The Biggest Mistakes That Any Couple Makes

As soon as you say “yes!” to the proposal, a huge wedding planning journey lays before you. You might be feeling stressed, you might have been dreaming of this for years… you might have a team of family and friends to help you, or you might be feeling very alone on the path. If you’ve reached this post, you’re almost certainly researching how to plan your wedding, and looking for the biggest mistakes that any couple makes so you know what NOT to do! If you’ve already done any of these, don’t fret. This list is not the end of the world, but more a guide that we hope will help set you up for success from the get-go and avoid any stress on your journey.

The Biggest Mistakes That Any Couple Makes – What NOT to Do in Planning Your Wedding

Not considering the experience of you & your guests

A lot of times couples get sucked into the world of pinterest and wedding magazines and focus on what the event will LOOK like rather than what they want their wedding to FEEL like. Think about the experience and vibe you want to create for you and your guests, and create a celebration that will bring that vision to life.

Putting guests over your wants

When it comes to wedding planning, it can feel like everyone has an opinion. While that can often be true, it’s important to remember that it’s your big day, and the opinions of others shouldn’t change your wants and needs! The best way to overcome this is to do some soul searching up front about what you and your fiancé want for your wedding day, and focusing on what is non-negotiable. If the two of you go into planning with these firm wants, you can be a united front against others’ opinions.

Ordering too many invites/programs/etc

One of the biggest mistakes that any couple makes in our experience is ordering too many invites, programs, and other paper goods. You may be inclined to look at your guest count and order that number of invitations, but you’ll be ordering at least twice as many as you really need! Instead, be sure to count the number of households. Couples can share a program, and you only need as many invitations as you have addresses to send them to.

Not delegating tasks

Delegating is essential to a successful wedding. You just can’t be everywhere or do everything! Whether you hire a wedding planner/coordinator or simply assign tasks to a couple trusted friends/family members, don’t make the same mistake as I did on my wedding. (See the story here!)

Working too close to the wedding

Lots of couples try to work right up until the rehearsal on Friday night before the big day. We understand it’s not always possible, but if you are able we definitely recommend taking time off the week of your wedding! There will be so many last minute things you remember need doing, and family will start getting into town a day or two before that you’ll want to spend time with. If you can avoid the stress of having too much going on that week that can make a world of difference!

Not researching potential vendors

We’ve seen couples who did not spend much time at all researching the potential vendors they could work with, and then regretting that booking when they discover others through the planning journey. Make sure you throw a wide net when you begin your search so that you can be confident that you’ve left no stone unturned! Similarly, when you do decide on booking someone, make sure you interview them and check what other couples who have worked with them have to say about that experience. You’ll feel extra sure of the team you assemble for the big day, and have less stress as the day unfolds!

Not telling your wedding planner about tricky family dynamics

We understand, family dynamics are a tricky thing to face on the wedding day. Our job is to make sure everything goes smoothly for you, though, and part of that is knowing about your family drama. We want to know who doesn’t get along with whom, who we should distract away from the getting ready suite, what kiddos will need extra attention, and all the nitty gritty to watch out for on the big day so that everything turns out perfect!

Trying to DIY too much for a destination wedding

So many of our couples here in Colorado are coming in from out of town/state, and a common mistake we see these couples make is trying to DIY too many parts of their day. Make sure you consider how you will travel with DIY decor and what happens if anything goes wrong in the travel process. Destination weddings already have a lot of moving parts to keep track of, and we really recommend limiting your DIY projects to lessen the stress on you.

Buying the dress before you have a venue

Unless you find your absolute dream dress on a huge sale you cannot pass up, it’s really a good idea to wait to buy the dress until you have booked your venue. The venue hunt can reveal some tricky terrain you’ll want to navigate in your dress, or have a vibe you didn’t expect when you went into the search. We’ve seen brides come into the hunt with a ballgown style dress and then book a very boho style venue that they end up buying a new dress to match. That can really be a big headache! Save yourself the stress, and wait until after the venue is chosen to say yes to the dress.

 

These are the biggest mistakes that any couple makes during the wedding planning process. Avoiding these mistakes will set you up for success on the big day, and lessen any stress through the journey there too. If you have any other pro-tips for couples beginning their planning process, leave them below in the comments!