 10 biggest
pre-wedding mistakes..
Even the brightest, most on-top-of
bride or groom can make mistakes during the planning of there wedding. Below
are the 10 things you should keep an eye on before saying I do.
1. Blowing off your budget. It costs a lot of money to throw a
wedding. Excited brides start booking vendors and making purchases without
having a real budget and then are shocked to discover they've already spent all
of their money (or parents' money) and don't yet have half the things they
need. If you bounce checks or don't have the money to pay your deposits or make
your final payments on the wedding day, your wedding will not happen. Trust us
-- the band is not going to play all night if you don't pay. Planning a wedding
is serious business. Make a budget and keep track of your expenditures so you
won't be walking naked down the aisle.
2. Messing up
the marriage license. There are so many rules surrounding marriage
licenses that brides are always botching up this one. For instance, if you get
your license 61 days before your wedding in Pennsylvania, you won't be able to
legally marry on your wedding day because a license is valid there for only 60
days. Go to obtain your license the day before your wedding, and you may not
get it in time because some states have a three-day waiting period. A common
mess-up for those marrying for a second time is not bringing official divorce
papers when you go to get the certificate. Don't let this happen to you --
search for marriage license information far in advance
3. Ordering your wedding gown too late. If your heart is set
on a couture gown, be sure to order by the six-month mark since your dress will
be custom-made and, many times, made overseas. In addition, most off-the-rack
dresses will require alterations, so make certain that you have enough time to
get the gown fitted properly. You'll want to leave plenty of time for shipping
and for your fittings. The same goes for the bridesmaid dresses.
4. Booking hotel rooms too late. Brides often leave blocking
out hotel rooms for out-of-town guests until the last minute. If you're
marrying during a busy time and you don't investigate hotel availability in
advance, you can end up with literally not a single room for your guests to
stay. Your wedding will go on -- but no one will be able attend. Reserve rooms
as early as possible. Begin your research up to year in advance, and make sure
your block is booked at the eight-month mark. Be sure to include hotel
information in your save-the-date cards or invitations. This doesn't mean you
will have to pay for the rooms, you are just setting them aside -- your guests
can put down their credit cards when they call to book their rooms.
5. Inviting too many guests. Make sure your
guest list and your reception site capacity match up numbers-wise. You can't
invite 400 people assuming only 250 will accept, because if you end up with 300
acceptances, you may have to turn 50 guests away at the door. Most reception
sites can't just add 10 more tables -- fire laws limit the maximum number of
people allowed in any room at one time. Analyze your guest list from the
get-go, assume 80% will respond yes, and limit your guest list accordingly.
6. Partaking in last-minute beauty treatments and crash
diets. Many brides think that scheduling a facial the day before the
wedding will leave their skin looking angelic on their big days. Thinking of
tanning the day before your wedding? Think again: you may end up with blisters
instead of sun-kissed skin. Last-minute beauty treatments can lead to
breakouts, mistakes or, even worse, serious infections. Same goes for crash
dieting in the weeks leading up to the wedding -- after all those gown
fittings, your dress may not fit! Stick to a long-term beauty regimen with lots
of rest, a good diet, and safe over-the-counter beauty products like sunless
tanners. Save the heavy-duty beauty treatments for at least two weeks before
the big day or you could risk ruining all the hard work you've done to make
your wedding -- and your photos -- perfect (never mind putting your health and
happiness at risk for the most important day of your life)!
7. Underpaying invitation postage. You'd be surprised how many
brides just stick a regular stamp on their invites and drop the whole batch
into a mailbox. All but a few wedding invitations require additional postage --
sometimes up to .55 cents. The postal service will not take pity on you -- your
invites will be returned, rubber-stamped with that ugly "insufficient postage"
sign, and it will take at least three weeks (never mind the additional $$) to
get those invitations back out the door. Get one invitation weighed -- at the
post office -- before purchasing your stamps. Note: square invitations require
additional postage not only because of the weight but the shape -- so don't try
to figure this out by yourself.
8. Ignoring religious
restrictions. Inappropriate attire for the church or temple, or skipping
the pre-canae, may keep your officiant from marrying you when the big day comes
around. Take your religious restrictions seriously. To avoid any day-of
disasters, be sure to meet with your officiant within one month of getting
engaged. Your house of worship may perform ceremonies only on specific days, so
settle on a date with your clergyman before you start to book vendors and put
down deposits. Be sure to ask him or her about religious rules, such as: Do you
need to complete a pre-cana course? Can you write your own vows? Do you need to
cover your shoulders? Is secular music permitted?
9.
Trying to go it alone. If you are a bride lucky enough to have been
offered help by friends or family members, by all means take it! Too many
brides try to do it all -- and this isn't a good idea. Delegate and use all the
resources that are available to you (The Knot magazines and books, not to
mention our website, offer lots of help and information on different topics.)
When people offer to assist -- like your mom, your future mother-in-law, or
your best friend -- find something for them to do, like researching a vendor or
addressing invitations. On that note, it's important to keep in mind that these
volunteers are not hired help -- be sure that you accept their contributions
graciously.
10. Forgetting to focus on what's
important. Keep in mind that you are getting married and starting a life
together, not just planning a wedding. Brides, be good to your grooms. And
grooms, be good to your brides! Some tension between the two of you (and among
members of your family) is inevitable due to the sticky topics that weddings
stir up, but don't ever let things get out of control. Remember why you decided
to take this leap in the first place!
Bonus Tip.
Band Vs. DJ As a general rule, DJs cost less. The songs that they play will
sound exactly as you remember them. Also, a DJ can be more versatile -- they
can go from pop songs right into country, disco, or big band without any
problem. If your reception area is on the small side, a DJ may be better than a
band because there equipment will take up less room than a band. If the need
arises for them to take a break, say for a restroom call, etc. (they, do not as
a rule, take breaks!) there won't be a break in the music! they just pop in a
mix CD or program there decks and the party continues without a pause. A band
is very likely to be more expensive -- as a rule because there are more people
to pay! You probably will not get to hear every song you want, because most
bands may not know everything off the tops of their heads. Songs will sound
different than you remember them, because they are the band's interpretation. A
band will need to take breaks, so there will be pauses in the action. But as
some say, there's nothing like live music! If you decision is to go with a
band, consider a DJ too! Many have done this on occasion serving as the MC and
filling in music during band breaks.
Courtesy of
Bridal Association of
America
 Back to
Weddings |
