It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and thrill of wedding planning. It’s all for good reason; for most people, it’s one of the biggest days of their lives. But bad planning can cause a number of devastating (and avoidable) things to happen. Whether it means you’re forking out money from your home loan savings or you realise on the day that there aren’t enough spots for guests, a lack of planning has the potential to ruin your special day. To help you out, we’ve listed a few avoidable mistakes during the planning process that you can keep an eye out for.
#1: Not sorting out your guest list first
Without a finalised guest list, you can’t book a host of important things (most notably, the venue). The guest list is the determining factor for much of the planning that follows. Remember to run the list past your partner, parents and in-laws to try and get it as accurate as possible before planning anything else.
#2: Breaking the budget
Budgeting for the day is extremely important and can be the difference between a two-year debt and a two-week debt. As of 2017, the average cost of an Australian wedding has been estimated to cost you $65,482. Of course, there are ways to dwindle down this number, but that’s all reliant on the planning.
Emergency spending can be one of those things you don’t plan for. While you can’t magically expect everything that will happen, a great way to help you cater for unforeseen expenses is to put aside an ‘other’ fund. You should also factor in post-wedding expenses such as dress cleaning.
#3: Deciding against a videographer
Your wedding video will not be something you watch every day for the following years. But just because it won’t be viewed that often, it doesn’t mean you should cut it out of the plan. In fact, a common regret is not having the ability to re-watch the big day in real time.
While photos capture the essence of the moment, it is something else to relive the exact vows and small moments that weren’t necessarily captured in photos.
#4: Not allowing enough time for photos
The last thing you want on the day is a rushed photo session in which you look stressed or frantic. You should allocate a good chunk of time in your schedule just for photos. While an hour and a half to two hours of photography can seem tedious at the time, it will be worth it in the end.
You should also plan specifically who you want in your photos. Ending up with barely any photos of your closest friends and family can make the photography seem pointless. Therefore, you should let them know in advance that you want them in lots of photos – especially if they usually ditch the photo sessions early on.
#5: Not planning for a rainy day
Literally. If your wedding is going to be outdoors, it pays to have a back-up plan. Putting down deposits for tents and umbrellas six months in advance is ideal; the last thing you want is to be scrambling a few days beforehand. In the end, it’s better to lose a portion of that deposit than to have the rain ruin the wedding.
#6: Announcing everything online
Your wedding day will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting days of your life. However, while it might be tempting to give all the details away on social media, it’s not the best idea.
Your guests will already be aware of the big day through invites and save-the-dates. By posting on social media you’re essentially just spreading the news to those who aren’t invited – potentially months before the actual day.
Try to be sensitive to this. Remember that the element of surprise pays off better for guests anyway and there will be plenty of photos and videos to post after the wedding.
#7: Not collecting a variety of quotes
It might sound obvious, but the best way to fit everything into your budget is to find those items at the best price – and the best quality. It’s just as much of a waste to hire an over-the-top expensive band as it is to hire one that’s cheap but not good at all. Try to balance quality of work with price.
These are some key services or features you should collect quotes for:
- Flowers
- Photographers
- Bands or entertainment
- Transport
- Printed goods (invites, signage, placement cards, etc.)
- Catering
- Hair and makeup artists
#8: Not organising guest transport
Organising a professional transportation service can help the day run smoothly, especially if the wedding is far from where most people live. Besides, opting for wedding bus hire is a good way to set the tone for the rest of the day as a fun group experience.
Melbourne On The Move can cater to your wedding transportation needs in Victoria. We have wedding bus hire options to suit your needs – from intimate gatherings to large-scale events. Give us a call today on 1300 55 86 86 to discuss your wedding transportation.