It’s not every day you get married. But every day, someone out there is going through a wedding ceremony.
That means you have a world of people from whom you could obtain advice about the prospect. We’ve put together a list of what brides have shared in terms of what they wish they’d have done differently before, during, and after their wedding.
1. Talk About Your Engagement Ring Beforehand
Many brides often regret not talking with their partner ahead of time about the style of ring they want. Given there are thousands of ring variations, it’s admittedly difficult for someone to pare the selection down to just one.
For instance, if you have your heart set on a ring that is simple but has a lot of sparkle, you ought to let your partner know not to buy an emerald-cut diamond or another variation that would be too elaborate for your taste.
2. Get Your Hair and Makeup Professionally Done
You may be thinking about taking a DIY approach to your hair and makeup on your wedding day. Most brides have said they regret not putting some of the budget toward getting their hair and face professionally done.
Curls you’ve done yourself tend to go flat by the end of the evening. Makeup can appear washed out when you get your photos taken.
Do yourself a favor and arrange for a little pampering. It’s your special day and will only happen once, after all.
3. Run Through the Ceremony Beforehand
The ceremony might seem fairly straightforward, but shouldn’t assume that’s the case. How it flows will be a lot less stressful on the day if you have everything worked out ahead of time.
You should consider things like:
- Who will be in charge of the rings?
- Who will play the music when you walk down the aisle?
- Who is going to hold the bouquet while you’re at the altar?
- When will you go about signing the official marriage certificate that makes it legally binding?
Every bride out there will probably urge you to schedule a ceremony rehearsal. You’ll thank us later.
4. Look For All Your Free Options
Weddings can get expensive and the bills mount up swiftly. You may catch yourself wishing early on that you’d taken advantage of any free wedding stuff for your big day.
Examples are free wedding websites rather than paper invitations and postage you paid for, or free wedding registries that offer post-nuptial discounts. You’d be surprised by how many freebies are out there for a bride-to-be!
5. Don’t Do What’s Expected of You
Most people have a lot of expectations when they plan a wedding. There’s the bouquet toss or having your wedding in a church, for instance.
But these are expectations that others have and will put on you and your partner. The day isn’t about them, though. It’s about you.
Ditch what others expect of you and do only what’s right for you instead. No one is going to be upset if you choose to walk down the aisle alone.
6. Please Don’t Forget To Eat!
Once the ceremony is over, you might assume you’d get to kick back and relax with the guests. But it’s customary to make time for each of your guests and thank her or him for coming. You’ll reconnect with old relatives and get introduced to your new husband’s cousins from out of town.
Because of all the hustle and interaction, many brides forget to eat. The next thing they knew, they’d had four glasses of champagne on an empty stomach.
This is especially disappointing when you’ve paid for the meal! So make time for you and your partner to sit down at your table and enjoy the food. Your guests can wait until you’ve been properly fueled.
7. Make Copies of Everything
And we really do mean everything: your wedding playlists, guest lists, who will be eating what kind of meal. Have a backup for every part of your wedding.
During large events, crucial details can get misplaced through various email communications or even accidentally deleted. Having a backup will ensure you’re ready for anything–and as any bride will tell you, weddings don’t ever come off without at least a small hiccup here and there.
8. Get Photos with the Right People
After your wedding, you’ll eventually receive all the photos back from your photographer. But as you skim through them, you notice a lot of shots of people you barely know, getting down on the dance floor, and not nearly as many of you with the people you love.
Make sure to stay in regular contact with your photographer throughout the night so you can capture special moments with specific people. You’ll be grateful that you took the time to do this.
Summary
Wedding planning isn’t just about booking the venue and hiring a caterer. There are a million little details that too often get overlooked.
Take the advice of brides who did this before you. These will be the things you’ll wish you had done on your wedding day.
