Romance aside, planning a wedding is also a huge logistical task and there will surely be oversights on your part.
This is part and parcel of the wedding journey, and it’s something that each of us learn to deal with during and post-wedding.
Thankfully, there have been many others before you who’ve gotten married and here are some valuable tips we’ve gleaned from these experienced brides.
#1 Not discussing with your parents on their expectations and requirements, before confirming anything (date, venue etc)
The wedding is not just about the both of you. Even if your parents are, in general, easy-going and unfussy about things, a wedding is a special occasion and they might have differing views that you don’t expect.
Before confirming your big-ticket items like the venue or photographer, it would be best to do so with the approval of your parents.
For example, they might want a traditional tea ceremony and gate crash at your houses, although you’d prefer having it at your venue. Or they might even prefer having it on a weekend night, as opposed to a weekend afternoon.
Another scenario might be them wanting an auspicious date for your wedding day while you deem it as unnecessary superstition.
By navigating their expectations and aligning it with yours, you’ll be saved the headache and hassle of having to cancel or change any bookings you’ve made. (See more of our tips on dealing with your parents or in-laws during wedding prep.)
#2 Passing up on hiring a videographer
While there’s magic in still images, there’s also intangible value in film.
Moments are fleeting and the fact of reality is, you’ll miss out on more things than you’d like. As the bride and groom, you’ll be the busiest people around – being pulled in different directions, and having to get ready on multiple occasions for the next event.
Your wedding day will pass quicker than you expect and when that happens, you’ll appreciate having a video to look back on the day.
Monetary cost is on the hefty side, but we hardly hear of couples who regretted hiring a videographer. Instead, we would recommend you to consider budgeting on other areas like decor, favours or even your wedding cake – to make up for the cost.
See also: AD VIDEOGRAPHY? THESE 8 CREATIVE SINGAPORE WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHERS WILL BLOW YOU AWAY
#3 If your budget allows, consider hiring at least two or more photographers for your actual day celebrations.
This is especially so if you are planning to have a big reception or banquet for your wedding.
There’s a lot of ground to cover, not to mention people. With so many things going on concurrently, your photographer would be hard-pressed to capture every moment of your wedding.
Minimally, we’d recommend having one photographer by your side, and the other to rove around the venue/s.
This way, you’ll be able to get photographs on the spot with your weddings guests wherever you may be, while the other photographer can focus on shooting the rest of the day’s happenings.
If you’re still on your search for a wedding photographer, check out our curated list here: THESE 10 SINGAPORE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKE MODERN, SWOON-WORTHY PICTURES.
#4 Not taking time out to get pictures with your family and close friends
In the midst of being all over the place during your banquet, you might miss out on taking pictures with the people most important to you – your family and close friends.
You’ll feel them right by your side, but neglect to take a picture with all of them while you are attending to other guests.
No matter how tight your schedule is, carving out time for photos with your closest and dearest will be something you’ll feel thankful for having done so.
#5 Meeting your wedding vendors in person
Viewing their work online isn’t enough. What you see on social media isn’t always the full picture.
You may like the quality of a particular vendor’s work, but before you transfer the deposit, be sure to meet them in person to see how they are really like, and if they are able to fulfil your expectations. Being able to connect on the same vision for your wedding is so important.
There could be clashes in personality, or disagreements over the way they work or worse – they might turn out to be full of air and no substance.
See also: MAKEUP ARTISTS TO PHOTOGRAPHERS: 9 THINGS BRIDES DON’T REGRET SPLURGING ON
#6 Not checking out more than one bridal salon.
This has happened to so many couples. You wander into a bridal salon, or a booth during a wedding fair and without planning to, walk out with a bridal salon package signed and paid for – even though it was the first place you checked out.
No matter how alluring the prices and packages are, you should only sign for something if you’ve done sufficient research or you’re sure of having no regrets. Don’t be done in by the pushiness or pricing.
More often than not, couples would either realise what they saw at the wedding fair is not the same as the designs at the shop, or they end up finding another bridal salon more suited to their needs.
See also: 6 THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T FORGET FOR YOUR ROM OR SOLEMNISATION