Avoid these mistakes on your wedding!
Congratulations! You're getting married! Whether you're making plans for a small wedding or something more elaborate, it's important to remember that your wedding reflects who you are as a couple and what you value. So don't let common mistakes stand in the way of having a fantastic day. Here are some things that many couples forget but shouldn't:
Spending too much on less important things
Only spend a little on less important things like decorations, flowers, and other elements of your wedding.
Focus on the things that matter most to you.
Don't go overboard on your dress. Only spend thousands of dollars on an expensive dress when so many other financial priorities need to be taken care of.
The same goes for the reception: don't start spending money on things like a band or food when you could just as quickly throw a party at home with friends and family present instead of throwing yourself into debt because someone else told you it was what you should do (and in turn try to convince everyone else around them). You can have a fantastic time without spending tons of money!
Buying your wedding dress without trying it on
Buying your wedding dress without trying it on is like going to a party in your underwear. You know what you're wearing, but everyone else doesn't. By that same logic, you can be confident in the details of your dress—and whether or not it fits—only when you've had an opportunity to try it on.
If there were ever an area where it pays to be picky, this is it! After all, once your (or rather: our) big day is over, the only reminder of how much time and energy went into selecting this particular garment will be…well…the garment itself. So for goodness' sake—and for all those who are getting ready to take their vows—make sure that garment fits well enough to stand up against repeated viewings as part of any future family photo albums/home movies/YouTube videos "Made In The 90s" playlist while still being comfortable enough that one's future mother-in-law won't have any qualms about picking out her favorite niece's next wedding dress based solely off of which one looks best on screen.
Not reading your contract.
Be bold and ask questions about your contract. Not only is it vital for you to understand precisely what you're getting into, but it's also a good idea for the planner, who must make sure that everything laid out in the contract is being carried out correctly. If any misunderstandings or changes need to be made, now is the time!
Asking questions will help you better understand what your wedding planner can do for you and what kinds of services they offer. For example: if a venue offers an open bar option for guests (meaning guests pay for their own drinks), does this mean there won't be an entire bar staff on hand? Or will there still be someone on hand making drinks? These types of details may seem insignificant now—but when it comes down to crunch time closer to your wedding day, they can make all the difference in how smoothly everything goes!
Not knowing the legal status of your marriage.
You have yet to learn what the legal status of your marriage is.
You call a lawyer and ask him to tell you the date you got married. He tells you it was on such-and-such date, but then he asks for more information about your relationship: did you live together? Did one of you sign a prenuptial agreement? Was there even an actual ceremony? The answer to all these questions could be crucial in determining whether or not your union is legally binding.
Not having a proper license.
You need a license. It's that simple.
You need a license to get married in the United States, and if you're getting married in another country or state/province? Same deal. Without one, the government won't recognize your marriage (which is why people without licenses often choose to live together instead of marry). You can apply for your license before or after you decide on an officiant, but if you're planning on having family members officiate at your ceremony and there's no minister around who can oversee the process—and many churches will only perform religious ceremonies—it may be worth taking care of things early on so they have time to plan out their logistics with all parties involved. Once that's done, it'll still be some time until your actual wedding day arrives (especially if there's a lot of paperwork involved), so don't forget about this vital step!
Skipping out on a rehearsal dinner
A rehearsal dinner is your chance to get to know your wedding party and make sure they're going to be comfortable with their roles, so it's essential that everyone attends. This is also an excellent time for you and your fiancee to relax and enjoy yourselves—you might even want to practice the ceremony!
Here's why:
It's an excellent opportunity for you, as the bride and groom, to let go of pre-wedding jitters. Your guests will appreciate this as well because they will feel more relaxed on your special day.
You'll have fun with your friends while getting ready before the big day (i.e., when you're still sleep-deprived).
Not making napkin and buffet arrangements clear.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to avoid this common wedding mistake.
