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There are so many details to keep organized when planning a wedding that it’s easy to let things slip through the cracks. After all, you’re only human, and even the most thoughtfully planned wedding can hit snags when it comes down to executing the big day. Of course, bad weather doesn’t necessarily mean a ruined day, but there are some wedding mishaps you can prevent with a bit of foresight and preparation.
A little bit of planning goes a long way in making sure your special day goes off without a hitch, especially if you consider any potential problems that might occur. We’ve rounded up 10 of the most common mistakes and mishaps at weddings—and how to prevent them from happening on your big day.
1. Rain on your Wedding Day
While you can’t control the weather, you can prepare for it. Ask your venue about their rain plan and make sure you have a backup plan. Most all inclusive wedding venues have a backup plan when something goes wrong, so asking them about it could be a good idea before you decide to book.
Alternatively, if you decide to have your wedding outside and it’s raining on your wedding day, you’ll want to keep these things in mind. Have a backup venue. It might be worth looking into venues indoors or an outdoor space that can be enclosed, and don’t forget to have a backup dress, hairstyle, and menu.
2. Bridesmaids Gone Wrong
Sometimes, choosing a suitable bridesmaid can be a shot in the dark. Of course, you want the best bridesmaid for your wedding, but sometimes things can go wrong on your wedding day. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that you can change at the last minute, so you must choose your bridesmaids wisely. You want to make sure that they share the same vision as you, will be reliable and trustworthy, and won’t distract from your day or be a negative influence.
While, it is normal for a bridesmaid to make suggestions about your big day, at the end of the day you can’t please everyone. It can be hard to track what everyone wants in their dress, hairstyle, etc., so make sure everyone knows exactly what they’re getting into before agreeing to participate in your big day!
3. Losing the Rings
This would make any bride or groom crazy! Imagine it’s time to exchange the ring, and you find out that the best man doesn’t have it! Or maybe you decided to take pictures in the beautiful park, and it’s time to show off your ring, and oh no. It’s gone! There is no way to find it among the beautiful bouquet of freshly planted roses. You’ve lost your wedding ring, and no amount of crying and gnashing of teeth will bring it back. The best way to protect your rings from getting lost is to ensure that your wits are about you.
4. No-Show Vendors
It’s imperative that you have a plan B when dealing with vendors. For example, you should have a backup photographer, extra flowers, and a backup venue if you’re getting married at an outdoor location. The same goes for any other vendor providing services.
It’s also important that you make sure they know how much notice they need to give if they can’t make it on the day of your wedding. Give them as much notice as possible. If something comes up with one of these vendors on the day, and they don’t show up? There’s nothing left to do but move forward with the party! The most you can do is try to find a last-minute vendor to cover what’s missing.
5. Bad Seating Arrangements
One of the most important things to consider when planning your wedding is how guests will be seated. Seating arrangements can make or break a reception, so getting them right is important.
Guests can be seated by age and gender whenever possible, so that older guests aren’t surrounded by younger people who might make them uncomfortable or feel like they don’t belong there. Also, keep track of people that won’t gel together. The last thing you want is drama at your wedding.
6. Unruly Guests
If you’re planning a wedding, it’s important to ensure that all of your guests know what is expected of them. You must have a clear set of rules for how guests should behave and act at the venue, especially if it involves drinking.
Make sure that you have clearly defined expectations for the behavior of all of your guests—and include them in your invitations! While some people will still do something inappropriate (like telling off-color jokes), this will at least give them an idea before they arrive at the wedding if they are going to be welcome or not.
7. Over Budget? Time to Cut Costs
Weddings can get expensive. You’re paying for the venue, food, drinks, decorations, and so much more. So, keeping on top of your budget is essential, so give these some food for thought:
Do-It-Yourself:
Instead of hiring professionals like photographers and caterers who will charge by the hour or per person served at dinner, try asking some friends or family members if they’d like to help out with little jobs like decorating tables with flowers or creating centerpieces. This way, everyone gets involved instead of just paying someone else while they sit back and relax during their free time!
Bring Your Own Booze + Food:
There’s nothing wrong with serving champagne as part of your meal—but why pay $50-$100 for each bottle when you could buy cases online for about half that amount? Plus, when everyone brings their own booze instead, there won’t be any wasted bottles left over after everyone goes home; no waste equals less money spent! The same method applies when buying food, too. Ask your guests what they want or prefer, and do a buffet.
8. Alcohol Problems, Drunken Mishaps, and Brawls
Alcohol is a great way to relax and celebrate. But it can cause severe problems on your wedding day when you’re out of control.
Drunken guests can ruin the wedding for everyone else in attendance. They might also cause fights, injuries, and damage to property. Even worse, they might get arrested or get into car accidents on their way home from the reception!
Alcohol problems are much more severe than just embarrassing anecdotes from your wedding day years later—they affect everyone around them too! So when planning your wedding, keep this rule in mind: When in doubt, have a dry bar, or go pay per drink.
9. A Sick Bride, Groom or Family Member
We pray this never happens, but it’s life, and life often finds a way. It’s important to have a backup plan in case of illness, family emergencies, and weather emergencies. If a loved one becomes ill at the last minute, consider asking someone else to step in as an escort for your bride or groom. If you are sick, or your partner is sick, gauge how you feel, don’t try to push through it. It’s better to have you healthy than struggling down the aisle.
10. Limo Problems and Other Transportation Issues
If a limo or bus is part of the plan, make sure they are on time and ready to go (and not stuck in traffic). Ensure that all the drivers have maps of the area to find where they’re going. Don’t leave this up to chance! If you live in a rural area or somewhere with limited public transportation options, make sure you have someone who knows how to get around town by car—this could be a parent or grandparent if necessary.
Take away
Hopefully, these wedding day tips will put you at ease and allow you to enjoy your wedding day rather than worry about all the problems that can go wrong. Of course, the best way to avoid problems is to plan.
The more you prepare for something like a wedding, the less likely it is that something won’t go as planned. You should also have a backup plan in case of emergencies. You have no way of knowing when an emergency may arise on your big day, but if you have a backup plan ready, it will help keep everyone calm and ensure that everything goes smoothly.
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