Common Mistakes

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1. Spending More Then Your Budget

Before you start shopping
for your wedding dress or search for a venue, it’s important for you and your
fiancé to set a budget. The number one mistake couples make is blowing their
budget or not even setting one to begin with. I know you’d much rather skip to
the fun stuff as soon as you get engaged, but you’d be setting yourself up for
disappointment and possibly debt. The last thing you want to do after returning
from your honeymoon is having to pay off credit card loans. If you’ve
underestimated some expenses, don’t panic! You may just have to give up an item
or trade it in for a less expensive option. One important tip to consider while
drawing up a budget is to include charges for overtime, gratuities, and car
services from start to finish. It’s better to assume you’ll be paying more and
end up paying less than your budget at the end of the night rather than
spending more then you anticipated. 

2. Not Getting a Contract

     Having
a paper or email copy of a contract from EVERY vendor will save you on the big
day. Written contracts, not verbal, provide you with a legal document stating
the expectations the individual or business must uphold to. If the golf course
only set up 10 tables, it’s easier to go back to your contract and show them
that you had requested 12, and for them to fix it rather than you running
around trying to figure out how to get two extra tables and chairs. Having a
contract can also save you from getting extra charges for set up and tare down
and inform you of what counts as an upgrade.

3. Doing it All Yourself

      While working on projects with your fiancé can save you money
it will cost you time. There are plenty of benefits to DIY projects. Rather
than doing everything you found on Pinterest try and choose your top two or
three and then do some research to find a ready-made version of the others.
With websites like Etsy and Amazon it shouldn’t be too hard to find that rustic
‘Welcome to the Wedding of’ decal. Buying that for less than $20 can keep you
from breaking your DIY sign in half after painting crooked and not noticing
until you’re half way done.

      With all that said don’t save anything for the morning of.
There is no such thing as a “little task” when it comes to planning a wedding.
You don’t want to realize that you somehow are missing place cards for guests H
through K the morning of. It’s better to get ahead on your wedding timeline.
You’d be surprised by how many people demand your attention and how many miscommunications
with vendors pop up the month of your wedding. The closer the wedding gets, the
busier you’ll be, so sticking to your timeline is essential.

4. Doing Anything Before the Guest List

      Your guest list determines most of the other elements of your
wedding such as the venue, catering bill, ceremony seating, and party favors.
You wouldn’t want to put a down payment with a catering company that charges
extra for a reception with over 100 people, and you realize you have 150
guests. Another mistake couples make is to invite more than they are planning
because they assume a percentage of them will RSVP “No”. This can create
problems if the venue you already paid for isn’t able to hold the total number
you invited. You won’t be able to guarantee how many guests will attend until
you receive all the RSVP’s. Only when you get this number set should you begin
deciding the other details.

5. Trying To Please Everyone

Pleasing every single one
of your family members and friends is an unrealistic expectation. At the end of
the day this is your wedding and the only people you should be concerned about
pleasing is yourself and your fiancé. You want your guests to be comfortable so
as long as they have a chair to sit in, comfortable temperature (fans or
heaters), and food they should be fine. As the details of your color/theme,
dress, and decorations come together the only people you should consider are
you and your fiancé. Worrying about what others think will only take away the
joy from the planning process. I give you permission to be a little selfish and
do what you want to do for your big day.