7 Common Mistakes Brides Make

• 1. Overlooking the Budget
• 2. Ignoring the Guest List
• 3. Not Creating a Bad Weather Back-Up Plan
• 4. Choosing the Wrong Dress
• 5. Not Scheduling Enough Time for Photos
• 6. Putting Too Much on the Schedule
• 7. Poor Communication with Vendors
• Conclusion

Your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life. After months or years of planning and anticipation, everything leads up to this big day and a celebration you’ll hopefully remember for the rest of your life. While many weddings go off without a hitch, you’ll often find there are lots of stressful moments during the planning process. Many of these issues could be avoided by knowing some of the most common mistakes brides make and how to avoid them. We at Ori Wedding Agency have years of experience working with brides, giving us the insight to anticipate and resolve any challenges that may arise. Keep reading as we discover seven common mistakes made by brides and our top tips to make your wedding planning process smoother and easier.

One of the most common mistakes brides make is not setting or sticking to a realistic budget. Wedding costs can quickly add up, leading to financial strain and stress for the couple. To avoid making this mistake, we recommend creating a detailed budget from the very start of the process. Before you even begin working with a wedding planner, decide how much you can realistically spend on the entire wedding. Make sure you account for all of the potential expenses, such as the venue, catering, attire, decorations, and entertainment. You’ll also want to factor in your honeymoon at this point if it’s important to you so that you don’t miss out on this quality time with your partner.

When making your budget, decide which elements of your wedding day are the most important to you. Allocate the funds to the most important areas first and look for ways to cut back on other expenses if you are working on a budget. Every couple will have different priorities and a wedding planner will work with you to ensure your money is spent on what’s most important to you. As you start to book vendors and venues for your wedding, use a budgeting app or spreadsheet to keep track of all of the expenses. Make sure you regularly review your spending and budget with your partner to ensure you remain on track and are on the same page about your spending throughout the planning process.

To help you stay on top of your wedding budget, we’ve crafted a range of packages tailored to different needs and price ranges. Each package includes access to our interactive calculator, which estimates the approximate cost based on your preferences, guest count, and venue location, making it easier to plan within your budget. If you’d like a more precise estimate, our managers will be happy to prepare a tailored quote for you.

From the very beginning of planning for your wedding, you need to have a clear guest list in mind. When you don’t focus on this before you start to book elements of your wedding, you can end up with issues with your seating arrangements, venue size, and catering. To begin with, create a preliminary guest list to have a rough idea of the number of guests and who you are going to invite. Don’t avoid this conversation with your partner at the very beginning, as you’ll only find it gets more challenging to add or remove guests as time goes on. This will help you choose an appropriately sized venue and plan for seating and catering for the number of guests you would like to invite.

When you start to browse wedding venues, consider the capacity of the venues and ensure the number of guests you invite will fit comfortably in the space. On the Ori agency website, you can explore the capacities of various wedding venues, including detailed information on how many guests each venue and its various areas can accommodate.  You don’t want the venue to feel overcrowded, but at the same time, you also don’t want it to be too big for the number of people you are hosting. Send your invitations out well in advance of your wedding day to increase the chances of everyone attending. This will help you finalize headcounts and avoid last-minute changes, also allowing you to remain in your budget for your wedding day.

We all dream of perfect weather for our wedding day to be able to spend time outdoors and get wonderful photos with a variety of backdrops. If you are planning an outdoor ceremony or reception, it’s even more critical to have a backup plan for rain or bad weather. Brides sometimes overlook the importance of weather planning, which can lead to uncomfortable conditions for your guests or delays on your wedding day. When you decide upon your wedding venue, immediately start coming up with a contingency plan. If your wedding is outdoors, plan for an alternative location in case of inclement weather for both your ceremony and reception.

Before your wedding, research the weather conditions based on past years for your wedding date and location. This can help with planning and give you a realistic idea of what to expect on the big day. Prepare for all weather conditions and try to be optimistic about your backup plans in case of rain or other inclement weather. Think about providing sunscreen and extra water if hot weather is expected, or opt for blankets and heaters for cooler weather or late-night receptions. If you choose to work with a wedding planner, all the details, including a backup plan for bad weather, will be expertly managed. This ensures that every aspect of your special day is covered, allowing you to enjoy your celebration without any worries about unexpected changes.

