Let's be real, planning a wedding is an extremely difficult thing to do. There are so many blogs and articles out there telling you what you should do, but we’re going to let you in on a little secret… even with all these helpful tips and blogs at their disposal, the majority of first time couples actually have no idea what they're doing when it comes to planning their wedding! There are so many potential areas for disaster involved in wedding planning, from wedding dress shopping regrets to guest lists, hidden costs and family opinions,
To help you out a bit we've put together a list of everything NOT to do when planning your wedding!
1. Announcing your engagement right away
We understand how exciting the period after you get engaged can be, the thoughts of your big day and buying your wedding dress can fill your mind as the excitement takes over, all you want to do is tell the world your fantastic news... but take a breather first! Allow yourself to really take in the moment. P.S. when you do decide the time is right to tell everyone, be sure to tell your close family and friends first before posting to social media!
2. Blowing your budget too soon
If you read any of our previous wedding planning blogs you'll see we repeatedly recommend early budgeting for your big day, this is necessary to spending your entire budget too soon, and in some cases it prevents you from getting carried away and spending unnecessary amounts of your budget on things that you really don't need to splurge on, check out our 'wedding budget; splurge or save' blog! We recommend setting a month-by-month saving plan along with your budget, and of course start with the bigger, more important things first such as venue, dress, suit etc
3. Allowing other people to decide on the guests list
Unpopular opinion: not absolutely everyone and their mother HAS to be invited to your wedding... when creating your guest list it's essential to remember, the more people, the higher the cost, so your budget will have a huge influence on the length of your guest list. We know it can be hard to say no sometimes, but setting boundaries is not only healthy, but it can also save your budget which can be put to better use (such as wedding entertainment....duh!!)
4. Sticking with tradition because you think you have to
Although many people love temporary weddings with good reason, you absolutely do not have to stick to every single tradition just because once upon a time your great great great grandmother did it! Many of the more popular traditions include wearing white, not seeing your fiancé before the alter, tossing your bouquet, being given away, cutting the cake or even having a maid of honour or best man are not necessary! We’re seeing more and more couples putting their own personal, modern twist on some of these old traditions, and opting for private first looks, having flower grannies or guys instead of flower girls and even choosing an important woman in their life to give them away!
5. Trying to do everything yourself
A couple who won't accept help while planning their wedding is a big red flag! You simply cannot plan an entire wedding from start to finish by yourself without it leading to extreme burnout and possibly even resentment later on. Consider hiring a wedding planner who is an expert and has previous experience to help you plan your big day because, after all they are trained for the job! Not happy to let a stranger take the reins, or your budget simply won't allow it? Lean on your family and friends by allocating tasks and asking for their feedback/input.
6. Getting your wedding dress too late
When it comes to choosing your wedding dress it's extremely easy to fall into the trap of 'but my special day is ages away...' or 'that can wait until closer to the day...'. Believe us when we tell you it's NEVER to early to start wedding dress shopping! Finding your dream wedding dress is not an easy task, and you need to allow additional time for ordering in styles, shipping and alterations. With all that said and done we recommend beginning your search at least nine months before your big day!
7. Trying to save on and/or skipping a photographer/videographer
If you've been following our blogs for a long time you'll know that we always, always recommend against trying to save on your photographer/videographer. Some couples have opted to hire a student photographer/videographer in order to save a few bob, and we're here to tell you the quality is NOT the same! So, don't fall into this trap. Your big day goes by in the blink of an eye and once it's all over and done with, all your have are the photographs and videos to look back on. If you're trying to save an extra bit there are plenty of other areas where you can do so, just dont compromise on a photographer/videographer, trust us!
8. Not having a 'wet weather' backup plan in place
As the old Irish saying goes "sure it's desperate out!". While we all hope and pray for the perfect weather conditions for our big day, the weather doesn't always follow through. To be fair we do live in Ireland, so unless your planning to tie the knot on a fancy beach in Southern Spain then you absolutely do need a backup 'wet' weather plan in place! If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, consider planning a back up marquee or chat to the venue about a plan B inside location. You (and your guests) will be glad of it when you really need it!
9. Forgetting about the legal stuff
The most important, but perhaps the most overlooked thing about getting married, is walking away legally married! Be sure to get your marriage licence sorted early so you don't get caught up in the whirlwind that is wedding planning and forget about it! You can check out our blog on legal marriages in Ireland here. Remember, if you're planning a destination wedding you'll need to do your research to make sure your marriage licence is valid where you live!
10. Trying to please everyone
When it comes to weddings, everyone has an opinion on everything, whether you want to hear it or not! Although it's important to consider the guest experience when planning your wedding, the two most important people are you and your SO, so you need to know when to draw the line!
11. Not being prepared for unexpected hidden costs
You may thing you have thought of absolutely everything and you have your budget nailed down, but we're here to tell you that there are almost always hidden costs! Your suppliers are responsible for a lot so it's important to ask questions upfront and read the fine print on absolutely everything! Hidden costs can sneak up at anytime so we recommend setting aside 10% of your budget for these surprise expenses, it also helps to make sure you have everything in writing from your suppliers to look back on if needed.