9 Major Wedding Planning Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Planning a wedding is a major undertaking. It’s like the Super Bowl of eventa multi-day schedule, a dozen vendors, hundreds of guests. And because brides are treading in uncharted territory, our experts say, they’re primed to make a wedding-planning mistake that could cost them dearly. Here are the major missteps you don’t want to make you’re wedding planning—and how to sidestep each one.

1. Ignoring your budget.
Too many brides spend major money before they’ve created a wedding budget. A bride who doesn’t budget might blow all her money on a dress that’s more than she can afford, or by booking a venue that takes up too much of what the couple has to spend. You should sit down with your partner and your families and determine your budget.

2. Rushing into decisions.
Wedding planning is a whirlwind of exciting choices.. But that excitement can often lead to impulsive decisions you may regret later. So pump the brakes before you choose any pros, taking the time to weigh what’s really right for you, Emotional and financial stress can be the unfortunate consequence of rushing into a decision hastily. To avoid heartache, do your research and look at these decisions from a clear and level-headed perspective.

3. Hiring the wrong photographer.
You could be tempted to contract a photographer whose packages more in line with your budget than your aesthetic. Or perhaps you’ve fallen head-over-heals for a professional’s portfolio of outdoor, natural-light photos—and haven’t stopped to consider you’re hosting an evening fete in a dimly lit ballroom. Hiring the wrong photographer—even one with the best intentions—can lead to disappointing photos. So instead of picking a photographer based on price or portfolio alone, talk to your planner and ensure that you’re choosing a photographer that will deliver the types of images you’re expecting for what can afford.

4. Overthinking decisions.
Turns our, you can rush or slowly saunter into a bad big-day decision. It’s very easy to over-think things and be paralyzed by fear. But if you’ve done your due diligence and checked out references, then trust your gut and go for it. To expedite your decision-making, Slimiting yourself to choosing between three vendors for each wedding category. There’s always going to be more than one good fit, but don’t let the search go on for an eternity.

5. Not leaving enough time for photos.
You may be ready to strike a pose, but if you don’t work a photo session into your wedding-day timeline, you may not have time left to snap portraits. So before you figure out how you’ll spend every wedding-day moment, ask your photographer how much time he or she wants for family portraits, wedding party portraits, and a first look, if you’re doing one.

6. Allocating too much money toward your venue.
To all brides with big dreams on where they’ll host their big days, a warning: If you spend too much on your venue, you may spend the rest of your engagement penny-pinching. Spending more than your venue budget allows might mean that you will need to look for vendors and suppliers that charge less, and as a result you might be getting an inferior product or service.

7. Hiring a friend instead of a professional.
Your BFF has a bad-ass camera, so she can totally step in as your wedding photographer—right? Wrong. A wedding is not the time for a friend to launch her new cake business or the time for your cousin to launch his photography career,nor is your wedding day is t a day to take chances. It’s best for you—and your friendship—if you politely decline your friend’s offer to pose as a pro. Hire professionals to avoid disappointment and ensure a smooth day.

8. Getting professional planning advice after something’s gone wrong.
It’s not easy to recover from wedding planning mistakes after they have been made. Once contracts have been signed and deposits have been placed, it will be challenging for a planner to come in and save the day. Don’t put yourself in a place where you need a hero.

9. Not anticipating how much time wedding planning takes.
Wedding planning is intense. It can often take on a life of its own and impact your health, your relationships, and your job, not to mention your mood. You could lose work hours to vendor phone calls and social schedules to wedding-related meetings, especially if you were already very busy before the planning process began. So be sure to schedule untouchable time for date nights, lunch breaks, and even a bubble bath—whatever will keep you calm and moving on.