Wedding Planning Mistakes + How to Avoid Them!
Author - Stacy Dymalski (Girl Friday Weddings)
Style Collective - The Biggest Mistakes Couples Make When Planning a Wedding
All text and images Copyright Style Bridal 2011
When people look back on your wedding day the last thing you want them to remember is something negative. We’ve all heard horror stories of caterers running out of food, bridal party members getting lost, guests getting hungry (or obnoxiously drunk), music being too loud… the list goes on. Every one of these unfortunate situations stems from errors in planning. But the good news is the people who’ve come before you have already made these mistakes so you don’t have to repeat them.
Proper planning is the key to a great wedding. You want your big day to be as special to your guests as it is to you, which is exactly why you want to avoid some of the most common mistakes couples make when planning their weddings.
Not Everyone Likes the Food
When deciding what food to serve your guests, keep in mind that people are now more health conscious than ever. Studies show that up to 10% of the population (depending on where you live) prefer to eat a vegetarian diet. So if all you’re serving is beef or chicken, then some of your guests are going to leave hungry (and most likely grumpy as a result). Be sure to offer at least one vegetarian entrée option, regardless of whether you’re hosting a sit-down dinner or a buffet.
Also, in the interest of your guests’ dry cleaning bills, try not to serve messy, overly greasy food that is cumbersome to deal with, particularly if you’re thinking of having a travelling entrée.
And as for dessert, wedding cake is the preferred after-dinner delicacy; however, many couples today opt for alternatives such as petite fours, tarts, or plated dessert. Some couples even forego sweets altogether. Unless you have a strong objection to cake, bite the bullet and serve some sort of traditional wedding pastry. True, this is your day, so you should cater to your desires, however, your guests will feel cheated if they don’t get to watch you cut the cake and bestow you with a champagne toast.
Where is This Place and How Long Before We Eat?
Keep in mind that your guests had to commute to your wedding, sit through your ceremony, and then possibly drive to your reception location. Then they have to wait for you to show up before the post-nuptial festivities can formally begin. It could be hours between the last time your guests ate and the reception meal. So don’t make them wish they’d stopped for a bite to eat before they showed up to your wedding. If you know it will be a while before your guests get to eat, have a waiter or two mingle with a plate of hors d’oeuvres as soon as guests arrive at the reception. Choose items that are satisfying, but not so heavy that they ruin everyone’s appetite for the main meal. And again, offer vegetarian options for those who prefer not to partake in meat.
And speaking of commuting, if your wedding is in a remote area or located in some far-off destination make sure you pre-arrange transportation for your guests. Even if you’re not paying for their travel, offer economical options by coordinating with the resident transportation companies or airlines. You can even organise a private bus service to get your guests to where they need to be, at precisely the time they need to be there. Many local companies offer discounts if you can guarantee a minimum number of guests will use their services.
Hey, I’m Still Hungry!
How much food to plan for is always tricky because even though guests are supposed to RSVP, sometimes they don’t, but they still show up, and even with their kids. However, the WORST thing that can happen is that you run out of food before everyone’s had a chance to eat, especially if you’re hosting a cocktail reception and the alcoholic beverages are flowing freely. Therefore, you should always plan for more guests than you expect. For example, count on the people who haven’t RSVPed, even if you’re not sure they’ll make it. It’s better to end up with a slight surplus of food at the end, than to risk your guests grumbling about how they patiently waited to be served, only to end up with a breadstick and a glass of wine.
And the Band Played On…
People love to chat and catch up or get to know one another while eating. However, there’s nothing more annoying than being forced to shout over music while conversing. For this reason have the band or DJ take a break during the meal service. Music is fine when people are arriving (and an absolute must for after-dinner dancing), but once the plates hit the tables, guests want to settle in and enjoy their surrounding company. That’s hard to do when they can’t hear the person sitting across from them.
What Happens Next?
That’s what everyone will be wondering if you don’t hire a professional MC, or at least rely on a friend who’s good at public speaking. A professional MC will keep the evening flowing by announcing what comes next (i.e., the bridal couple’s first dance, the cake cutting, toasts, etc.) or what’s available to guests in the way of activities (i.e., a photo booth, video station, karaoke, etc.). They also coordinate with the kitchen to make sure the food comes out on time and that guests know when meal courses are being served. If you skimp on the MC, chances are your reception will flounder like a boat without a captain.
And don’t for a second think that YOU or your new spouse can fill the roll of MC, because if you do, then you’ll make the biggest mistake of all…
Not Having Fun at Your Own Wedding
After all the preparation and worry that goes into planning your wedding, it’d be a shame if you didn’t get to enjoy it. The number one reason brides don’t have a good time when the big day rolls around is because they get too caught up in the details and logistics of the wedding day itself. The only way you can have the confidence of knowing everything will go exactly as you had planned is if you hire the right people for the right job. That’s why you go through all the effort of planning in the first place – so that you have no doubt your nuptials will be as fabulous as you had always dreamed, and that for years to come everyone will talk about what a wonderful time they had at your (mistake-free) wedding.
Style Collective - The Biggest Mistakes Couples Make When Planning a Wedding
All text and images Copyright Style Bridal 2011
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