5 wedding mistakes you’ll never make! (Because you read this)
I’m often sent guest blogs full of alleged regrets, mistakes and ‘things we’d do differently‘ – but I’d never publish anything so glum and disheartening! Wedding planning should be a pleasure, and my aim at English Wedding is to help you enjoy the journey. So this morning I’ve grabbed one of those regretful press releases, given it a good shake upside down and come out with some cheerful and genuinely useful tips to help plan your weddings!
1. Wedding budgets and buffers
According to the stats, many couples set an initial budget and then overspend. Be the geniuses of wedding planning by setting a budget – and a buffer – right from the off. I’m not going to suggest actual figures here because we’re all different, and whether you want to spend £1k, £10k or £100k is all down to what you can afford. Having a buffer which is your absolute limit will stop you going over budget on your wedding.
Top tip: never borrow for your wedding. It’s not worth being in debt for your first years of marriage.
2. Security and peace of mind
Having wedding insurance is all about peace of mind. Wedding planning is stressful enough without having to worry about things going wrong. Wedding insurance can cover things like major suppliers cancelling and venues going bust. It will also cover you in case you or a close relative is so seriously ill it impacts your wedding. And there’s a bit for severe weather events like snow, and ceremonial swords too. (Dunno.)
3. Communicate beautifully!
Have a really thorough communication plan in place. Do everything to make sure your guests know what’s happening and when. Set up a wedding website – it’s the easiest thing in the world these days! Have everything on there – accommodation lists and phone numbers. Lists of contacts – your parents or bridal party for questions about everything from parking to meal choices. Taxi numbers. Times for your minibus if you’re offering to take people home. What’s happening the next day. What to wear. What to bring. What the venue’s like inside. Everything! And send paper copies to anyone who might not be 100% internet savvy. It’s the kind thing to do, and you can make it look stunning if you want to!
Traditionally, people have sent wedding invitations with insert sheets around 3 months to 6 weeks before the big day. Why not be even more forward-thinking and send out a full list of what’s going on and when, a couple of weeks before your wedding day?
This raised an eyebrow or two at English Wedding HQ! Third on the list sent across to me on behalf of Aura Print was the suggestion that a top regret of newlywed couples is not putting enough thought into their invitations. Erm… massive pinch of salt to go with this claim, anyone?! I really doubt anyone has major stationery regrets after the big day. Still – communicate well and everyone will be happy and relaxed on your wedding day!
4. Make your day an extension of your personalities
The biggest shift in wedding ‘trends’ I’ve seen since the beginning of English Wedding (back in 2009) has been personality. Your wedding can be literally anything: a polished affair in a fairytale castle with a Disney theme, an outdoor festival with dirty guitar bands and a pizza truck, or a quiet party at home with ten of your favourite people.
Apparently some couples regret their weddings not being personal to them, or reflecting their personalities. Take this as your cue to step away from the wedding media for a moment and think about who the two of you are as a couple. If someone stepped into your wedding, how would they know it was YOUR day? Style accordingly!
5. Take care of yourselves, starting right now.
Wedding planning can be super stressful. If anxiety strikes, then you both need to prioritise your mental health over your wedding planning. No matter what.
We’ve published wedding anxiety advice from the mental health experts at BUPA in the past, and I do recommend reading their tips. Most importantly, if you or your partner are struggling with your mental health, seek professional help. Don’t dismiss anxiety as ‘just wedding stress’ if it’s making you ill or impacting your life.
0 Comments