NOT BEING YOURSELVES
First, be yourself. There are so many cool trends and common aesthetics, but at the end of the day, it is YOUR day. You can so easily get lost in the “hip” of it all, or keeping up with the Jones’s, but keeping yourself grounded in things that you like is oh so important. When you look back at your day, you want to m1. ake sure it was a true representation of you and your partner. So be sure to have a flare of your personality throughout and don’t have traditions just for the sake of them!
AVOIDING THE BUDGET TALK
Second, be sure to set a budget. Without setting a clear budget for yourself, you can easily get lost in the costs and they can add up quickly and move you beyond your comfort level. Set your wants and needs early, have realistic costs associated, and don’t forget to add a contingency fund. You’d rather know the true cost early than be surprised later on. This will set you (and your bank account) up for success in the long run!
POOR WEATHER BACKUP PLANS
Third, have a rain plan! We cannot emphasize this enough. If you’re having an outdoor event, you have to plan for some poor weather. Unfortunately, even wedding planners don’t have an in with Mother Nature and so to avoid stress and headaches, come up with a plan in conjunction with your main plan to be outside all day. Rain on your wedding day isn’t just ironic, it’s a game changer and so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for any scenarios!
TOO MANY SPEECHES
Fourth, avoid creating an open mic night. Speeches are incredible, we know that. Some people are made for the stage and can have you laughing one minute and shedding tears the next, but having too many speeches can make the evening feel longer than it is. And, it impacts the dance party! Plan a handful of short toasts, communicate that to the necessary people, and enjoy the rest of the evening. You want to celebrate as much as you want to be celebrated.
Additional Tip No 1: It might seem small, but switching the term from ‘speeches’ to ‘toasts’ can very much mentally change how one approaches their time to talk. Toasts are generally short and sweet with only the most important details!
Additional Tip No 2: If you still have a lot of people you’d love to hear from or if you are worried someone may be too nervous in front of larger groups, move them to the rehearsal dinner. Many speeches will fit this environment much more appropriately!
UNDERESTIMATING YOUR GUESTS
Fifth, try not to assume a certain number of guests will RSVP ‘no’. This is a myth that can be a bad assumption to follow. As you’re planning and budgeting, assume everyone is coming until you start to see the RSVPs roll in. If you assume people will say ‘no’, and then you do get 100% ‘yes’, this could cause panic on your budget. Be sure to know your venue size and invite accordingly!
Additional Thought: Especially with the travel restrictions of the Pandemic being mostly behind us, people are looking to travel and spend time with loved ones. We would bet that more guests will RSVP ‘yes’ than in previous years!
TRYING NEW BEAUTY TRENDS
Sixth, try new beauty trends far in advance of the day. The last thing you want to do is try something new a few days or weeks before your wedding, and for something terrible to happen. Test out any new trends or routines well in advance of your wedding day to ensure your skin, hair, overall look is what you want! Doing it the night before is too stressful!
WANDERING PINTEREST EYE
Last but not least, avoid a wandering eye on Pinterest after you’ve made a decision. This circles us back to keeping your wedding YOU. And we know that Pinterest is a never-ending mood board and gives us so many amazing ideas for details. However, to keep yourself on track with your wedding vision, we highly recommend you create a wedding mood board before you start planning and use it to consult as you make decisions. Decision made? Cross it off the list forever and don’t look back!
This list of common mistakes to avoid when planning a wedding could go on and on, we know that, but hopefully, this gives you some things to think about and helps to make the right steps and decisions for you and your partner on your big day.
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