Top 10 Mistakes While Planning Your Wedding

May 26, 2020

TOP 10 MISTAKES WHILE PLANNING


A wedding is a huge milestone in someone’s life. Couples can stress themselves out completely when they are planning their wedding, especially if they aren’t sure where exactly to begin. 


We understand that some couples want to plan their own weddings and perhaps hire a planner to execute the day of. Other clients would like a planner on board from day 1 to make sure that they are on the right track to their perfect day. 


Whether you are the couple who will plan on their own or hire a planner from the jump, we have created a list of the Top 10 Mistakes While Planning Your Wedding so that you can avoid the stress and enjoy the bliss. 


  1. Starting any planning prior to setting a budget


You’ve said YES, you’ve picked a date, you have ideas of what you want. These are all amazing parts needed to begin planning your wedding, but do not forget the number one item to be determined before planning…BUDGET! 

It is so easy to go full steam ahead and decide all the things you want to have for your wedding. However, you might not have all the information regarding what each item costs. Make sure to create a total budget for your wedding and from there you can allocate your finances to each of the vendors and overall design of your wedding. Planners are budget experts. Use us to determine exactly what fits in your budget that is an absolute must and then can add on features as the budget allows.


  1. Forgetting PLAN B


Is your dream wedding outside? Is it in the summer? Winter? At a hotel? No matter what kind of wedding and what time of year you are hosting it, there always needs to be a PLAN B. This is the benefit of having a planner. They are there to make sure there is a PLAN A-Z to ensure that your wedding goes off without a hitch. 

If you are having your wedding outside in the middle of summer, you might need to think about a tent. Tents work wonders. In case of rain, you won’t have to move your ceremony and reception to inside the venue (when that wasn’t your vision). Perhaps the heat is too much. Tents are a great way to keep the outdoor look but keeping your guests dry and cool. 

Winter wedding? Beyond beautiful. The snow falling, all the white. As stunning as a winter white wedding can be, there can also be added factors to consider. If there is a snowstorm, how will the guests arrive? If you are taking your photos outside, timing will be everything for the light. Make sure that even if you had your heart set on outdoor photos, you have a backup plan to take some photos at a different location indoors (don’t forget your permits!)

No matter where and when you are having your wedding, it is always safer and puts your mind at ease knowing that if PLAN A cannot be completed, everything will still be perfect just with a shift to PLAN B.


  1. Assuming the 10% RSVP no


We have all heard the age-old saying 10% of your guest list won’t show up. This is not a true fact. You cannot guarantee that those guests will be a NO on the RSVP. Budget for the entire guest list as a YES. This way in case you are the lucky couple who has every guest sending in a YES, you will be covered.  Another note, if you are worried about the guest count, make sure to have your RSVP date a month prior to your wedding date. That way in case a NO changes to a YES you still have time to add them in before finalizing guest count, menu, stationary, florals, etc. 


  1. Dress Buying First


As little girls we have all wanted the white dress. We would play dress up in our mom’s clothes, or even their wedding dresses. I am sure brides have always envisioned the style of dress they would wear on their big day. 

You can still have the dress of your dreams; however, a huge tip is to make sure to secure your venue prior to purchasing your dress. 

Venues help dictate the style of the wedding. If you are having an outdoor garden wedding, perhaps a satin ballgown is not fitting. Not only will the style clash but imagine the heat if you have a summer wedding outdoors and your satin dress weighs 30lbs. 

If you are the type of bride who has their heart set on a style of dress, then make sure you choose the venue to suit your style and vision. 


  1. Forgetting to do Hair and Makeup Trial


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Who doesn’t love getting made up? Could you imagine if you could have a glam squad 24/7. As most of us are not able to do this on the regular, having your makeup and hair done for your wedding will allow you to have your dream day of glam. 

As you have tried on many different styles of dresses for your wedding, and once you chose the dress, you still have many fittings until the day of. Same goes for your hair and makeup. You wouldn’t try a new style the day of, and that is why hair and makeup artists make sure to do a trial with their brides prior to the big day. 

At your hair and makeup trial you have the ability to meet your artists, get to know them and have them get to know you. You can show them your dress, let the know the design of your wedding and how you want to look. At the trial, make sure you are happy with the look as it will be recreated on the day of!


  1. Allocating budget and forgetting major vendors


As mentioned before, budget is the main factor in wedding planning. It is easy when planning a wedding to go overboard with what you envision for the day before putting a price tag to each item. Planners are there to help you allocate your budget so that you are able to have the wedding of your dreams and not go into debt. We understand that you want everything, but we are here not to squash your dreams but to make a more realistic overview of your wants and needs. 

By knowing your budget from the get-go, it allows us to allocate your budget accordingly. If you do not allocate to each of your vendors, then you might end up forgetting about one that you really want and ending up not having the finances to include them. Therefore, we highly suggest, whether you are planning on your own or with a company, make sure to itemize all your wants and needs so that nothing is overlooked. The last thing you want it is to have the wedding of your dreams and then realize you didn’t have any budget left for the video you always coveted. 


  1. Not discussing wants and needs with vendors


When we meet with our couples, we have an initial consultation. This is when we find out the exact style and feel you are envisioning for you big day. This isn’t when the word NO comes in. We are here to learn about what you want and need to have to execute your perfect day. We want to know everything. The same goes with all your vendors. You will become so close with your team for your wedding so there is no need to sugar-coat things. Let them know what kind of photography shots you want, how you want the meal to be served, how you want the music to be, etc. With knowing what it is that you want, creates an ease between all your vendors to ensure that your dream day becomes reality. 


  1. Being too stressed


Your wedding planning experience should be an amazing experience. Yes, there is stress that comes along with it, even when you hire a team of seasoned professionals to take on the task, we know that you feel stress until the wedding is over. It’s easy for a planner to say, we are here so that you don’t have to stress, however this being the biggest day of your life to date, of course you will be stressed. Make sure to take time out for you and your partner. Decompress from the wedding planning. Make sure that your love for each other is in the forefront. You two are in this together for life. The wedding will go perfect and within the blink of an eye, the wedding will be over, the stress will be gone, and it will just be you two for the rest of time. Enjoy the planning, enjoy the process, but do not get lost in the stress of making sure everything is perfect.


  1. Being too relaxed


We’ve all heard of BRIDEZILLA, but have you heard of BRIDECHILLA? This is the bride that takes the nonchalant approach to their wedding. Perhaps they are just YES people and feel like whatever input sounds good, so they say yes. Perhaps they don’t want to disappoint anyone so YES is the answer. Perhaps they are just not that into the wedding planning. No matter what, at some point it is going to hit you that you are in the midst of planning a huge milestone in your life. Not only is it a mental strain, but also a wallet strain. Find a good balance between over and under caring about the day. If there are things you are too easy going about, allocate the task to someone else. We of course want you to be relaxed and feel at ease about the planning and day of, but just remember this is YOUR day and once it’s done it cannot be redone. 


  1. Check in with partner


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You are in this together. Wedding planning and all the festivities that come along with engagement and weddings can cause stress in the relationship. Make sure to take the time to step back from everything and remember why you two fell in love in the first place. You two will be together forever after the wedding so make sure to enjoy the time you have planning and enjoying with family and friends. If things are getting to one or both of you, step back, plan something fun to do. Make a date that once a week there is no wedding talk. Get back to your love roots. Remember you are in this together!