To say planning a wedding is overwhelming would be an understatement. It seems there are hundreds of things to keep track of and accomplish with so little time to do it. Because of all the work involved, there are some mistakes couple make when planning. These involve everything from flowers to the dress. The folks at David Rothstein Music have compiled this list of six of the most common wedding planning mistakes:
1. Sending out save-the-dates too soon
It can be tempting to send out save-the-date cards immediately after you get engaged, but it is best to wait a bit. Before you send out the cards, make sure you have the guest list finalized, especially with family and close friends. Have a set location before you send out the cards. It is not good planning wise to jump the gun on this step. If you really want to send the save-the-date cards before a venue is selected, at least decide on the general area where your wedding will be. Whether it be local or a destination wedding to give the guests a heads up.
According to Wedding Paper Divas, the best time to send a save-the-date is 4-6 months before the wedding, and 6-8 months before a destination wedding. Have as much information set as you can before you send out the cards.
2. Having your heart set on a particular flower
With flowers, it can be tricky to get ones that are out of season for your big day. Seasonal flowers are not only less expensive, they’re easier to obtain (A helpful hint when budgeting your wedding).
For example, you are planning a January wedding, and you have your heart set on zinnias. Well, zinnias are in season during July, and a florist will have a difficult time getting those flowers in January. Look around at other flowers in season, and talk to your florist about what the best options.
3. Trying to drastically drop a size or two before your final dress fitting
You’ve found a beautiful dress, but there is one problem: it’s not your current dress size, so your order it two sizes smaller. You then create a crazy new workout plan to lose weight before your final fitting.
Crash dieting isn’t a good idea. Not eating enough or never leaving the treadmill is not good for physical or emotional health. It is best to simply tone up, and not try to lose around 20 pounds for your wedding.
There are a ton of different wedding dresses out there, so try to find one that will fit your current size, and not one that will cause damage to your health when trying to fit into it.
4. Choosing a cheap band over a quality one
A lot goes into selecting music for your wedding. Do you want a band, dj or something completely different? A big mistake couples make when choosing a wedding band is going with the cheapest option.
The worst thing about the cheapest option is that the band may not be the most experienced. The band probably doesn’t know what to do in between courses, or when toasts go long. An experienced, and well qualified band will know what to do when something unexpected occurs. Imagine your wedding being filled with awkward silence because the cheap band didn’t know what to do when dinner went longer than expected.
A quality band will keep the party going all night. David Rothstein Music is one of the most experienced wedding bands in Chicago, and we know wedding music more than anyone else.
5. Not setting a budget
A budget is important for your wedding because the cost of everything adds up fast. Wedding budgets are difficult to stick to because your desires and wallet may not work well together. You get the dress, venue, food and flowers, then you look at the final bill and think “Oh, crap.”
Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life — you dream about it for years. It is important to make it a memorable experience, but don’t put yourself in debt while planning it.
If you set a budget, be sure to stick to it and not keep upping it every other week. If you’ve found you underestimated your budget, sit down and talk to your fiance. Look through all your options, and see if adjustments can be made. For example, repurposing a ceremony flower arrangement for the reception will trim your bill down in that area.
6. Not having a back-up plan for an outdoor wedding
Outdoor weddings are beautiful. The right time of day, location and lighting will set the mood perfectly. There is just one problem, the day of your wedding isn’t all sunshine and rainbows– it’s actually nothing but gray clouds and rain.
Sure, your wedding can continue with some dark skies or a little drizzle, but an outdoor wedding during a severe thunderstorm is a safety hazard. It’s unwise to assume rain just won’t happen, that’s like putting your fingers in your ears and screaming “I can’t hear you ran! I’m not listening!”
You can prepare for rain by booking tents, and any other preventative equipment. It may seem silly to put a deposit down on something you may not use, but you’ll be thankful when all your guests are dry in a downpour.
Your wedding is an important day, make sure you have people helping you and a set plan for it. Check out drsmusic.com for more wedding tips and info!
