Don’t fall into these common traps of wedding planning mistakes.
Wedding planning is both an exciting and exhausting process. It is pretty understandable for couples, especially the bride, to miss a thing or two during the planning stage, on the day of the wedding, and even after the event.
To give you a heads up, here are the top 10 biggest, most common mistakes that brides make. Be sure you don’t commit them by downloading it as a checklist during the course of your wedding planning:
10. Failing to factor in extra costs in your budget
Especially for the reception budget, most couples think on a “price per head basis”. However, not all wedding catering packages are comprehensive. Music, venue decorations, the reception bar – these things may not be part of their service. Be sure to check. At the same time, extra services you need like transportation for guests, welcome snacks and drinks for arriving parties, etc. need to be factored in.
The best strategy is to set a budget, list down all expenses in super detail including miscellaneous items, and assign a percentage of the budget to each.
9. Not considering the venue first before buying your bridal dress
Most brides have a dream wedding gown on their most special day. However, most fail to match it with the venue of the event or ceremony. You might be inclined to wear a wedding dress with long, cathedral trail… but your wedding venue is set on a simple garden setting. The dress is overwhelming and a mismatch. So before purchasing or selecting a bridal dress – consider the place where you will have the ceremony.
8. Choosing accommodation and venue that are too far from the airport
If you can’t help it, at least provide ample transportation for arriving guests from overseas. They have spent a considerable amount of time and money on your special day. You can reciprocate the gesture by anticipating their needs such as providing convenient transportation, accommodation, welcome snacks and beverage after the flight.
7. Not considering your guests’ dietary restrictions
Our team is known for staging the best multicultural weddings in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. And we know for a fact that couples do invite their friends who are not from the same ethnicity or culture they belong in. In this regard, it’s important to also consider their dietary restrictions. Same goes for your guests with certain food allergies, and the like.
6. Forgetting to feed your suppliers or vendors
You can book food suppliers who can provide affordable packed meals for your photographers, event coordinators, and other vendors who are working round the clock on the day of your wedding. You don’t want to starve your team so they can deliver the experience you want to achieve.
5. Not setting aside time for hair, makeup, and dress rehearsals
Surprisingly, some brides (especially those tight on time), forego doing the rehearsals for hair and makeup, and even the dress rehearsal! The result? They don’t achieve the bridal look that suits them the most – unless you are confident to do your own makeup since you know what looks best on you. When you miss the rehearsals, there’s a greater chance of things not going as smoothly (and as timely) as you expect it to be – plus the anxiety it brings you. So plan ahead and make time for these.
4. Allowing a huge time gap between ceremony and reception
When the ceremony and reception are held in two separate venues, there is usually a bigger time gap between these two parts of a wedding. It may leave your guests bored, uneasy, or worst: hungry! So either you reduce this time gap, or make sure you provide something for them: maybe an entertainment number, cocktails and snacks in the lounge area, or an activity they can do while transitioning to the next part of the event.
3. Crash dieting
Very popular among time-strapped brides! We all know how unhealthy, not to mention stress-inducing this can be. So instead of spending only a month in diet and exercise, do it in a more sustainable and achievable timetable: at least 6 months before the wedding.
2. Showing up late!
One of the worst things that could happen to you is showing up late on your own wedding day! Whether it’s for the ceremony, reception, rehearsals, meetings, on-the-day preps: Being late puts you at a disadvantage. It also makes everyone a bit uneasy instead of enjoying a more relaxed feel of the experience. Understandable, we know there are certain factors that can come into play which could result in delays, but the key here is proper planning and time management.
1. Not hiring a wedding planner
Honestly, the best way to avoid all these big (and small) mistakes is to hire a wedding planner. Whether it’s for the whole planning process or just on-the-day, what’s important is you have someone or a whole team who is on top of the situation. You don’t need to put out every fire that comes out. Your wedding planning team will be there to cover all the bases.
Mimi Ebichi | The White-Glove Wedding Planner for Busy Couples
If you’re looking for the right team to put together a very personal, heartfelt, and luxury wedding, contact Mimi Ebichi’s team of wedding specialists in Virginia, DC, and Maryland to make your dream wedding come to life! We have a comprehensive list of wedding vendors who can cater to your personal requests – especially for the busiest couples who need a dependable hand on their wedding planning journey. Contact us here.
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