Enjoying a perfect and smooth wedding takes a lot of planning and preparation. And, even with all the meticulous planning, there might be a few things that would go amiss. We at BollywoodShaadis.com certainly don't want anything at your wedding to go wrong or turn your smile upside-down. That is why we have decided to bring to you "50 Common Wedding Planning Mistakes to Avoid".
We hope you would have learnt a great deal from the ‘Part 1’ of the ‘Most Common Wedding Planning Mistakes You Must Avoid’. Here is the ‘Part 2’ of the series which has a few more things that you should absolutely avoid while planning your wedding.
Recommended Read: Common Wedding Planning Mistakes You Must Avoid - Part 1
You won’t believe this but it is quite easy to goof-up something as simple as music as well. Like, one of our brides, shared her wedding day experience with us and revealed, “Everyone was stunned for a while because the entire moment of my entry into the venue became hilariously awkward with chikni chameli playing in the background.” That is why it is important that you go over your playlist with your DJ and choose a mix of your favourite tracks and the popular wedding tracks (and yes, the right tracks).
While you surely won’t forget to pack all those expensive outfits and accessories that you have bought, but have you prepared a checklist of essentials that you might need? One of the most common mistakes that most brides make while packing their bags is to forget packing a bag of the essentials that they would need during the first few days at their new home. Simple things like a pair of bathroom slippers in midst of those heels and stilettoes, would go a long way to make your stay in your new home comfortable. So, make a list of your basic toiletries, medicines, comfortable clothing, etc.
While finalising your budget and the wedding vendors, always factor in the additional costs, like taxes, overtime charges, etc. Also keep some room for a little "extra" everywhere in your wedding. Indian weddings don’t work on the system of "RSVPs", so you don’t know how many extra people might turn up to attend your wedding.
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This one is for all the brides and the grooms, the only thing that you should be doing on your wedding day is, putting on your outfit and getting ready (and, smiling!). Make sure that everything else related to the planning and preparation is complete a day before. If you still have something to do, request someone to do it and don’t stress yourself out.
An Indian wedding is incomplete without great food. But, it is essential that you plan when the buffet should be started. It would be even more embarrassing if your guests start leaving before you open the food buffet. A reader who recently shared her wedding day journey with us, revealed that since her groom's baraat reached late at the venue, her parents did not open the main buffet till the time she arrived on the stage. "And, by then most of our guests had already left without eating the food, as it was quite late," she confessed.
Yes, not all the guests would stay till the end of your wedding. So, even if things are getting delayed, just make sure that you open the buffet on time.
Caterers are often quite sneaky with an open bar, and have lots of terms and conditions that they don’t disclose until you ask about them. So, before you pay a huge amount for it, get to know the quantity and the names of the drinks that will be available in the open bar.
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Your wedding planner, her assistant, your vendors and the waiting staff, have been up since morning to ensure that your wedding goes on without a glitch. You should not forget to ensure that there is enough food for them. Not only that, you also have to make sure that you don’t forget to count the number of the vendors and their helpers, when you book your food plates.
Weddings can be tiring not only for those involved, but also for the guests. Not making provisions for proper and enough seating is a huge mistake. If you are planning a wedding for 300 people, then keep in mind that you can expect your guest list to shoot up to 350. So, make place for proper seating arrangement for your guests to be comfortable.
You need to know the venue at the back of your hand. You wouldn’t want to get lost on your wedding day, would you? You also have to make sure that you know your venue inside out, so that you have a clear idea for everything that needs to be in place on your wedding day. You also have to make sure that your photographers too are familiar with the venue way before the wedding day, so that they can keep the lighting needs in mind.
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After your wedding, you are supposed to give a dakshina to the panditji. While this is not for the couple, but their parents, but you too must keep this in mind. Many people often overlook this small detail leading to some awkward situations after the wedding has been solemnised.
After you get married, you might have to change your marital status or name in a number of documents as well as complete other legal formalities. So, in midst of the wedding preparations, don't forget to take care of things like your marriage certificate, passports, etc.
