May 3, 2016

Wedding Day Regrets

Things Couples Would Do Differently

Dozens of couples were asked after their wedding,
“If you were planning all over again, what would you do differently and WHY?”

These 7 reasons appeared more than once:

grey-heart-dividers

1. Hire a Professional.

Erin knew she wanted a professional photographer, but she had a budget.
She found a photojournalistic, non-wedding photographer at a bargain.
She saved $2,000, but now regrets not having any “traditional” wedding photos taken.

Tara purchased flowers online at a discount. She wanted to arrange the centerpieces herself.
She did save on the cost of her flowers… but there was a problem… time.

She said, “Boxes of flowers showed up a few days before the wedding, and I ran out of time trying to put them together.
It would have saved my sanity if I’d paid someone else to do it.”

Bride and Groom on the Dance Floor

2. More Time To Plan.

Amanda was a bride AND a professional photographer. She planned her wedding for May… her busiest time of the year. She had months to plan and figured she would have more than enough time for everything. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time. Her photography business was booming.

Amanda had planned to send invitations to her B list… but she never found the time to actually do it. “I regret not sending those invites,” she said.

Allowing MORE time is always better than LESS.


3. Communicated Better About MONEY.

Money is a touchy subject, especially if your parents are paying for a portion of your wedding. Stacy was fortunate enough to have both her parents and her future in-laws chip in toward the wedding. Then:

“You’re spending that much on a dress?” her mother asked. “I wouldn’t spend that much.”
“You bought wedding favors? Don’t you know they’re a waste of money?”

Stacy wishes she had said, “Thanks so much! What would you like to pay for, specifically?”
It’s very direct, and everyone knows upfront what they are responsible for.


4. Been Less Stressed While Planning.

Shonda delegated planning tasks to her family members and to her fiancé.
She let them gather information for her to make the final decisions.
“I made my decisions and then I started second-guessing myself, instead of enjoying what it felt like to be engaged.”

She discovered all that planning and research paid off.
“I should have trusted myself, instead of worrying. Everything turned out fine.”

Christine agrees. “Make the informed choice, let it go… and then be confident about your choices.”

It is vital to trust yourself about your decisions after your research.


5. Savored the Engagement More.

Lisa said. “I’d been casually shopping around for a dress months before Aaron proposed.” She then booked the photographer and location right away. She got so busy she forgot to notice what it felt like to be engaged.
“Looking back, I wished I had slowed down my engagement and let it last longer,” she said.

It’s important to take the time to enjoy the experience. Every few moments, slow down, take a deep breath, and reflect.

No matter how long your engagement, it’s going to FLY. Take the time to savor it.


6. Taken More Formal Portraits With My Family.

Kristin hired a photojournalistic photographer for her wedding (notice a trend here)? That was great on the wedding day. But afterward, Kristin had regrets. “I gave my photographer a list of what I wanted,” Kristin said, “but I didn’t get one shot with my grandmother. I wish I’d been more specific, and got some portraits”

Michelle was dead set against “cheesy” posed shots. “I hated the idea of having our photographer pose us for a shot. But when I look at other people’s wedding albums, those are really great photos. I wish I’d taken more of those shots.”

If you want specific pictures with family members, consider posed photos as a way to capture those memories.


7. Invited Fewer Guests.

By spending on her priorities, Rebecca was able to have her dream wedding. “My one regret,” she said, “was having so many people. I chose an average location so that I could invite everyone on my list. I should have invited fewer people and had a nicer venue.”

Morgan found herself in a similar situation.
“My parents pressured me to invite a lot of their friends. There were people at my wedding that I didn’t even know!”

On your wedding day, you owe it to yourself to be surrounded by your closest family and friends.


What Should You Do Next?

Check your Date- See if Chuck is available for YOUR Wedding!