5 things to avoid when wedding planning

Not keeping track of your budget

Whilst it is easier said than done, the ‘small’ purchases here and there add up and can end up being a larger chunk of your budget than expected. Check in with your partner to agree on a budget in advance of committing to any spend. Your family may want to assist with the cost of certain elements, I recommend not factoring this into your budget in advance as this can cause you to overspend where you are expecting the money but they are unable to provide the money due to changes in their financial situation. 

If you hire a wedding coordinator for the whole planning process, they can keep you on budget by suggesting suppliers in line with your budget and negotiating deals with your suppliers on your behalf. 

If you don’t hire a wedding coordinator, excel or google sheets is the way forward. I recommend monthly check in’s with your partner and spreadsheet. As you get closer to the wedding day and have more suppliers to pay, moving this up to weekly might be beneficial. 

Over inviting guests

Whilst your dream wedding may have 300 guests - do you need to invite your Mum’s best friend’s Aunt’s Neighbour? A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn't buy them dinner, don’t invite them to the wedding breakfast. If you wouldn’t buy them a drink, don’t invite them to the evening reception?

Whilst every couple has different metrics to decide who makes the cut and who doesn’t. There’s nothing wrong with 50 day guests and an additional 100 evening guests. It saves you money and allows you to focus on your nearest and dearest on the day.

Not focusing on what you and your partner want for your special day

During wedding planning, everyone is going to give you their two cents about what they think you should do on your wedding day or what they did on theirs and how you must do the same. Whilst it is lovely to have such a caring support system around you and this may give you some great ideas - you should do what you and your partner want for the day.

I always recommend making a list of your non-negotiable’s for your day and sharing this with your partner over a cosy evening. This will allow you to align your vision for the day together and get what you both want on the day.

Not thinking about your wedding timeline

Many couples do not think about the timeline for your wedding. It is essential to ensure you have enough time to complete tasks prior to your wedding such as sending out save the dates and invitations with enough time for your guests to RSVP.

This can also happen on your wedding day, for example, booking a wedding with access from 2pm with a ceremony starting at 3pm. If you have an elaborate set up this can mean that your decor team is still working when your guests arrive. Which can be stressful for your decor team and mean that your guests walk into a less than perfect set up.

Your on the day coordinator will ensure that the on the day wedding timeline makes sense and will make recommendations to ensure a seamless day.

Not being organised

Organisation will be your best friend throughout the wedding planning process. If you aren’t on top of it, it will get on top of you.

Setting clear deadlines for yourself in your planning and for your guests is important to ensure that you are able to provide information to your suppliers in a timely manner.

Hiring a wedding coordinator for the process or for just on the day, will allow you to be on top of your planning. As they will remind you of any upcoming deadlines and ensure that you don’t miss anything important.