Top 7 most common wedding mistakes

Every couple hopes for their big day to be perfect; a smooth-running and drama-free occasion that would make royalty proud. However, it’s inevitable for certain elements to go awry and for the odd mishap to arise. But what are the most common wedding mistakes brides and grooms continue to make for these problems to materialize? Here are the seven most common wedding mistakes.

1. Forgetting the final dress fitting

Either you’ve trimmed down to your ideal wedding weight or you’ve filled out slightly from all of that stress eating you’ve been doing; either way, it’s essential to arrange that final dress fitting a couple of weeks before the big day. One of the biggest mistakes brides can make is neglecting to arrange this final fitting, then facing panic on the morning of their wedding when they realize their dress simply does not fit. Resorting to safety pins to secure a saggy bustier or feeling sore from a too-tight gown is avoidable so don’t let it happen to you. Every bride should feel as though they could wear their dress forever.

2. Neglecting to book a make-up or hair trial

Imagine turning around to face the mirror once your hairdresser or make-up artist has ‘worked their magic’ only to suddenly feel sick and faint; ‘what have they done!?’ It is imperative to book yourself in for a make-up or hair trial prior to your big day unless you totally trust the professional or if you’re keeping your hair and beauty simplistic (aka hard to go wrong). Feeling self-conscious on your wedding day will distract you from the more important things and will leave you despising your wedding photographs later on. Don’t see your hair or make-up trial as a waste of money and view it more as insurance.

3. Forgetting to pay the suppliers

With so much going on before the wedding day itself it can be all too easy to let things slip your mind, but forgetting to pay the final installment to your florist, car hire or catering services could end disastrously. Your suppliers should always send reminders for the final payments, but if you’re a stressed bride or groom then these polite prompts will most likely go unnoticed. However, facing the reality of a stranded bride and hungry guests is enough to label your wedding a disastrous day.

4. Getting too drunk

Having one drink too many the night before your wedding, or indeed getting a little too merry at the reception, is a common mistake among brides and grooms. Don’t forget that your wedding day is likely to be the most captured day of your life, with guests armed with cameras ready to snap you at every moment, but the embarrassment will never leave you after looking through drunken photographs or after being filled-in by your guests on your drunken antics. Likewise, don’t ruin the most important day of your life by having a hangover from your wedding-eve tipples; an early and sober night is in order instead.

5. Not specifying a playlist

This may seem like a minor consideration in and amongst the wedding planning, but letting your DJ or wedding singer loose on the tunes for your reception could be the biggest wedding mistake you make. Unless you want your least favourite songs blasting out to your guests – those tacky hits that everyone pretends to love or even songs that remind you of less happy times – then be clear with your wedding entertainer and make a list of no-go songs. "Twerking" has a time a place, and perhaps your wedding isn’t it. 

6. Not sampling the food

When selecting your wedding reception venue or caterers, the most important thing is to try the food before you commit to handing over a deposit. Hungry wedding guests being presented with a cold plate of undercooked food is not the recipe for a happy wedding reception. The worst scenario would be to not have any vegetarian options for your meat-avoiding guests or for the meals to be evidently frozen and heated up in a microwave – far from the lavish wedding meal you had in mind. The biggest mistake would be to not specify a set menu and then be faced with your least favorite cuisine – there are only certain surprises that are welcome on a wedding day.

7. Overrunning

Timing is everything; not least on your wedding day. Some couples arrange a rehearsal dinner prior to the wedding and it is common to have a wedding rehearsal before the big day. These preparations can go a long way in ensuring everything runs on time. It’s an idea to give the best man, groom and father of the bride a time limit for their speeches and have set times for the drinks reception, meal and evening entertainment. Guests waiting around needlessly or chefs having to keep tens of meals warm while the speeches overrun is best avoided if you want happy guests and a stress-free day.