Even
the smartest,
most on-top-of-things
couple can
make mistakes
during wedding
planning.
Here are the
10 things
you should
keep an eye
on before
saying I do.
1.
Blowing off
your budget
It costs a
lot of money
to put on
a wedding.
Many excited
brides start
booking vendors
and making
purchases
without having
a real budget,
and then they're
shocked to
discover they've
spent all
of their money
(or their
parents' money)
and still
don't have
half the things
they need.If
you bounce
checks, don't
have the money
to pay your
deposits,
or make your
final payments
past your
vendors' deadlines,
your wedding
will not happen
as you have
planned. The
flowers won't
be delivered,
your cake
will not be
decorated,
and the band
will not play
all night
-- unless
you pay up.
Planning a
wedding is
serious business.
Make a budget
and keep track
of your expenditures.
2. Ordering
the wedding
gown and/or
bridesmaid
dresses late
If
going for
a traditional
bridal gown,
brides need
to place their
orders six
to eight months
before their
weddings.
Most gowns
are made to
order; if
you wait too
long before
your wedding
date to make
your selection,
the gown simply
may not be
ready in time.
Bridesmaid
dresses should
also be decided
upon during
the same time
period, but
only after
the gown has
been selected.
You want to
make sure
your ladies
have enough
time to get
measured and
find accessories.
3.
Procrastinating
on that prenuptial...
It
is a reality
these days
that people
-- even brides
-- have assets
they want
to protect.
(This is particularly
prevalent
now that there
are so many
second marriages
where a bride
or groom may
have children
to whom they
want their
assets to
go in case
of death.)
Leaving the
discussion
of a prenuptial
agreement
until the
week before
the wedding
is a sure-fire
way to increase
the stress
level by ten
thousand percent
-- and endanger
the impending
marriage.
4.
Messing up
the marriage
license
There
are so many
rules around
marriage licenses
that brides
are bound
to make mistakes.
Be sure to
investigate
time restrictions
well in advance
of your wedding
date. Get
your license
31 days before
in some states
-- and you
won't be able
to legally
marry on your
wedding day
because it
may be valid
for only 30
days. Go for
your license
the day before
your wedding
and you may
not get it
in time, because
some states
have a 48-hour
waiting period.
Another common
mess-up if
you're remarrying
is not having
official divorce
papers in
time to get
the certificate.
5.
Booking guest
hotel rooms
too late
Brides
often leave
blocking out
hotel rooms
for out-of-town
guests until
the last minute.
If you're
marrying in
a city (particularly
one where
conventions
take place)
or in a resort
town and you
don't investigate
hotel availability
in advance,
you can literally
end up with
not a single
room for any
of your guests
to stay in.
Your wedding
might go on
-- but no
one will be
able to attend.
Reserve a
room block
as early as
possible,
up to a year
in advance.
6.
Inviting too
many guests
Make
sure your
guest list
and your reception
site match
numbers-wise.
You can't
invite 400
people assuming
only 250 will
RSVP with
a yes -- because
if 300 happen
to say yes,
you may have
to turn 50
away at the
door. Sites
can't just
add 10 more
tables, as
fire laws
limit the
maximum number
of people
in any room
at one time.
To avoid this,
assume eighty
percent will
respond yes
and limit
your guest
list accordingly.
7.
Last-minute
beauty blunders
Many
brides think
that scheduling
chemical peels
the week before
their weddings
will leave
their skin
looking angelic
on their big
days. Others
think having
their teeth
bleached within
days of their
weddings will
leave those
pearly whites
sparkling.
Thinking of
tanning the
day before
your wedding?
Think again:
You may end
up with blisters
instead of
sun-kissed
skin. Last-minute
beauty treatments
can lead to
breakouts,
mistakes,
or -- even
worse -- serious
infections.
Start a long-term
beauty regimen
months before
the big day
and focus
on natural
and common-sense
measures such
as eating
a healthy
diet and exercising,
or you could
risk ruining
all the hard
work you've
done to make
your wedding
-- and photos
-- perfect.
(Never mind
putting your
health and
happiness
at risk for
the most important
day of your
life.)
8.
Underpaying
postage on
invites
You'd
be surprised
how many brides
just stick
a stamp on
their invites
and drop them
in a letterbox.
All but a
few wedding
invitations
require additional
postage. The
postal service
will not take
pity on you
-- your invites
will be returned
(and rubber-stamped
with that
ugly "insufficient
postage" message)
-- and it
will take
at least two
weeks (never
mind the additional
$$) to get
them back
out the door.
Be sure to
get one complete
invitation
weighed at
the post office
before purchasing
all your stamps.
9.
Ignoring religious
restrictions
If
you plan on
marrying in
a house of
worship, you
need to abide
by the rules.
Wearing inappropriate
attire or
not completing
pre-wedding
requirements
is grounds
for your officiant
to stop your
wedding before
it begins.
As soon as
you get engaged,
be sure to
contact your
house of worship
to find out
about any
potential
issues. Some
houses of
worship won't
let you marry
on certain
holy dates;
make sure
to check your
wedding date
with your
officiant
before putting
down any deposits
for your reception
site or vendors.
10.
Ignoring weather
warnings
Brides
marrying outdoors
often test
fate and just
wish for the
best when
it comes to
bad weather.
Always have
a backup plan
-- you may
not have a
place to marry
at all, or
your guests
(and you)
may be in
misery at
the hands
of Mother
Nature. Temperatures
normally around
the balmy
70-degree
mark may unexpectedly
turn into
a boiling
100-degree
debacle; be
sure to have
outdoor air-conditioning.
A hurricane,
flashflood,
or gale force
winds may
visit on your
wedding day;
make sure
you have an
interior alternative
or a tent
as a back-up
location.
