8 Wedding Planning Mistakes Almost Every Couple Makes - Vogue

We aren’t going to sugarcoat it—wedding planning is pretty stressful. Even when you have a dream venue, a top-notch planner, and an incredible person to exchange rings with, there are hundreds of decisions to be made when orchestrating such a major event.

Along the way, it’s easy to let certain things slip—however, that shouldn’t cause you any additional stress. As long as you are aware of some of the most common wedding planning mistakes (and put in the effort to avoid making them), you should be able to have a relatively seamless experience bringing together this important life milestone.

Since wedding planners see clients go through it all, we asked a few top industry names to share what mistakes they see couples regularly make. Read ahead for their insights to avoid these potential slip-ups.

Not Enjoying the Planning Process

While we fully admit there are some stressful parts of wedding planning, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience with your partner that you should try to enjoy. “Enjoy every moment—including the ups and downs,” advises Heather Lowenthal of Posh Parties. “Keep in mind that the planning process is all part of key memories in your storybook.”

Her biggest piece of advice is to understand that it is a process and to take breaks when needed. “If it starts to feel overwhelming, take some time off planning and plan a fun activity or date night to get a refresh,” she recommends. “Remember the planning process is a marathon, not a sprint. Put together an organized checklist and tackle one thing at a time.” She adds, “Stay positive and remember you are planning a day that kicks off the rest of your lives together.

Miscounting Your Guest List

A huge part of your planning involves coordinating space and food for every single guest present. These numbers are essential for your vendors to account for your overall spend, reception layout, and the quantity of meals ordered. “A common mistake we find guests make is that they count a blend of both people and households when constructing their guestlist,” says Jeannette Tavares of Evoke Design & Creative. “It’s an easy mistake to make since you may just be considering the number of invites you’ll need to send. Unfortunately, venues and vendors don't charge per last name—they charge per head.”

“An easy way to avoid this is to simply add a column to your spreadsheet that tracks the number of guests per invite,” advises Tavares. “That way, when your invitations go to print, you'll avoid anchoring on that number when budgeting the rest of your event.”

Not Tuning Out the Noise

One of the hardest parts of wedding planning is staying true to your vision of how you want the day to look and feel. With family and family all sharing what they think your ideal wedding should look like, you should make sure to take their advice with a grain of salt. “Once you announce your engagement, you are going to get everyone's opinion under the sun about what they think you should do for your wedding. Remember it's your and your fiancé’s wedding and do not let other people's opinions interfere with what your vision is,” shares Lowenthal. “Write down with your fiancé what your wishes and priorities are so you have a clear vision of what you want for your wedding day. Kindly listen to what other people say and then take the advice for what it is. People are excited for you and want to relate their own experiences to what you are going through. Just because they offer their opinion does not mean that you have to oblige.”

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