10 BIGGEST MISTAKES COUPLES MAKE AT WEDDINGS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM (PART 1)

When preparing for a wedding, couples tend to put in countless hours of their time and a great deal of money into making their wedding dreams come true, and to end their wedding day with a confirmation of success from their guests, the: “Wow, that was the best wedding ever!”

A wedding day should be a positively memorable occasion for all those involved, making it essential to focus on the wedding experience of you and your guests first and foremost, to ensure that everyone is taken care of, and having a glorious time!

To help you out with planning a smooth and fun experience for everyone, here are a few common wedding mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1 – The Ceremony

It is natural to view the wedding ceremony as the most important part of the wedding experience, although this is true to most, doesn’t mean it has to be the longest part. In order to keep your guests engaged, it would be best to keep this part short and sweet. I would suggest planning for a wedding ceremony between 30-40 minutes, which can still be as romantic and powerful as ever, while allowing your guests to follow the ceremony more closely.

Don’t forget that the ceremony is only the first part of your wedding celebration. There will be plenty of other surprises to follow, so by slimming down the ceremony time, will ensure all your guests will stay involved all the way until the end!

Mistake #2 – Post-ceremony photos

You just married the love of your life, and now it is time to take some portraits. But while you are taking “the first look” photographs followed by family portraits, what do the rest of your guests do? It is important not to keep guests waiting for pictures with the bride and the groom, too long, therefore, having a clear plan will help you out a lot! To keep guests occupied while you are taking your portraits, I would suggest offering a welcome cocktail or champagne reception, so that they can socialize, eat and have fun while waiting.

Mistake #3 – Table seating and centerpieces

Everyone is excited and talking to one another during the lunch/dinner part of the reception, some may be meeting one another for the first time. By sitting in a “U” shaped table, or a table with large centerpieces make it extra difficult for guests to socialize, since they will not be able to talk to anyone except the people sitting beside them. Square or circular shaped tables, with smaller centerpieces or hanging decorations can remedy this issue, allowing guests to socialize with greater ease!

Mistake #4 – Music at lunch/dinner reception

Imagine this – You just sat down, and you are eager to speak to the guests on your table. Before you can, you hear loud and obnoxious music coming out of the speakers. Leading you to stay silent for the next 2 hours, and hope that a miraculous rainstorm appears over head and short-circuits the sound system all together… This is exactly the scenario you DON’T want to live, so be sure to pick music that is not programmed too loud, and is pleasing to listen to. Jazz, acoustic or instrumental music would all be great fits for the dinner or lunch reception.

Remember, at dinner, guests want to chat and meet others. They are going to be there for at least 2 hours, so if you choose the wrong music, you may risk stressing out your guests and making the experience not as enjoyable as it could be.

Mistake # 5 -Children at weddings

Kids are so sweet and adorable, who doesn’t love them?

Even though they may be little bundles of joy, kids will always behave like kids! Personally, I’m a mom, and sometimes would prefer to keep my kids at home, because I would not be able to enjoy the wedding as much if I took them with. If I brought them with, I would constantly be thinking, “how can I make them stay seated in one place for an hour, or longer?”… making it a less enjoyable time.

Therefore, if you will be having kids at your wedding, I suggest hiring a babysitter to be available for your little guests, keeping them supervised, and entertained with games and activities. This will make sure that the kids are having fun, while also giving the parents a stress free wedding experience!

Hope you liked this post on the 10 Biggest Mistakes Couples Make at Weddings and How to Avoid Them. Keep a look out for Part 2, you wont want to miss it!

Have you experienced any wedding mistakes? If so, feel free to share your story with me, I would love to hear about it!

A presto!

Cindy