your catering, have them created a custom menu or cut back on décor. Don’t throw the budget out the window just because things aren’t going just as expected. You don’t want to start your marriage off in debt when you don’t have to.
7. Getting Trashed the Night Before – Whether your friends mistakenly planned the bachelor/bachelorette parties for the night before the wedding, or you plan to drink through the rehearsal dinner, the last thing you need is to wake up with a headache, puffy skin, dark circles or an upset stomach. Do yourself a favor and limit yourself or forego drinking altogether the night before.
8. Being Inconsiderate- It is your wedding and your special day, but don’t forget to be a good host. Make sure you are fair in what you ask and ensure your guests will be comfortable while you take care of business – i.e. taking pictures, etc. If it’s hot, provide water and shade. If it’s cold, make sure they can come indoors or they have heaters. Be considerate.
9. Not Involving Your Better Half – These days, you should both be involved in the planning process; it’s not just the bride’s thing. If needed, set aside a certain time every week to talk wedding details, get the other’s opinions, and set new goals.
10. Losing Perspective – Don’t forget to keep your eye on what’s really important. Don’t get so overwhelmed with the details that you forget to enjoy the day. Everything will work out fine.
