On July 7th of 2020 my now Husband proposed to me. I quickly began ordering books on Amazon to help me plan my wedding. I had helped my cousin plan and execute her 2016 wedding that ended up being super beautiful. I was confident that I could absolutely manage the planning and set up of my own day. I very quickly realized there was a lot more to wedding planning than what I had dealt with previously.
At the time my Fiancé and I were working 45-50 hours a week with days off changing each week and start times varying each day. After work every day I would scour the internet looking for venues, photographers, florists, and caterers in my area that met my expectations as well as fit my budget. This proved to be a difficult task because I didn’t have the time to meet with the vendors I wanted to get information on because of my busy work schedule.
Looking back now almost two years from the time I began planning my wedding I have many regrets about my day.
- Hiring my Wedding Planner Late
I hired my wedding planner at the beginning of 2021 just 10 full months before my wedding day and I completely regret waiting so long. I could have saved myself so much headache and stress had I found my wedding planner before trying to take on the huge task myself.
- Relying on Friends and Family for DIY Wedding Decor
It is super common for brides to try to save money by asking crafty friends or family to DIY their wedding decorations. My BIGGEST piece of advice I can give any bride is to SKIP IT. Your wedding only matters to you, your husband, and the people you are paying to do a job for the wedding. You may spend a little extra money on purchasing decor from a store, an Etsy seller, or a local vendor. It is well worth not having the stress or potentially having to dish out even more money to fix the DIY disaster last minute before your wedding so you can have decorations.
- Purchasing Decorations That I Could Have Rented
When I first got engaged, I was super excited and I began buying decorations from Amazon. At the time, I didn’t know renting my decor was an option. Thankfully, after finding my wedding planner I rented everything I could from her. It saved me so much time, energy, and effort. I didn’t have to worry about finding decorations that matched, storing them until the wedding, or packing them up after the wedding. Just to turn around, take them home, and sell them for less than what I paid.
- Having a Timeline for Bridal Party Outfits, Not Sticking to It
I seriously regret making a timeline for my bridal party outfits and not sticking to it. I was so overwhelmed with stress just days before my wedding as we were having to rush order items to be delivered the day before the wedding. I am so thankful for my wedding planner who helped manage this situation when I felt uncomfortable and overwhelmed.
- Inviting People who Disrupted My Day to Please Others.
I invited several people because of pressure from others and not because I wanted them there. These people were hugely disruptive and disrespectful to me and my wedding planner. My wedding planner stopped them from coming into the bridal suite three times before the wedding began and they still managed to sneak up after being stopped. I wish I would only have invited those who I actually wanted there. Having to hear about all of their drama during my wedding was really stressful and exhausting. My day was supposed to be about my husband and I. Not about what an angry guest was upset with during cocktail hour. Having to hear from numerous other guests the comments and complaints made very loudly to everyone in the room was not only beyond inappropriate, but so embarrassing.
- Not Hiring a Videographer
At the time I thought two photographers would be enough coverage for the day. Looking back I was so extremely busy being pulled in so many different directions, I missed so much of my day. I am glad I have photos to look back on. However, I really regret not having a wedding video made to watch myself and to have for my children.
- Not Having A Budget Made Before I Started Spending
When I began planning my wedding I was not keeping track of any expenses for a budget. I was choosing vendors that I thought were professionals and worth the price. I went over budget on things that were extremely important to me to have the best day. Once my wedding planner was hired she helped me nail down a budget and stick to it as best as I could. A few things I went over budget on were the signs I had custom made, my wedding dress alterations that were nearly as much as my dress, and lodging the night before the wedding. As much as I was bummed that I went over budget, my wedding would not have been what it was without the extra that was spent.
