Top 25 Wedding Planning Mistakes
Wedding Tips & Hints from Kookaburra Showboat Cruises professional Wedding Coordinator.
When it comes to wedding planning, adding extra stress isn’t that hard to do. We’ve put together a list of 25 of the top planning mistakes you can make and how to avoid them when planning your own big day.
1. Making plans too soon.
Don’t make any plans until you have worked out your guest list and budget. You cannot decide on a venue until you know these things and you can’t finalise a date until you select a venue! So whilst it’s probably the least exciting part of planning, it is a must, and it needs to be done before anything else!
2. Wedding this, wedding that…
Remember that while your friends and family are most likely thrilled at your upcoming nuptials, they won’t want to talk about it day and night. Take time to spend some with them not discussing your wedding.
3. Don’t stress about copying
If you want the same pair of shoes that your best friend had when she got married, then get them. Is your cousin planning a wedding the same time and wants the same colour scheme – who cares? It is your wedding day, not a competition. There is no prize for who did it best.
4. Crash dieting
Do you really need to diet? If not, why are you? If you feel you want to lose some weight before your big day, set realistic expectations and eat well and exercise. Crash dieting is a big no no, it will make you more irritable, tired and stressed – the last thing you need in the lead up to your big day. You should be taking good care of yourself, not punishing your body. If you plan to lose a lot of weight, make sure you consult with your dress maker. It would be great if you lost heaps of weight but not if your dress doesn’t fit!
5. “I don’t need help”
Don’t feel you have to take everything on yourself. If you are overwhelmed, ask one of the bridal party or a family member to take care of some things. It is likely they will be happy to help. Or, you could consider a wedding planner. A professional can coordinate everything for you, leaving you free to take care of the smaller things.
6. Hey big spender
Make sure you keep an eye on that budget. Make sure you do not forget all the extras. If you set a budget for your look, don’t blow it all on the dress – remember you need shoes, veil, headpiece, hair, makeup etc When you look for a venue, don’t think the pp price is your total, you still may need a celebrant, flowers, transport, photographer, cake etc. You need to consider all items before you go crazy spending money you do not have and then panicking at the end.
7. Do not plan to do any jobs on the day of the wedding
On your wedding day you should wake up, get ready and have your photos done before you head to the ceremony. You do not need to be running errands delivering place names or your cake to the venue. Try to do all this in advance and if the venue will not accept a delivery prior to the day, allocate this task to someone else.
8. Pretty Shoes
Be realistic with your wedding shoes. Of course you want them to look fabulous but trust me when you cannot walk 1 hour into your wedding you will not care how fabulous they look. Make sure they are comfortable as it will be a long day and you will spend most of it on your feet. If you just have to have that killer pair, make sure you have a back up pair for later. I promise you, it will be the best advice you have ever taken!
9. Ummmm cake
There are a few mistakes couples make with their cake. Firstly, if you cake is to be served as dessert at the reception, make sure the cake serves the correct amount of guests. Too often the cake is not enough to serve guests and the venue is left with the embarrassment of not having dessert for everyone. If you plan to keep a tier, make sure the other tiers will feed your guests and make sure you pass this instruction to your venue. Do not assume the chef will know. Also, when you deliver your cake to the venue, make sure you leave instructions for the kitchen. Should the cake be refrigerated or stored in a cool dry room?
10. “Oh it won’t rain”
If you are having an outdoor ceremony, make sure you have a wet weather back up. Your venue should be able to offer an alternative or advice on this. On the week of the wedding, look to see what the weather is doing. If it is likely to be a scorcher and you are holding the ceremony outside, consider parasols, bottled water and even sunnies for your guests. Might rain? Look at supplying umbrellas. Matching umbrellas for the Bridal party will make for great photos.
11. Don’t over commit to DIY projects
Yes, you can probably make it yourself, but is it really worth it? You do not want to spend every night doing arts and crafts – remember your fiancé? He may want to spend some quality time with his wife to be not just cutting and gluing every night. You need to realistic with your time and whilst DIYing is a great way to personalise your wedding and save money, don’t over do it. Sometimes it’s just worth getting someone else to do it.
