7 wedding planning mistakes you didn’t realise you are doing (and how to overcome it)
I am not going to lie - wedding planning is hard, complicated and stressful!
Especially if you and your partner work full-time, have lots of commitments, or even already have kids - as a wedding planner, it is not rocket science to say that there isn’t a lot of time left within your busy schedules to plan.
And when you are very stressed - you don’t think right.
So here are my top 7 wedding planning mistakes you don’t realise you are doing!
7. Changing your skincare and diet schedule a week before the wedding
Did you know your body needs time to adapt to any change? This includes your skincare and diet regime. Of course, you want to experiment and decide what works best for you with your wedding just around the corner. But your body would see this as a shock and will not recover by the time you get married, especially when you are stressed.
It is always safe to maintain your routine because your body is used to it, especially within the week before the wedding. It takes more than a week for your body to adjust to change and a new routine. As tempting as it sounds - do not change your routines a week before your wedding!
6. Not having a backup weather plan
We cannot predict in far advance what the weather would be like on your wedding day. Added stress can occur (especially at last minute) if you do not have a backup weather plan!
Apart from regularly checking the weather forecast updates, it is best to discuss backup weather plans with your wedding planner, venue and photographer of options, in advance (not a month before your wedding). They know what would and wouldn’t work for any type of weather!
5. Assuming DIY is cheaper
Doing DIY puts your mind at ease because you know exactly what you want and are looking for. However, as a wedding planner, I can see how doing DIY involves hours of researching materials, comparing costs from several resources, followed by having materials and items delivered (or collected), and you putting it all together - whether you do it all by yourself or having helpers. Bear in mind, you have to find spare time to do all of this!
Outsourcing, booking and trusting suppliers will give you a lot of spare time in your hands with no stress. This allows you to focus on yourself, work and family commitments and enjoy being engaged! Having suppliers supporting you to create your wedding day (instead of DIY) also means you do not have to be in so many different places within a few days prior to your wedding (especially on the day), so that you can enjoy your wedding day without stress.
4. Skipping the T&C’s
This is no different to any other contracts. The fine print in contracts mention important information that can easily be skipped, and this can impact on the final execution, the strict timing on the day, any hidden prices and even any potential future date-postponements.
I know it is very boring! But read your supplier’s contract before signing their contract. This can not only give you warning of any hidden charges, but this can even be the dealbreaker towards officially booking with any supplier. And if you have any questions regarding the contract, do not hesitate to discuss with the supplier before booking with them.
3. Not trusting your suppliers
I get it - you personally don’t know your suppliers and because of that, you are unsure if they will do exactly what you hope and plan for on the day. Micromanaging your suppliers adds extra stress and pressure on them, leaving them to not perform on the day as well as expected.
Just remember why you selected and booked your suppliers - they are all professionals and they know what would work best on your day, whether it’s the photographer knowing the best time of day and angles, or your cake maker knowing appropriate cake size depending on your guest numbers.
2. Scrolling for more inspiration after booking suppliers
Social media is very noisy, that it is very easy to be carried away to making your dream wedding, with a fear-of-missing-out feeling. This not only gets confusing on yourself, but it certainly frustrates your suppliers if you keep changing your mind and needing to make small adjustments.
It is very tempting to keep looking after booking suppliers - but stop scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram aimlessly! Believe in yourself that your wedding will still turn out beautifully no matter what.
1. Not having a wedding budget
“Budget” is not a word that we like to see, hear and do - but it really is the most paramount step before any planning.
I say that because wedding budgets can blow up exponentially and quickly! Especially when we find out later in the wedding planning process that a lot of things were just unnecessary.
So have an honest conversation with your partner and set a realistic budget. This should be done before you look around and book suppliers. You can also split up your total budget into each category that you will need and decide what categories are non-negotiable (such as venue and flowers), then work backwards to budget everything else.
As a wedding planner in Sydney, I know we are all very busy, distracted and don’t have a lot of time to plan our own weddings. You can get in contact with me here if you wish for me to be your wedding planner, or on-the-day coordinator.
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