The Blog

Welcome to

5 Mistakes Brides Make When Planning Their Wedding

 In the beginning, either before you get engaged or shortly after you get engaged you think wedding planning will be so much fun. You already have 10 or more Pinterest boards with tons of beautiful photos of dresses, flowers, cakes, invitations, cute favors and beautiful table settings. You’ve thought about who you’ll  ask to be in your wedding party and the cute little asking gift you will send. It seems like you and your fiancé can get the job done  by giving up a few weekends  and evenings to devote to planning

In the beginning it might go pretty well, you found your dream venue  in the perfect month and on the perfect day, you contracted the band you heard at your best friend’s wedding and you found your dress at the first salon you visited.

Then the excitement bubble begins to burst, you have a few sleepless nights, your friends constantly ask how the wedding planning is going and your mom is calling to talk about the guest list. All of a sudden wedding planning is beginning to feel like another job with a to do list a mile long,

Here are a few mistakes/ misconceptions that keep wedding planning from being fun.

  • Mistake #1:

Thinking you can handle a demanding full time job, or a full course load, time for your fiancé, friends and family AND plan your wedding. Planning a wedding takes time, A LOT of time! If you thought you did not have time before planning a wedding you  will absolutely  have to make sacrifices to add planning a wedding to your To Do List.  If you have never planned an event as costly or as important as your wedding, chances are you have no idea what is involved to make it a success, meaning that you need to allow additional time to figure out how to plan a wedding.

  • Mistake #2:

Thinking wedding planning will not be stressful and you will not get emotional or have a meltdown or two. Every bride needs moral support from  someone not related to them and not emotionally invested in the outcome.   When my daughter got married I witnessed a side of wedding planning I usually don’t see with my clients. It was full blown stress and raw emotion expressed to me, my husband, and  her fiancé. At times it was hard to console her or to continually listen to her. .It is important to enlist a trusted friend or confident who will provide moral support. Someone who will listen and be objective and non-judgmental. PS. This could be your wedding planner.

  • Mistake #3:

Signing a  contract for a venue you can’t afford and then having to compromise a good deal of your vision. I see this often. BEFORE signing a venue contract it is important to determine your total budget and the budget for each event element such as catering, photography, entertainment,. hair and make-up, flowers, etc. The budget for the venue rental, catering, beverages, equipment rental should not exceed 50% of your total budget.  Hint, googling the average cost of a wedding is NOT going to yield accurate information. The number you will find is an AVERAGE and not necessarily a reflection of the costs in your market or the vision you have for your wedding. The best place to get accurate information on the costs associated with your guest count and vision is by consulting with your venue coordinator or an experienced and well-respected wedding planner in your market.

  • Mistake #4:

Crowd sourcing decisions or asking married friends for advice. This might seem like an obvious place to look for vendors referrals and other advice. You might think if it worked for them if will be a perfect choice for me.  Keep in mind that your friends vision, budget  and priorities might be different than what is important to you and the overall experience you wish to share with your guests.  The venue may be vastly different, your friend got married in a rustic barn and your wedding is at a historic mansion. Stay true to YOUR vison, the meaning behind your celebration and the experiences that feel unique to your personality. Don’t let a lot of outside noise hijack your vision.

  • Mistake #5:

Not hiring a wedding planner! Yes, this is a shameless plug for me and all of my wedding planner colleagues. An experienced, professional wedding planner can ensure you will avoid the mistakes  listed above and can make wedding planning FUN. A good wedding planner is your  insurance policy . Their goal is to minimize  and eliminate risk. They  think through every detail and guide you to the best choices to  minimize and prevent stressful things from happening.  And when unexpected things happen, they have the experience and expertise to solve problems.

comments +

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

follow @havardevents

Where It All Comes Together.

For more impeccable events,