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3 COMMON MISTAKES COUPLES MAKE WHEN PLANNING THEIR OWN WEDDING

Budget and guest list work hand in hand and should be considered in EVERY SINGLE DECISION a couple makes during the planning process. Is this venue big enough to hold my guest list? Can I afford the number of people on my guest list at said venue? Not making a budget leads to confusion on how much every party is contributing, without a goal to stick to the couple usually ends up spending more than they wanted, and DIY projects don’t necessarily save money)

1. Not creating a budget and guest list from the beginning of the planning process – Budget and guest list work hand in hand and should be considered in EVERY SINGLE DECISION a couple makes during the planning process. Is this venue big enough to hold my guest list? Can I afford the number of people on my guest list at said venue? Not making a budget leads to confusion on how much every party is contributing, without a goal to stick to the couple usually ends up spending more than they wanted, and DIY projects don’t necessarily save money

2. Hiring friends as vendors – couples often think they can save money by getting friends to serve as DJ, videographer, photographer, florist, baker, etc. but they lose the peace of mind that comes from hiring a professional, there’s no backup in case something goes wrong, friends don’t act like professionals if they also see themselves as guests, and without a contract and a business to back it up there’s no recourse after the wedding should the flowers or cake, etc. not show up)

3. Not allowing enough time, both in planning and on the wedding weekend – DIY brides think they can create the centerpieces, print the programs, and assemble welcome bags the week of the wedding! But there are just too many other things going on: family coming in from out of town; hair, nail, and makeup appts; fittings; bridesmaids activities and showers; packing for the honeymoon; etc. Plan to have ALL DIY projects completed at least two weeks prior to the wedding. All other planning should be finished 3-4 weeks prior to give you time for last minute changes and re-confirming with the event professionals. On the wedding weekend, you should plan as much extra time as possible for each activity, because it’s always better to run ahead of schedule and be sitting around waiting, then to be running behind and get stressed out. For hair and makeup, plan at least 2-3 hours. For photographs, your photographer will need 3-5 minute for each grouping you want- make a shot list of all those formal shots that are must-haves and calculate 3 minutes for each to determine how much time you’ll need before and after the ceremony for photographs.)

Click here for more information about Rachel’s Wedding Planning Bootcamp: A Seminar for Couples Planning Their Weddings