Over the past year and a half, I've had the pleasure of helping my older sister plan her wedding. I'll admit, it was fun at first. We would dream up elaborate fantasies of venue spots, try on all of the elegant white dresses, romanticize over the table decor, and joke about certain guests they'd invite. Having been the first child in our immediate family to be proposed to, we really had no clue what was to come.
After the initial day-dreamy phase (more like months) began to fade, reality kicked in. There were down payments needing deposits, venues needing booked, dresses needing tailored, cakes needing ordered, and invitations needing sent. It seemed as though right after we supposedly finished a project, something else would come along. Nevertheless, we persisted and pushed through the long days of tying little ribbons onto place cards and placing Hershey kisses into gift boxes. Suddenly, months became weeks, and weeks became days. Next thing we knew, we were driving to the church, gathering our bouquets, and lining up to walk down the aisle!
Despite all of the intense planning over the course of a year, some things you just cannot plan for. Weddings are a BIG deal. They require a lot of money, time, effort, and compromise. Because we are an artsy/musical family, we like to relate weddings to a theatre production. There are costumes, makeup, props, music, positions you must stand in, scripts to follow, audience members, and luckily, a dress rehearsal to practice before premiering the show. Like a musical or play, there will be some mistakes throughout the production. It's inevitable. No wedding is going to run perfectly, and it's important to have that mindset heading into the special day. Having been in and to several weddings recently, here are a few common mishaps that are bound to happen during your big event:
1. Someone will forget something.
Whether it's the bride forgetting her garter, a groomsman forgetting his vest, or a guest forgetting how to handle their alcohol (all of which happened last weekend), there will be moments of panic! Try to stay calm, ask for help, and remember that the little details aren't what matter, it's the ceremony!
2. Someone's dress/suit won't fit.
You have to keep in mind that you'd purchased the dress/suit several months ago. Perhaps you've lost or gained some weight between then, and it's always best to try on your outfit intermittently leading up to the wedding. After all, this is the couple's day and you don't want to cause unnecessary stress with a broken zipper!
3. The weather will not be ideal.
Maybe you were hoping for sunshine, maybe you were hoping for snowflakes. It's important to keep in mind what you do and do not have control over. Though it may be frustrating and unpredictable, the weather is something you cannot control!
4. There will be awkward drama.
Yep. Just like any family gathering or social event, gossip always seems to work it's way in and around the room.
- "The girl who didn't RSVP? Yeah, she just walked in".
- "Becky from high school brought a date & it's not the one she's been posting about on Facebook."
- "Cousin Dylan left early. Do you think he's still mad about last Thanksgiving?"
...it's human nature.
5. You will go over budget.
Weddings are EXPENSIVE and take a great deal of budgeting and saving to pull them off. Even if you think you've stayed within your budget range, chances are there's still bills you still haven't accounted for. Guests go a little overboard at the open bar, the hairdresser charges more than you expected, or decor at the reception hall was damaged after a crazy night on the dance floor. Things happen!