Selecting the perfect wedding dress is a highlight for many brides and it’s something many brides have dreamed of since they were little girls. Choosing the wrong dress can lead to disappointment and added stress and make you feel uncomfortable in photos and during the ceremony on your big day. Issues such as fit, comfort, and appropriateness for the venue should all be considered and you need to ensure you feel as good as you look in your dress to make it the right choice for your wedding ceremony.

To avoid this issue, we recommend that you start shopping early. This will allow for time for fittings, adjustments, and alterations if needed. You’ll also have time to visit multiple shops if you are struggling to find your perfect dress early on. Consider the venue that you have booked and the theme for your wedding. Make sure they match well so that you feel comfortable all day long. While beauty and the look of your dress are important for your wedding day, comfort should be your number one priority. Make sure you can move and breathe in your dress for many hours so that you truly enjoy your wedding day and don’t feel distracted by your dress.

If you need advice on choosing your wedding dress, our wedding planners will recommend the best wedding salons based on your preferences and accompany you during fittings, ensuring you find the perfect fit and style for your special day.

Photos are a crucial part of remembering the memories of your wedding day for years to come. Brides often underestimate how much time is needed for various photography sessions and locations, which can lead to a rushed experience. You don’t want to miss out on important shots of your loved ones, so make sure you plan ahead and work with your photographer to create a timeline for the photo sessions. This should include pre-ceremony shots, family portraits, and candid moments during the wedding reception later on. Add in some extra time to be safe and ensure you will be able to get a full collection of photos that you can look back on for years to come.

To ensure you get the results you dream of, make sure you share your vision very clearly with your photographer. If there are any shots you really want to get, put these at the top of your priorities so they don’t get forgotten in the excitement of the day. Your photographer should be able to then put together a list of photos in preference order to help you get a great gallery of photos to share with your loved ones. With a wedding planner, all the details are managed, including coordinating with the photographer and creating a seamless timeline for your wedding day. Our agency offers a variety of photographers, so you can review their work and choose the one who best fits your vision for capturing your big day.

Photos are a crucial part of remembering the memories of your wedding day for years to come. Brides often underestimate how much time is needed for various photography sessions and locations, which can lead to a rushed experience. You don’t want to miss out on important shots of your loved ones, so make sure you plan ahead and work with your photographer to create a timeline for the photo sessions. This should include pre-ceremony shots, family portraits, and candid moments during the wedding reception later on. Add in some extra time to be safe and ensure you will be able to get a full collection of photos that you can look back on for years to come.

To ensure you get the results you dream of, make sure you share your vision very clearly with your photographer. If there are any shots you really want to get, put these at the top of your priorities so they don’t get forgotten in the excitement of the day. Your photographer should be able to then put together a list of photos in preference order to help you get a great gallery of photos to share with your loved ones. With a wedding planner, all the details are managed, including coordinating with the photographer and creating a seamless timeline for your wedding day. Our agency offers a variety of photographers, so you can review their work and choose the one who best fits your vision for capturing your big day.

Effective communication with vendors will ensure that you have the best chance of everything running smoothly on your wedding day. Don’t assume that vendors will automatically understand your needs and preferences, as this may lead to issues on the big day that could have been avoided earlier on. Make sure your contracts are very clear with your vendors, outlining the services, timings, and payment terms. Keep in contact with them on a regular basis to ensure good planning and have a wedding planner or friend who can handle the communication on the day while you are busy enjoying your ceremony.

We at Ori recommend selecting from our catalog of trusted vendors. These professionals have demonstrated their reliability and quality through extensive experience at numerous events.  In this case, you won’t need to worry about managing vendors, as our wedding planners handle all communications with contractors.

Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and energy, but by avoiding these seven common mistakes brides make, you can be sure that you enjoy every moment of your wedding day. Make sure you work to have a backup plan in place for your big day and ensure you clearly communicate your expectations and needs with your wedding planner and vendors. A wedding planner can help you to avoid some of these common mistakes and the more time in advance you allocate for planning and preparations, the easier it will be to avoid any issues on the big day. 

As you can see, a wedding planner can help you avoid many of the common mistakes brides make, ensuring a smoother planning process. One crucial decision you don’t want to get wrong is choosing the right planner to manage every detail. To make an informed choice, check out our article How to Choose Your Wedding Planner. If you’re unsure whether you need a full-service planner or just support on the wedding day from a coordinator, our article The Difference Between Wedding Coordination and Wedding Planning will help clarify what suits your needs best. We offer both wedding planning and coordination services, so feel free to contact us and start planning your perfect wedding.