Uniqueness is definitely essential; after all, you need to have something that will make your guests fondly remember your wedding. But do not go overboard and do something drastic that will shock the traditional-minded people around.
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While making your wedding day schedule, keep aside at least 2 hours for getting your hair and makeup done. It may a sound a lot, but on your wedding day you will be really thankful that you kept so much time for it. Talk to your makeup artist about how much time you would need to keep in hand to get ready.
Your makeup artist may be a magician and may be highly recommended, but even he/she cannot be expected to decide on a perfect look for you right before the wedding. You need to show him/her your dresses and accessories, and spend ample time with him/her to discuss your perfect look.
While we would suggest you not to interfere with your vendors' job, but you must make sure that you don’t hire someone who is absolutely inflexible to your wishes and ideas. There are a lot of wedding vendors out there. So, if you don’t like one, then reconsider your choice. You must find vendors who will work with you to make your special day perfect, just the way you have dreamt it to be. Weddings are not only highly demanding but can also get crazy at times, so you need such people around who are flexible.
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Yes, the success of your wedding (read- just wedding, not marriage!) depends on your vendors. And that is why you might find so many points on our list related to them, because one goof-up anywhere can lead to many more. Always do a follow up with your vendors. There are many vendors whose services don’t just end on the wedding day itself, like the photographers and the videographers. So, while drawing up the contracts with them or making their full payment, keep this in mind. If you make them the full and final payment beforehand, they might take a long time to hand over the final products to you.
While this is something that is not quite common in the Indian weddings, it can definitely be put to good use. Informing your guests about your wedding date beforehand is definitely not a bad idea. Especially, if you are having a destination wedding, a "save-the-date" reminder at least a few months before the wedding will help many of your guests to chalk out their schedules and work out a way to attend you wedding.
Many brides order their wedding dresses in smaller sizes, thinking that they would lose a few inches or kilos before their wedding day. But, what if even with right fitness regime and crash diets, you are still not able to lose weight? You will be stuck with a dress you can’t fit into. And, this way, you would just be losing your sleep and your mind, but not your weight. So, always buy your wedding dress of your present measurements. Remember, it is easier to get a dress tighten up, than loosening it.
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Well, this one especially goes out for all the grooms and the guys in the wedding party. If you are having a cocktail party before the wedding day, then keep the alcohol levels in check. Last thing you would want is to turn up sloshed for your wedding.
It is your wedding day and you must take some time out to get those couple shots clicked and create some romantic moments. But, you must spend some time with your guests as well, especially those coming from far to attend your wedding. Give time to get photos clicked with them. Don’t get so engrossed in your couple shots and photographs that you don’t leave any time for your guests to come on stage, and meet and wish you.
While many brides book extensive appointments and look for natural remedies when it comes to taking care of their skin, they most often ignore the needs of their hair. Hair spas can be expensive and getting them regularly is not really possible. But, you must splurge on them before your wedding. Trust us; you will be extremely happy with the results. Also, going for a drastic change in your hairstyle right before your wedding is not advisable.
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You must not share each and every detail of your wedding on the social networking sites. Keep some suspense and let the guests be blown away at your wedding. Let your wedding day be memorable for your guests, keeping its planning memories confined to yourself.
While everybody is busy making merry and talking about how great the wedding was, you and your husband will be stuck chatting with some relatives or circulating and taking blessings of the elders. But, schedule some time and request someone to get you some food in between, so that you don’t starve.
Your vendors are the people who made your wedding possible and you should definitely go up to them and thank them for everything. Also, it is a good gesture on your part to get all the people who have helped you with small gifts, to help them remember the happy times.
At the end of the day, your wedding is just a celebration of your love and you must cherish every moment. Forget everything and just bask in the happiness of finally getting married to your loved one.
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This was a comprehensive list of wedding planning mistakes that you should avoid. We hope it will help you plan your wedding better.