Make your napkin and buffet arrangements clear as soon as you can. It's best to decide on the number of place settings required before booking your reception venue and caterer so that they can give you an accurate quote on cost per person. If possible, ask them for a sample menu so that you know exactly what dishes will be served at each course, how many pieces of cutlery (including spoons) they will provide per person, how many glasses they expect each guest to drink from during the meal service and whether any particular items are expected to be used by every guest (such as butter knives). This will help ensure enough space for all guests at their tables without overcrowding tables due to too many people needing access at once or having limited access because someone has reserved one place setting just for themselves!
Check up on arrangements regularly throughout the planning process. Once final details have been confirmed by both parties involved in making arrangements, such as venues/caterers, etc., make sure that everything still meets specifications before paying any money upfront; if not, go back through the contract carefully until everything matches up perfectly with expectations!
Not having enough chairs.
If your wedding is small and intimate, you can get away with not having enough chairs. But if you have a lot of elderly guests—or if the venue has limited seating—you should make sure to have plenty of options for them to sit down. Otherwise, they'll be standing up for most of the reception (and likely getting tired and cranky).
Hiring professional event planning companies like that will ensure everything runs smoothly during your big day. We guarantee our clients will receive nothing but excellent service from us!
Going overboard with the bar tab.
Nobody wants to be the person who over-emphasizes the importance of their wedding by having an extravagant bar tab. It's important to consider how much alcohol you wish to serve and if it will strain your budget.
If you're considering doing an open bar, it's worth considering whether or not your guests will drink as much as they do at other events where there is no limit. If you're worried they'll go overboard on the drinks, consider setting up a cash bar instead, which can save money and avoid embarrassment for yourself or others. Or if you do decide on an open bar, make sure that all of your liquids are high quality so that nobody ends up regretting their decision later (or worse yet—getting sick!).
Forgetting to book a hotel room.
The night before your wedding, you will be in a flurry of activity, ensuring everything is ready for the big day. You will have lots of things on your mind, and it's easy to forget something important. If you are still determining where you will sleep the night before your wedding, that's a problem.
You want to be relaxed about where you are staying the night before your wedding, so booking a hotel room for the morning of your ceremony is essential!
Forgetting to eat
One of the most common mistakes couples make on their wedding day is forgetting to eat. You may be so excited to get married, see your favorite people and dance the night away that you forget all about food! Don't do this to yourself! Eating is one of those things that helps keep you feeling good and energized throughout the day.
Some tips:
Make sure someone brings healthy snacks for everyone in case you need more time. Some great options include rice cakes with peanut butter, trail mix, or granola bars made with natural ingredients (no chocolate). If your family loves sweets, be sure not to forget about some chocolate, too—it's always fun for guests at weddings! Just make sure it isn't filled with high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners like aspartame because those can throw off your blood sugar levels which could lead down a slippery slope into diabetes later on if they're consumed regularly enough over months/years time frame (depending upon individual's tolerance levels). So stick with organic dark chocolate :)
Leaving out activities for kids.
I've seen many weddings where the bride and groom don't think about the kids. They assume that since there will be an open bar, everyone will be happy. But not all kids are delighted with alcohol—even if they were, it's not appropriate for them to drink it!
Instead of assuming your guests will have a good time without any planning on your part, consider including at least one activity for children in your wedding reception plans. The best options are:
Something free or cheap (like face painting)
Something fun but not too expensive (like bouncy castles)
Something easy enough for the kids to run around by themselves (like kiddie pools)
Not making a rain plan.
You want your guests to stay dry on their way to the ceremony or reception, so you've got to devise a plan. Having an alternate location for the ceremony and reception is one good way to go about this. But what if it's too late? You've already put out the word, and everyone knows where they're supposed to be—but now it looks like rain?
There's still hope! If you can't change venues by moving your guests from one location to another, consider altering some of your plans. Instead of having an outdoor wedding at 4:30pm, try holding the ceremony inside at 5:00pm. Or you'll need more than just one backup plan; maybe you'll need two or three! Whichever path you choose may result in some disappointed guests (or unexpected expenses). Still, we promise that being prepared will end up saving money in the long run if anything goes wrong at all during such an important event as yours (and ours).
I hope we helped you avoid some common wedding mistakes. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! Remember that while mistakes are inevitable, they don't have to ruin your big day. With a bit of planning, some forethought, and maybe even a few tips from us, you can still make your wedding perfect!