By Joan Salmon
Planning a wedding is like planning your life in less than a few months. The mistakes you make tend to stay with you for long, some even staining your marriage. While there are things you may have no control over such as a downpour or a service provider falling sick, there are mistakes that happen yet fall in your circle of influence.
One way of avoiding some of these could be hiring a wedding planner because besides your wedding day, there are several things that you must see to which may lead to slacking in some areas.
That aside, here at some mistakes you ought to avoid as you plan for your wedding;
Not putting yourself first
This is your day so you must enjoy it. However, that will not happen if you do not step away from all the bustle, to ask yourself what you want your day to be like. “Make a list of your priorities and dreams then align the rest of the planning with that. Otherwise, with several voices on what is ideal or what works, you will organize a wedding that suits other people rather than you. With the that, you will not enjoy any bit of the day because you will feel unrepresented thus regrets,” Grace Kyomukama, a wedding planner, shares.
Leaving your entourage choice to others
A wedding entourage is such a sticky matter yet many leave it to chance. For example, there are family members that may want to be part of it yet never ready to pull their weight in terms of being time conscious,and paying necessary bills on time. Greta Katungi an events planner, says, all these are draining and not needed as you prepare for your big day. “It therefore means you need to narrow down this entourage to people that care about you, have your interests at heart, will stand up for you, and advise you for your good rather than detriment. Do not get under the pressure of pleasing family and friends as you pick this circle of people lest you prepare to get frustrated.”
Booking before budgeting
Money will always be tricky and wedding preparations highlight that in every way. It gets worse when, before drawing up a budget, couples start making purchases and booking vendors. Kyomukama says there is definitely a lot of excitement that one is finally getting married to their partner but there is need to ensure that you use the available funds well so you don’t start your marriage in debt. “That is why window shopping and inquiring from those more knowledgeable than you are is important so as to come up with a budget to work with.”
Ordering your wedding dress late
Usually, brides are over the moon in regards to the wedding that they could cater to their dresses even before they get the venue. On the other hand, some wait for last minute purchases. Kyomukama, who is also the proprietor of Bridal Lounge Ug, says that is an error that could becomes costly more so if the dress needs to be altered to fit. “In the rush, a thing or two may be skipped, and the fees may also get higher as the tailor will have to work overtime to get your dress ready. This can be avoided by being prompt in your purchases and ensuring all is well, even a month to the day.”
Buying a dress before booking the venue
We get it, you are excited and want to look your best on your day. However, before you pick out the dress type, or book your salon, Agatha Kaitesi, a bridal designer, says knowing your reception venue type is important. “While you can choose any dress, you do not want to get a sleeveless dress yet the venue you get is extremely cold, or book for salon yet the venue you finally pick would have allowed you to have it done on-site. These details are worth considering early in time.”
Inviting very many guests
Services such as the maximum seating capacity of your venue and the number of plates you have paid for are a great way to determine how many people you will invite for your reception. Katungi says it is burdensome for the serving line to stop until you have paid for the extra plates. “It is also embarrassing when your close family members are the ones stuck waiting for you or your committee chairperson to find the funds.”
Skimming the surface
While it is crucial that you are polite when dealing with service providers, you ought to know what they are offering. Katungi says timidity will do you no good as you will not fully understand what your money can fetch you. “You may also be overcharged yet you could have got a better bargain had you asked them to clearly spell out their services. While asking several questions may be somewhat uncomfortable, it will help you with planning and to avoid regrets.”
Micro-managing service providers
While you need attention to detail and to ensure all is well, micromanaging service provides only makes them elusive and irritated. The result is tension, disappointment and a bad day.
Certain that you booked with talented people, Kyomukama advises that you give them room to work without controlling them. “Remember, being nasty will earn you no favours yet these are people you may need to work within the future. Even when selecting committee members to assist with the various service providers, picking those with good people relations helps.”
Keep it among professionals
On many occasions, wedding budgets are tight. However, you do not want to add salt to injury by hiring a friend rather than a professional as the product may not be good at all. “If they are professional at say, photography, then go with them by all means because we believe they will have you at heart. That said, people tend to lax when working for friends so watch out for that as it may not only spoil a good friendship but also ruin your memories,” Katungi says.
Being a lone ranger
Weddings, more so African ones, bring family, friends and community together. So as you prepare for your wedding, rather than doing it alone, Kyomukama advises couples to accept all the help you can get. “Working alone will lead to burnout, will burn bridges as you push people off and the chances of missing out on some things are high.”
Focusing on unimportant things
When preparing for your wedding, tensions will arise, arguments will ensue. However, Kyomukama and Katungi say these are not why you are here so do not give them much attention, both now and after. “If you need a shoulder to cry on, finding a trusted friend or even a counsellor might help rather than losing your focus.”
