Some things are unavoidable on your wedding day like the weather and which horrific story the best man will tell. However, many risks you can mitigate before the big day arrives. Here are some handy hints…
Don’t…
- …Blow the budget on the dress; If you have £1000 set aside for your bridal look, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can buy a £1000 gown. If you’re not buying off the rack, you could get charged for shipping and you’ll likely need alterations too. Consider your undergarments, shoes, veil, hair accessories and jewellery when budgeting as well.
- …Send save the dates too early; It may be tempting to tell everyone about your wedding date as soon as possible, but don’t send those save-the-date cards until you’ve finalized the guest list. Friends could turn into mere acquaintances by the time you tie the knot. You also might be glad if some people can’t make it if you’re struggling with numbers. Send save-the-dates out no more than six to eight months before your wedding date, and send them only to guests you’re positive will be invited.
- …Choose your guests too early; Your wedding party should be made up of your closest friends and/or family members. Don’t choose too early as you’ll never know who will be emigrating and which family members you will fall out with.
- …Give too little time to make-up time; Ideally you want to be the last one to get your hair and makeup done on the wedding day, so your makeup is fresh. This means you’re going to have to schedule enough time for all of your bridesmaids (if they’re having hair and makeup done too) as well as you. When you go for your hair trials, time how long it takes your hairstylist.
- …Take too little time for photos; Squeezing photos into the first half hour of your cocktail hour will make you anything but at ease. If you don’t want to do a first look, take pictures separately beforehand so the only shots left to take after the ceremony include both of you.
- …Gett Trashed the Night Before the Wedding; Whether your friends have mistakenly planned the stag/hen parties for the night before the wedding (a couple weeks before is ideal timing) or the ‘couple as a freeman’ drinks that escalate the night before… avoid at all costs.
- …Lose Perspective; Don’t forget to keep your eye on what’s really important to you. Don’t get bogged down in so many small details that you don’t spend enough time on what’s important. If something goes wrong, try your best to take deep breaths and think about the big picture. Above all, keep your sense of humour.
- …Give the best man a free-ticket; The best man’s speech. Cringe worthy speeches about ex-girlfriends and stories that should well and truly only stay between close friends, should not go anywhere near that best man’s speech. They should also not go on for days on end. Five minutes is more than long enough.
- …Bring uninvited guests; Bringing someone who was not invited, failing to RSVP but turning up, arriving late or changes tables. All of this fits under this category. Never bring someone who does not have an invitation. A lot of time goes into planning a wedding and numbers would have been counted/food and drinks would have been pre paid, so to simply turn up with a plus one just isn’t on.
- …Forget to put your phone on silent/turn it off; DOH! This is the last thing people want to hear when such an important event is about to take place. Do this before you arrive at the location so there are no awkward moments.
