Tasteful Tatters

No matter how beautiful, wonderful and happy your wedding day was, which it most certainly was all of the above! There will always be a few wedding day what-ifs, which may lead to some wedding day regrets.

Through our years of wedding planning experience & just working with our own Bride and Grooms themselves, we gathered some of the most common wedding day regrets to share with you. Listen to them and learn how to avoid their mistakes

Michael Radford Photography

Beauty

The number one beauty blunder is not doing a trial hair and make up run before the big day. You don't want to wait until it's too late to figure out you want your hair all the way up, or wished you could have had fake eyelashes.

Don't be afraid to do 1 or even 2 trials. What's most important is feeling confident on your big day.

And don't do any crash dieting. Start early, eat healthy and get regular exercise. This will help keep your stress levels down and get you looking great.

Make sure your bridesmaids or coordinator has your chapstick and/or lipgloss handy so you don't have to go without - or have to worry about carrying it around all night!

Always give yourself more time then you think you need. You'll regret being stressed and having to rush. (having a coordinator manage your timeline helps with this as well!)

Megan Hayes Photography

Paper Goods

Invitations, Save the Dates, and programs will add up quickly. Some brides regretted doing programs at all when it was only appreciated by their mothers and grandparents. Don't feel like you have to do something just because others do. That may lead to regrets about going over budget or making things that were unnecessary.

On your invitations - give yourself plenty of time with your RSVP date. Many online timelines say to make the date 2-3 weeks from the actual wedding date. We say 4+ weeks! This give you plenty of time to call those later responders, create your seating chart, and finalize rental & catering numbers well before the week of the wedding - trust us - this will save you hours and many tears!

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J+K Photography

The Ceremony

Write your own vows. Yes it takes some more time and thought but that is definitely something you will appreciate you did and so will your guests. Your heart felt words will mean so much more to watch while you're face to face at the alter and for years to come in the highlight video.

The day will fly by! The last thing you want to be doing is running around tending to last minute details, when really you should be enjoying yourself and taking time to enjoy every last detail you worked so hard to plan. Invest in a coordinator. They will do all the day of running around for you and you won't have to worry about a thing. This also alleviates your friends and family from having to "work" on your wedding day.

Don't feel like just because you're engaged you have to rush and choose your bridal party right away. Don't pick the first name that pops into your head. Make sure you take the time to pick the best friends, the ones that you can count on for years and years to come.

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Katrina Jayne Photography

The Reception

Remember to eat. Everything and everyone will try to occupy your time, but make sure you take time to eat so you keep your energy up and feeling good for the whole day of activities.

Probably the most important tip from past couples is to not drink too much. You don't want to get too drunk, or even worse get sick. The best thing to do is stick to one type of alcohol, avoid shots and drink a lot of water. The day goes fast as it is, you want to remember as much as you can.

Take the time and pay the money for a good DJ. And not just a "good" one from yelp reviews. Make sure to meet with them in person and go with someone that understands the vibe you want. If you had cheesy games, make sure they know that! It makes the night that much better and go that much smoother. Your guests will notice and appreciate it.

Photography and Videography

Most couple regret not booking a videographer. Consider budgeting for this early because you will appreciate that the day and all it's wonderful, unexpected antics were caught on film for a lifetime of joy. There is something so special about hearing voices and catching movement and emotion on film that you don't get in your photos.

Don't be afraid to voice your opinion, or tell a vendor what you want on the day. The most important thing is that you're happy and you get the most of the day.

Hire a photographer that you love their work (obvi) but also that you just generally get along with. We tell couples all the time - if you don't feel an instant connection, like you could be friends with them, they may not be for you. Having someone follow you around with a lens in your face in some of the most intimate moments of your day... is, well.. kinda awkward for most people. And if you don't feel 100% comfortable in front of your photog, it will show in your photos.

The Honeymoon

You'll regret running right from the reception to your honeymoon. We recommend taking at least 2-3 days in between your wedding day and when you leave for your honeymoon. This give you enough time for the wedding exhaustion to lift and for you to come down for all the hype of preparing for the day. That way you don't waste the beginning of your honeymoon trying to balance out... or just sleeping ;-)

This also gives you time to spend with any out of town guests or friends and family you didn't get enough time with, while you all brunch the next morning.

photo by: Kaylee Koenig

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Worry less about what other people want. This is your day and you have to be happy with how it turns out. Also a lot of brides say they wish they hadn't put so much time an attention into the smallest details. People didn't even take time to notice and it may have caused you the biggest headache.

You'll regret letting people bull doze you into using their ideas. Stand up for what you want. This is your wedding. So have fun with it :)

We'd love to hear from you! In the comments below - what is one thing you wish you would have done (or not done) on your wedding day?