When you are planning a wedding, it’s easy to accidentally let things slip through the cracks. You will be touring venues, sampling cake, trying on dresses, selecting colors, picking out entertainment, and much, much more. With so much on your mind all at once, we want to make sure that you don’t make some of the common mistakes that people make when planning a wedding in Memphis. As you prepare for your big day, make sure to refer back to our list to make sure that you don’t forget anything and everything goes smoothly!
Not Setting a Wedding Budget Up Front
This should be the very first thing you do. You should set a budget before you set a date or look at venues. Not only is discussing finances with your soon-to-be spouse good practice for married life, but it is imperative to planning your wedding. By setting your budget and knowing up front how much you can spend, it will help you to figure out how much you can spend on each category.
Not Sticking to Your Wedding Budget
Not actually sticking to your budget is another big mistake that can cause major hiccups in your wedding planning. If you go over budget on a number of things while planning your wedding, you can accidentally spend all of your money and not have everything you need. It’s important to set your budget and then further narrow down how much you can spend on each thing, such as your venue, flowers, catering and alcohol, wait staff, wedding favors, etc. Also, remember to include tips in your budget.
Not Reading Contracts From Your Vendors
It’s important to read through all of your contracts carefully. It might be helpful to get a friend who is familiar with legal jargon to take a look as well. Some of the contracts to pay special attention to include those from your photographer and venue. With your photography contract, specifically look for information about photo rights. Make sure that there aren’t any restrictions with your venue, such as guest count restrictions and open flame policies.
Assuming That 10% of Your Guest List Will RSVP No
It used to be that the rule of thumb was that 10% of your guest list wouldn’t actually attend. However, especially if you are having a smaller and more intimate wedding, that number will likely be much lower. You don’t want to invite too many people and then have an overflow or not enough seating.
Forgetting to Get Your Marriage License or Getting It Too Early
You have to have a marriage license in order to legally get married. In Tennessee, your marriage license is only good for 30 days, and this can vary from state to state. If you get your license too early, it might not be valid on your actual wedding day. It’s important to make sure that getting your marriage license is on your to-do list in the month leading up to your wedding.
Mailing Your Save-the-Dates Too Early
We know it is tempting to send your Save-the-Dates as early as possible to let everyone know about your wedding date. However, we recommend waiting to send them until you have finalized your guest list. You don’t want to send them out and some people do not make it onto the final guest list. It’s standard in the wedding industry to send out Save-the-Dates 6-8 months before your wedding. If you are having a destination wedding, we recommend sending them sooner than that so that people have enough time to make travel arrangements.
Trying to Do Too Much Yourself
While doing things yourself can save you some money, sometimes it isn’t worth the unnecessary stress it can put on you. For example, if you do your own flowers, instead of relaxing on your wedding day (and the days leading up to your wedding), you will be putting together flower arrangements and bouquets and delivering them to your venue. While some DIY things can add a nice, personalized touch, try not to overdo it and stress yourself out too much on your big day.
Forgetting to Eat
This is something that is easy to do. You and your wedding party will be busy all day- getting ready, taking pictures, then the wedding itself and reception. Eating is a MUST. If you don’t eat enough during the day, you risk getting lightheaded or even passing out during the wedding. Make sure that you arrange to have food for you and your wedding party during the day, and also make sure to drink enough water. A wedding planner verified tip is to have a quick private meal for the bride and groom between the ceremony and the reception. That way you get to eat some of the delicious food that you so carefully planned, and you make sure that you have time to eat. You will be so busy at the reception that it’s unlikely you will have time to eat anything.
Not Having a Plan for Inclimate Weather
When you live in Memphis, you can have inclimate weather any day of the year. Make sure to have backup plans for if it rains or snows on your wedding day. If you are having an outdoor wedding, make sure that you have a backup tent or indoor area where you can hold your ceremony and/or reception. If you are having your wedding in the wintertime, make sure that you have a plan in the event that it snows. By being prepared for any type of weather, you will ensure that your wedding day goes smoothly.
Have Your Wedding at Evergrove Estates
Evergrove Estates offers full-service wedding planning at either of our beautiful venues, Heartwood Hall and Cedar Hall. Please contact us for more information or to take a tour of one of our amazing wedding venues. We love helping brides plan the best day of their lives, one that they will remember and cherish forever.