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As we all know, your wedding day is a very important day in your life. We spend endless hours and plenty of money making sure that our wedding is everything we’ve ever dreamed of and more. As magical and meaningful as the day is, it can also be quite stressful and difficult to plan from start to finish. We’ve found the top 6 common mistakes that brides-to-be make while planning their wedding so that you can get everything right for your big day and make sure it runs smoothly!
1. Not planning the guest list right away
When you first begin planning your wedding, you may find yourself wanting to skip ahead to the fun parts like picking your wedding day colors or finding a delicious wedding dessert. However, the very first thing you should do when you have started to plan your big day is make the guest list. It is crucial to decide on the size of your guest list before you start planning any of the other details. You will need to know how many people will be invited to the wedding before you start looking at venues, order your cake, or find the perfect caterer.
It is super important to have a narrow range for your invite count (about 10 guests for wiggle room) since this will be a big factor for planning your wedding budget. Even just 10 additional people on your guest list is going to add another table to your party which means more flowers, linens, chairs, and food. Sit down right away with your fiancé and decide who you’re going to invite.
Photo Credit: Heather Waraksa
2. Not having a checklist
Planning your wedding without staying organized is a huge mistake many brides make. Keeping a comprehensive wedding checklist of all your wedding planning details is very important and will really make an impact on the success of your wedding day. A checklist will help you keep track of your work and control your budget. Checking off your to-do list when you have completed a task will not only keep you organized and efficient, but will also give you a great sense of accomplishment and reward for all your hard work! Additionally, it will help you nail all those items that are easy to forget, like getting a marriage license or wedding favors. It may seem overwhelming at first since your checklist will be very long, but it will definitely pay off and make sure that you plan your dream wedding with success!
Photo Credit: Stacey Hedman
3. Not asking important questions to your vendors
Asking the right questions (and a lot of them) will truly make a difference in the success of your wedding planning. Ask about rental options that your venue offers and for vendors’ contact information for urgent questions, and don’t forget to ask your vendor these 8 questions. Making sure you have all the information you need for your big day is very important so you don’t leave anything in the unknown. This will also minimize room for you to become stressed out and will ensure that you can feel confident in your vendors. Keep in mind that your vendors’ job is to help you with your wedding, so feel free to ask anything that comes to mind – there is no such thing as having too much information.
Photo Credit: Charla Storey
4. Not hiring the right photographer
One of the most important parts of planning your big day is finding a photographer that is right for you. Not only will your photographer be working with you to document one of the happiest days of your life, but you will cherish the photographs they take at your wedding for years and years to come. Don’t make the mistake of skimping on your budget for a photographer. Invest in an excellent photographer that will provide you with amazing images to be compiled into a wedding album as a family heirloom that you will cherish forever.
Photo Credit: D’Arcy Benincosa Photography
5. Trying to do it all by yourself
You may want to channel your inner superwoman and tackle all your wedding planning efforts on your own, but this will not be a good decision for you in the end. Reach out and ask for help from a family member or bridesmaid, or consider hiring a professional wedding planner to assist you with all the fine details and long lists of things you need to take care of. Trying to plan your wedding by yourself will leave you way too stressed out and will start to take all the fun out of the wedding planning.
Delegate some work to someone you trust who is ready to take on some of the burden, at least on the day of your wedding. It is important to have people you can rely on for support so you don’t get overwhelmed or exhausted. You may be surprised by the excellent help your support system can provide! They may just be the set of fresh eyes that you didn’t know you needed.
Photo Credit: Geneoh
6. Forgetting to keep calm on the big day
When your wedding day finally rolls around, it is easy to become overwhelmed or preoccupied with making sure everything you have spent months preparing for goes exactly according to plan. However, in reality, you are limited on what you can do on the day of, so it is important to trust who you have hired and trust your family and friends to support you. If a problem arises, stay flexible, assign someone to take care of it, and let it go. Focus on figuring out a solution to the problem without letting it rattle your mindset. Keep in mind that this is your day, so stay positive and enjoy your celebration without worrying about all the little details.
Photo Credit: Anna Gazda
Planning your wedding is quite the undertaking, but all your hard work and devoted time is surely worth the wonderful day that will become one of your most cherished memories! Avoid hiccups on your big day by keeping these mistakes in mind so you can have a successful wedding day that is everything you ever imagined and more.