12. Think about your guests
Don’t leave too long between your ceremony and reception. If they are in one location, supply canapes, drinks, music and maybe even games to entertain your guests whilst you have your photos done. If there is a change in location, make sure instructions are clear and you leave enough time for them to get there, but avoid leaving a huge gap as guests will get bored standing around. They may even head to the local pub and end up being late! Also, check out the parking and transport options beforehand and give your guests clear instructions with their invite. You may need to consider providing transport for your guests.
13. Don’t rush your wedding morning
Make sure you plan enough time for your hair and make up. If you are having the photographer with you for getting ready shots, discuss the time this will take. You do not want to miss out on important photos, time with your loved ones or be late for your ceremony because you are rushing. It is better to be ready and spend more time taking photos and spending time with your bridal party than be in a fluster.
14. No Schedule
Your venue will normally work with you to produce a run sheet for the ceremony / reception. It is worth planning your full day from getting ready to what needs to be done at the end of the wedding. Give a copy to everyone involved including all the bridal party and vendors. You schedule should also include any errands and deliveries to be done prior to the day.
15. Speeches Overload
To avoid your speeches going on and on, allocate a time frame to those you want to make a speech and do not have an open mic. It is very important for the venue that your speeches do not over run. The food has to be served when it is ready and cannot be held because your speeches go longer than you have allocated. You also need to control the length of speeches to avoid your guests getting bored and frustrated.
16. Don’t forget to mingle
Remember your guests will have put time, money and effort into attending your big day. Don’t forget to spend time with your guests. If you have a large wedding, you may not have time to talk to everyone properly, but take the time to walk around and thank them for coming. It is also kind to thank them during the speeches to acknowledge your gratitude.
17. Bridezilla
Things are unlikely to go exactly to plan on the day – who cares! Most couples don’t even notice or worry about the minor issues that creep up on the day. Don’t get wrapped up in the minor things and remember why you are celebrating. You do not want to waste any time on your day getting upset or angry – just go with it and enjoy.
18. Photography and videography
Make sure you speak with your photographer / videographer about what you want to achieve in advance. Make sure you leave time to get the photos you want. After it is all done and dusted your photos and video will be your special memories for years to come. It is worth taking the time to do it right.
19. Trying to please everyone
Whilst it is important to consider your guests, you cannot please everyone. You and your partner should have the day you want and not worry about accommodating everyone’s every need. Mobility issues, dietary requirements and transport are the main considerations you should make for others.
20. Choose your bridal party carefully
Do not rush into a decision. Whilst it is tempting to ask people to be part of your special day as soon as the ring is on your finger, you need to make sure you choose the right people. The people you choose need to be able to invest time and effort into helping you. They should be your very nearest and dearest as they will be in all your main photos, will make speeches, be the ones your rely on to help and the ones who stand next to you during your ceremony.
21. Entertainment
Many couples opt not to spend money on entertainment for the reception and regret it later. An Ipod or your neighbour’s son on the decks may not be as suitable as you thought on the day. A professional DJ or singer is a worthwhile investment and often not that expensive. They will also usually provide microphones for you to use during your speeches and can act as an MC if you do not have one.
22. Gifts
Do guide your guests towards what you want as a gift. A gift registry is a great way of ensuring you get the gifts you want, or the wishing well is becoming almost standard in weddings now. Make sure you include your preference to cash or vouchers in your invitations. If you tell guests “no gifts” make sure you still have a small gift table for cards and for those who brought gifts anyway.
23. “We don’t need Wedding Insurance”
Look into purchasing wedding insurance. It is every couples worst nightmare for the venue to bankrupt losing all of their clients’ money, leaving the couple with no venue and no money. Good wedding insurance should cover your venue and vendors, cancellation, postponement, rings, transport etc making sure you are not out of pocket if something goes wrong.
24. Don’t forget about your vendors
The better your relationship is with your vendors, the more you will get out of them. Make sure you provide a meal and drinks for them and include them in your day.
25. And most importantly… Don’t stress!
I promise you, everything you are worried about in the lead up to your wedding will not matter to you after the day. The minor details are minor for a reason and are not worth losing sleep over. Your wedding is meant to be the best day of your life, enjoy it!