What You Need To Know About The Biggest Wedding Regrets 2017
5 Biggest Wedding Regrets Of 2017!
It's that time of year again - where couples share their biggest wedding regrets.
If you follow my blog, this is the 4th or 5th year I've shared what couples most regret about their wedding. Not only do I want to give you tips for planning a wedding, but I want to give you useful tips for planning your wedding!
Writing this article every year is both inspiring and frustrating. Those feelings kind of touch on both ends of the spectrum, but it's frustrating for me because I genuinely enjoy helping people. It makes me sad to see couples repeating the same mistakes every year.
It's impossible to plan a wedding perfectly or love how every aspect of your wedding turns out. It's a huge event with a lot of moving parts. However, with that being said, it's certainly possible to reflect back on your wedding with admiration. You might think that's a given, but alarmingly, most couples don't. Over 80% of couples would plan their wedding completely different if given a second chance.
You Don't know what you don't know
Planning a wedding is a big undertaking and if you're like most couples, you've never planned a wedding before. It's easy to make mistakes because you don't know what you don't know.
Planning a wedding is a very personal and emotional experience, and that's why it can be so difficult.
Most couples have the best of intentions as they begin to plan their big day. But many couples, as they get a little deeper in the process, start to feel overwhelmed. The dollars are adding up and they still see a long list of details that need to be addressed. They start to stress and panic, and this ultimately leads to decisions they will regret down-the-line.
It doesn't have to be this difficult or this stressful.
5 Biggest wedding regrets of 2017
Real couples, that tied the knot in 2017, have shared their biggest wedding regrets.
Every year, as I sit down to write this article, I ask myself the same question.
"Why do couples have, and share, the same regrets every year?"
It's pretty amazing when you stop to think about it. Every wedding season, at least 3 of the top 5 regrets, are the same year in and year out. If we really wanted to simplify the list of regrets, we could boil it down to one simple statement.
The majority of couples regret how they spent their money.
When it comes to planning a wedding, there is what I like to call your pre-wedding perception and your post-wedding reality. The pre-wedding perception allows you to convince, and even lie to yourself, that you don't need something or you can do with a lesser option. The post-wedding reality is the consequences you later have to deal with as a result of decisions made out of panic, stress, etc.
So, what post-wedding realities do the majority of couples have to deal with?
1. Wishing They Spent More Money On Their Wedding Photography
This is generally the top regret couples have every year.
Here's the ironic part of this regret. As couples begin to worry about their increasing "wedding costs," they often look to their photography to cut expenses. How do they do this? They look to "friends with nice cameras" or "cheap photographers" that promise them the world for a "fraction" of the cost.
Pre-wedding perception is tempting. Why would you spend double, if not more, money to get the same photos? Unfortunately, you won't discover the answer until your "post-wedding reality" kicks in - when your photos are missing once-in-a-lifetime moments, their blurry, over/under exposed, etc. Some couples really learn the answer when their photographer goes missing and they never receive a single photo!! Talk about a nightmare!
You've likely spent at least a year planning this extravagant event. When the craziness of your wedding celebration comes to an end, what's left after the flowers have wilted and music comes to an end? Extraordinary photos that provide you with a lifetime of memories. Memories that will allow your wedding day to live forever. These photos create a story that will be shared with your children, grandchildren, and family generations to come.
2. Wishing They Hired A Videographer
In my experience, most couples don't hire a videographer because they feel it's duplicating their efforts. They've already hired a photographer and a videographer is almost the same.
Here's a secret.
They're not the same as a wedding photographer and there's really no way to compare still images to a video. Video - complete with motion and sound - adds a whole different layer to your memories. Photos and video complement one another perfectly and it really creates a comprehensive story of your big day.
Many couples say, "We haven't hired a videographer yet, but if we have money left over at the end, we'll consider it." This, once again, is that "pre-wedding perception." The post-wedding reality when you don't hire a videographer is the loss of valuable memories.
Take the slideshow below. While this is not the same type of wedding video that a professional videographer would produce because it's using still images - adding a little motion to the images with music completely changes the feel of the photos.
3. Wishing They Spent More Money On Their DJ
The importance of having a great DJ is often overlooked. Photography and videography produces something tangible, so it's easier to appreciate their value. We understand how photos and videos can impact our lives. But, what about a great DJ? All they really do is play music, right?
Wrong!
Who didn't see that coming? A lot of couples will hire "cheap DJ's" if they agree to play the music they want to hear. Sounds simple enough, but like most things in life, the devil is in the details.
One of the biggest concerns for most couples getting married today, is having a wedding that creates a great guest experience. Believe it or not, your DJ will play a significant role in ensuring this happens. Your guests are going to vary in age and have vastly different musical tastes. Some guests will absolutely refuse to get up and dance, so while you can't get everyone up on the dance floor, your DJ will need to appeal to a diverse crowd. Great DJ's are true artists when it comes to "reading a crowd" and this plays a significant role in the music they choose to play, and when they decide to play it.
Almost everyone has been to a wedding or knows someone who has been to a wedding where the DJ sucks! They have their own agenda when it comes to the music playlist and barely anyone is getting up to dance. That leads me to the last concern when it comes to hiring a quality DJ -
The mic.
The DJ you hire is going to have a live mic available to them ALL night!! Do you want a professional DJ that understands the importance of your day or do you want some "cheap DJ" who thinks this is their time to make inappropriate comments or jokes?
4. Having A Wedding That Was Too Large
The size of your wedding is going to have a HUGE influence on the amount of money you spend. The couples looking to cut expenses often fail to look more closely at their guest list.
Your guest list is the EASIEST and QUICKEST way to save A LOT of money on wedding expenses!
According to The Knot's 2017 wedding survey, the average couple spent $268 per wedding guest! The average wedding has 125 guests. What if you're looking at your guest list right now and you're at 150? How much money would you save by reducing your guest by 1 table (8 people)?
* 8 people x $268 per person = $2,144!
But that doesn't tell the entire story. One less table also means 1 less centerpiece, less favors, less invitations, less reply cards, less thank you cards, less chair covers, etc.
When all is said and done, 1 table could potentially cut your wedding costs by $2,500!! What if your list can be reduced from 150 to 125? You could save nearly $10,000!!
Creating a guest list is one of the biggest stresses for most couples. However, with a little hep, it's a lot easier than you might imagine.
5. Spending Too Much Money On Invitations
Your wedding invitation is going to create the first impression of your wedding. That's true.....to a point. In reality, most of your guests are going to read it and throw it away. It's hard to believe, but it's true.
You will likely spend hours picking out the perfect design, color, font, etc. and within a few minutes, it will be crumpled up in a garbage can somewhere.
Your invitations don't have to be expensive to effectively reflect the vision you have for your wedding. A good rule of thumb when choosing an invitation - less is more!
Choose a simple, clean, and elegant design with an easy to read font. Not only will your guests be impressed, but so will your wedding budget!