What you decide NOT to do is just as, and sometimes more, important as what you DO. As long as you're aware of these fatal wedding blunders you can make a conscious effort to sidestep all roadblocks and come out of your wedding in good form. It's very important to plan, and stick to it! If you're impulsive and flighty then the wedding should not be in your control. You need to be a disciplined and conscientious wedding planner so that everything falls into place from beginning to end. The month before your wedding you want to be able to stretch out say, “I have nothing left to do and I'm completely stress-free.” Doesn't this sound ideal? Here's what you have to keep in mind in order to make this happen.
The first and foremost task that you need to do is make a wedding budget, and plan the wedding without exceeding your limit. This first wedding tip is the most significant one of the “what NOT to do” rules as it underlies all other wedding obstacles. This needs to be on your mind all the time. When you look for wedding party favors, when you look at floral arrangements; if you're not constantly computing figures in your mind you're not shopping right. Once you get into the habit of knowing what you can and can't spend, it will be easy for you to know when to say “no” and when to say “yes.” After a while you'll be incapable of even humoring the overpriced wedding vendors with feigned interest; they'll say a price and you'll say “Next!” without thinking. And you should. This is your wedding and you don't have time to deal with useless situations. If you don't see yourself using a certain DJ or buying that mediocre wedding cake, move on.
The nexr wedding tip is: Do NOT plan your wedding without some sort of assistance, whether it be your mom, fiance, or friend. Weddings are intricate and detailed events, requiring a great deal of time and attention. You'll go crazy making the decisions and balancing the budget all by yourself. From the time of engagement all the way up until the ceremony itself, the wedding tasks need to be delegated and approached with more than just follow-through. You need to actively investigate every element in a creative and scrutinizing way. This demands a lot of energy and patience. Even the most organized planners will be at a loss.
Do NOT make the mistake of spending a lot of money on the short-lived wedding aspects and less on the important ones. For example, spending more than half of the wedding funds on flowers and food and close to nothing on the photographer. This is an indication that your budget is completely unbalanced, and you should do some re-evaluating. After the festivities are concluded all you'll have left to show for it is the wedding photos. Take some money out of the flower funds and put that towards an amazing photographer. You'll be glad you did.
Do NOT be set on your own decisions without first consulting your fiance. This is their wedding too, and if you're overly high-maintenance it could end up ruining the wedding for them. Communicate openly and express your feelings and concerns over the wedding matters in a way that doesn't offend your partner. Don't presume that your opinion supersedes everyone else's and that everyone will like the menu because you like it – ask friends and family for their opinions and then make a decision!
Do NOT get so caught up in the wedding planning that you forget to breathe. If you're organized and stick to a plan, you may end up being able to squeeze out a month or two of relative relaxation. This is the time before you and your husband tie the knot and you should enjoy every moment you can. The wedding will lose all reason if you and your fiance are at one another's throats.
In the end, don't forget the little things, like getting directions to the ceremony, getting the marriage license (not such a small thing!), or misplacing the wedding rings. And if you do, don't let it get you down. The wedding doesn't have to be exactly how you imagined it to be, but if you have good help and make a conscious effort to stick to your budget, you'll be way ahead of the game!