I think a lot of planning for any event is weighing the pros and cons and thinking about what you might regret doing or not doing. Planning a wedding is no exception, especially since it is a once in a lifetime event with a ton of tradition and meaning. Recently I asked the married individuals of my social media channels what the regretted about their wedding day. I got a lot of great information and you might be surprised to hear most of the them had nothing to do with little details. Wedding regrets are different for everyone but I hope this list helps you make some good decisions for your wedding!
“I hated my dress”
This was one of my biggest regrets from my original wedding. It was at the beach and I was so focused on picking a “beach” dress I didn’t get what I wanted. Additionally I had a lot of body insecurity issues at the time so I just didn’t like the way I looked. But that is another blog post all together, haha!
“I didn’t hire a professional make-up artist and was so determined not to be a Bridezilla I neglected myself, and it shows in the pictures”
This is a big tip as a wedding photographer. Why do you think people in Hollywood and TV wear so much make-up? Because cameras these days are fantastic and will pick up on every little flaw. Which is okAY as a human in real life, everyone should always be their authentic selves on their wedding day. However, when you look back at your photos you don’t want to be thinking “Why do I look so tired”? You probably didn’t in real life, but the photos will show every tiny flaw that most human eyes don’t even notice and you won’t look as good in the photos as you did in person.
“I didn’t hire a good DJ”
DJ falls to the bottom of the list in the budget a lot of the time and it definitely shouldn’t! The DJ is more than someone who plays music, they are the quarterback to your reception. A good wedding DJ will make sure you and all your guests have a great time. No one wants a dead party! Click over to my blog post “How to have an epic wedding reception”.
“I listened to my family too much and it wasn’t what I wanted”
This is a huge struggle for a lot of brides in the planning process. Finding the right balance between what you want and your family expects is difficult. I find more and more brides these days choosing to just elope for this very reason. Which is also a great choice for some couples. Be true to yourself. Your family will get over any hurt feelings in a few months, your wedding regrets will stay with you forever.
“I hired a photographer based on photographic style and didn’t consider personality”
This regret came from another photographer friend of mine. When she chose her photographer she went with the person who had the best portfolio, that’s what matters right? Well yes, choosing someone that takes high quality photos is extremely important. However, you must also consider the person’s personality and customer service skills. Weddings are high stress events and environments and you will want one that makes things easier for you and not more difficult. Personality conflicts and choosing someone who had different goals than you will leaving you feeling frustrated. Make sure your relationship with your photographer is easy and they understand your expectations and what you want as the client. I try to take a photo with all my clients at the end of every wedding, but it always makes my heart happy when couples ask me before I get the chance to ask them, which is 90% of the time.
“We spent too much money in the wrong places”
This is probably the most common regret that I received. Most people thought they spent too much on their wedding, but when asking further it sounds like they spent it in the wrong places. I’d say most people spend too much on the venue and not enough on the DJ, photo, and video.
“I wish we had hired a videographer”
Video was really important to me when I got married. There is nothing that can bring someone to tears quite like a video. They just evoke emotion. A videographer friend of mine once said “A photographer’s job is to capture the moments of the day and document the most important day of your life. A videographers job is to make people cry and re-live what they felt”. PS: We will be offering video in 2020!
“I wish we had eloped”
Sometimes the stress of the wedding is just too much. I think it’s important to make a list of all the things that are important to you about getting married. This is one of my favorite tips from Kate with VLove events when I interviewed in my “Why you need a coordinator” post. Sometimes eloping just makes more sense and elopements can be incredibly romantic! There are so many epic locations you can get married. Officiants usually cost $150-$400 and that’s literally all you need! However, I did have a few people say the regretted not celebrating with friends and family. I also love “Almost Elopements” or “Flash Weddings”. This is what I use to describe when a couple invites a few friends and family to a small ceremony on a relatively last minute time frame. These can be travel destinations or in your own town!
I hope you enjoyed reading about other people’s biggest wedding regrets. If you are planning a wedding make sure you snag my free wedding planning guide! Also be sure your follow me on Instagram for all my best tips and where I share lots and lots of cute dog videos!