The Biggest Mistakes Brides Make

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

Sometimes, when a diamond ring goes on a bride's left hand, the world stops in its track and changes its pattern to revolve around that bride.  Or so she thinks.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes brides make when they forget that their wedding is not the most important day in everyone else's lives.

Having a Cash Bar

Would you invite people over to dinner in your home, offer them a drink, then charge them for it?  Of course not!  So why on earth would it be alright for you to do that at your biggest and most important dinner party?!  

Not only are Cash Bars tacky, they are just plain rude.  You should never ask guests to help pay for your dream wedding, they have their own things to pay for. What's next, asking them to pay for their meal?

Registry info on Invites or Wedding Websites

Again, oh so tacky!  Including Gift Registry information in your Invitations or on your Wedding Website is like saying, "Hi!  I'm getting married, I don't really care if you come to my wedding, but I expect you to buy me a gift…from here…and I've already picked it out, because I don't trust your taste."  

There is nothing wrong with registering, but the information should be passed word-of-mouth or in the Shower Invitation, to the shower that is not planned by the bride ;).

 Doing it Yourself

The trend in weddings right now is DIY (Do It Yourself). Unfortunately, that is a lot of undue pressure.  A Bride who does everything herself, makes for a very stressed-out bride, who often pays too much for her wedding.  

DIY is great if you want to add personality, but if you are doing it to save money, you are kidding yourself.  Creating things for your wedding means buying supplies and tools you will never need again.  Also, it takes a huge amount of time.  Wedding professionals live and breathe the Wedding Industry, they already have the tools and know-how, plus they having buying power due to the volume of weddings they produce.  A person off the street usually pays a much higher premium then a wedding professional does.

On the Wedding Day, you can't be in 3 places at once and manage your Wedding while you are busy being a part of it.  Even if you don't use a Wedding Planner during the planning, make sure you have a Certified Wedding Coordinator working on your behalf on the Big Day.

Focusing too much on the Wedding and Forgetting about after the wedding

Sometimes brides will become obsessed with their wedding.  It is all they can talk about or even think about.  Many brides will lose friends during this time and some will even let their relationship with their fiance suffer.  By the time the wedding comes around, they don't have anything to talk about.

Have "wedding-free" dates.  Talk about anything but the wedding.  Go out with your friends and don't talk about the wedding.  Keep nurturing your relationships, so you still have them after the wedding.

Forgoing or Postponing the Honeymoon

You've just spent a year or more of your life planning for one day, now that it has happened you are just going back to work on Monday?!?!  You and your new hubby need to get away and just focus on eachother.  You've just completed a huge rite of passage, give yourselves a chance to let it soak in and adjust to being Mr and Mrs. Plus, people will treat you extra special because you are Honeymooners.  

You'll never be able to recapture the moment or feeling if you delay your Honeymoon.

Buying a dress in hopes of Fitting into it

Many brides buy a dress that doesn't fit them, in hopes that they will lose weight before the wedding.  Most won't.  Stress actually makes you gain or at least hold onto weight.  So stressing about losing weight, will actually make you gain it!

Remember: Your fiance asked YOU to marry him, not the skinnier person you could be. Buy a dress that fits and will still look good if you lose weight and have to alter it.  

Forgetting Personality in Quest for Perfection

The best weddings have personality.  They don't have to be perfect.  If you make your wedding about the two of you and its a reflection of your personalities, it will be perfect for you!

Cheaping out on Key Components

There are certain areas, no one should ever get cheap about: Food, Professional Photos and Professional Hair and Make-up.

Your guests will remember the food, so never skimp there.  It can make or break the entire experience for a guest.  If the food is bad, that is all they will remember and all they will talk aobut.  If the food is good, they will remember the entire wedding as good.

The number one regret of a lot of brides, is not paying for good photos.  That is because the only thing that lasts after the wedding (besides the marriage), is your photos.  Make sure you hire a professional who will record your day with the respect and professionalism it deserves.  

All eyes are on you on your wedding day, so makes sure you give them something to look at!  Having a professional hair-do and make-up application is a relatively small part of the wedding budget and will mean that your look will last all day. 

Besides, you need to look your best in all those professional photos!