Wedding planning is quite an undertaking. From venues to florists to music to food, there are one million decisions to make and ideas to consider. Making mistakes is bound to happen, but we want to share our list of the top five most common (and avoidable) mistakes we see in wedding planning. Some of these mistakes cost you your money and some of them cost you your sanity. We are here to help you save both things and get as much out of the planning experience as possible. So here are five things NOT to do when planning your wedding…
1. Planning without a budget
Money can be a tricky topic for some people. However, when it comes to your wedding, avoiding the budget conversation can lead to extra stress and overspending. It isn’t the most exciting aspect of wedding planning, but knowing your budget will actually make the overall experience more enjoyable. Knowing how much you can spend will take the guesswork out of the process. Saying yes and no to vendors and ideas is easier when you know what you can afford. The first step to figuring out your budget is discussing how much you are willing to put toward your day with your partner or other involved parties. Once you have your overall budget, you can use a budget planner to help allocate that money and give you a visual idea of where your dollars will be going.
2. Obsessing over social media trends
We live in a world saturated by picture perfect images at our fingertips. It is so easy to compare and feel like your day isn’t living up to the hype. Don’t let what you see online be the catalyst of your decision making while planning your day. Of course, it is normal to get inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram, but make sure you are ultimately choosing things that are authentic to you and your partner. Let there be a healthy balance of trendy and personal. When you look back in the years to come, you don’t want to regret sacrificing your personal style for what was “Instagram-worthy” at the time.
3. Letting outside opinions weigh too heavily
Wedding planning comes with a lot of opinions from the people in your life. While those opinions are normally shared out of excitement and love, it can be overwhelming to have a hundred voices in your head when you’re trying to make a decision. The truth is that no matter how much you might want to, you will never please everybody. It is nearly impossible to plan a large event and accommodate every single person’s wants or needs. It is okay to say no to the ideas that don’t suit you and your partner. Decide what matters to the two of you and move forward with the decisions that most align with your vision of the day. As long as you both are happy, your loved ones will be as well.
4. Forgetting to make a rain plan
There are few things more stressful than planning an outdoor wedding without a backup rain plan. 10/10 do not recommend. Outdoor weddings are gorgeous and fun, but you need a plan in place in case the weather decides to be uncooperative. As planners, we are good at many things but controlling the weather isn’t one of them. The best practice for this is to speak with your planner and your venue to find out what options are available in the event of rain. That could mean having a tent on hold to put everything under and still go about your event, or it could mean having to move everything indoors. Having those conversations beforehand will allow you to have peace of mind should the need to execute the plan arise.
5. Trying to do everything yourself
Wedding planning can sometimes feel like a full-time job to a bride. There are so many intricate details that require attention, and trying to make it all happen on your own will take the joy out of the experience. As wedding planners, we obviously believe in the importance of having someone to coordinate all the ins and outs of your day. We make it our mission to ensure you enjoy every minute of your engagement and wedding day while we worry about the details. If you decide not to hire a planner, however, still make sure to ask for and accept the help of the people in your circle. Many of your friends and family members are eager to lend a hand. Let them support you on this journey, so you can look back on it with happiness.
We hope this helps you as you begin your journey to being married! There is so much fun to be had in this process, and you should get to experience every bit of it!
