Dear Brides-to-Be,

Planning a wedding shouldn’t be stressful as long as you have: generously allotted time, exceptionally high organizational skills, explicit communications, & careful planning. But even the most organized brides tend to make the mistakes as they are not professional planners.

Here is a list of 12 Biggest Wedding Planning Mistakes & how to Avoid them!

1. Not having a Budget – if this first step is not taken right, the entire wedding planning process will leave you frustrated. Set budgets for each section of the wedding (ballroom, planner, decor, hair+makeup, photographer, food, giveaways, etc) and then make selection of your wedding vendors according to your budget.
2. Not Having a Wedding Checklist – you are human and bound to forget things such appointments, making payments, following up with vendors, etc. Having a wedding checklist is a must-have & it helps you plan the wedding while keeping you on schedule.
3. No Plan B – what if it rains, the dress rips, hairstylist doesn’t show up? (unfortunately, I’ve witnessed all three things happening). Always have your plan B ready. Ask yourself more questions & answering them yourself will make you more prepared with the detailed planning.
4. Unclear Conversations with Vendors – do NOT assume that the decorator will do favors, the florist will decorate the cake with real flowers, photographer will stay for additional hours, or your makeup artist will also do your sisters’ makeup – for Free!! Ask specific questions, have clear conversations with each vendor as to what is included in the packages and what is considered as additional cost, and have everything included in the contracts in writing.
5. Not Reading the Contracts – Brides tend to pay so much extra for last minute things such as bridal suite for the couple, makeup room, screens in the ballroom although they are included in their venue contract. Read the small print for each vendors’ contracts, ask questions about each vendor’s cancellation policy, change-of-date cost, see if you are liable for any damage/loss to the venue or equipment, etc.
6. Not having Makeup & Hair Trials – unless you are hiring a hair/makeup artist you’ve worked with before, pleaseeeee go for trials! It might sound convincing to save the money at the moment, but trust me – it’ll save you from future headache & bad-surprises. Read more about wedding makeup.
7. OverInviting Guests – last minute invitations to your farrrrrr away family/friends will leave you with more guests standing at the wedding as well as throw you off the ballroom seating & food budget.
8. Purchasing the Dress First – women’s bodies tend to fluctuate faster than the seasons change. Buying a dress too early will only make you go to the alterations again and again. Also, if you haven’t decided on the type of the wedding you want to have (trendy, traditional, destination, beach, etc) do NOT purchase the dress no matter how great of a deal/find it is. Read this post for more on the dress.
9. Impulse Buying for Wedding/Honeymoon – make a list of must-haves in your emergency kit for the wedding day & honeymoon to avoid spending over on clothes, fancy toiletries, etc.
10. Investing in Wrong Things – before spending on products/things that might seem tempting, ask yourself these questions: do I really need it? do I get to keep & reuse this product after the wedding? If the answer are no, avoid spending money on it.
11. Not having Professional Photographer & Videographer – THIS is the #1 thing most brides regret after the wedding. Alllllllllll that money you’ll spend on the wedding will be wasted & forgotten, if you don’t have a professional photographer & videographer team to capture the details as well as the moments.
12. Not sticking to the Wedding Day Timeline – planning your entire wedding is one thing, planning the actual wedding day is a whole different thing. Regardless of how well you planned the wedding beforehand, if you are fall behind schedule on the actual wedding day – it’s a disaster. Make a timeline for the wedding day, communicate well with your vendors, stick to the timeline, & you’ll enjoy your day to the fullest. I Promise!

I hope these tips help you avoid the biggest wedding mistakes. May you plan a wedding of your dreams. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments section and I will be more than happy to answer them.

Your UnOfficial Bridesmaid,
~ Rima