Eleven Wedding Misconceptions You Shouldn't Believe

As we’ve said time and time again, there’s no right way to have a wedding. With that being said there are a lot of misunderstandings floating around about what you should and shouldn’t do for your wedding, and we’re here to clear things up. Here are 11 misconceptions you can definitely disregard.

You have to get married on a Saturday 
While it certainly is a popular day of the week to get married since it falls on a weekend, you don’t have to get hitched then. Some couples might prefer to wed on a Sunday or even on a weekday to save money or because it works better for their schedule. Venues and other vendors may offer discounts to those who wish to marry on a less popular day of the week.

The bride has to wear a white wedding dress 
Traditionally the bride has worn a white gown for her walk down the aisle but designers today are pushing the boundaries of bridal fashion and offering a range of unique looks for every kind of bride. From crop tops and pant suits to colored gowns to pantsuits, there are endless possibilities for wedding day looks. 

Your bachelor(ette) party has to be a weekend-long rager 
While most people think that bachelor and bachelorette parties are absolutely wild, there are many other options for celebrating a weekend with your wedding party. From a vineyard trip to a sporting event, plan something that makes sense for the guest of honor instead of the typical night out.

You have to have an even number of bridesmaids and groomsmen 
If your S.O. is opting to keep their part of the wedding party on the smaller side but you have a lot of people you want to include, it’s totally fine to be a little off-balance. Bridesmaids and groomsmen can double up during the recessional and your photographer will be able to work with uneven numbers without any issues. The most important thing is that everyone you want to be by your side gets that opportunity!

The father is only one who can walk the bride down the aisle 
There are many situations in which both the bride’s parents can walk her down the aisle! She can also ask another family member such as her brother or uncle if that better suits the bride’s situation. There is no one set person that has to give the bride away, she could even walk down solo if she doesn’t want to share the spotlight!

You have to wait until the ceremony to see your S.O. on your wedding day 
Many couples opt to have a first look before the ceremony. This sweet moment can be captured by your photographer and you’ll be able to make it to your cocktail party instead of taking dozens of pics after your ceremony. This is also a great way to calm wedding jitters. 

You have to have your cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception 

At Lauren Conrad’s wedding she opted to have a cocktail hour before her wedding so guests could mix and mingle before the ceremony. They also had the option of bringing their drinks to their seat to enjoy while she and Mr. Tell exchanged vows. This twist on a traditional wedding day schedule is a fun way to change things up.

You’ll spend all your savings on the wedding 
This very common misconception can easily be proven wrong. There are many ways to save a couple bucks here and there from the dress to the catering. 

You have to serve cake for dessert 
Gone are the days of cake being your only dessert option! From baked goods such as cupcakes and cookies to more creative offerings such as popsicle bars and candy buffets, nothing is off limits when it comes to sweet treats! 

Dancing is the only form of reception entertainment 
Depending on your venue you’ll probably be able to offer other forms of guest entertainment in addition to dancing. You can get a photo booth, offer personalized Mad Libs, or set up lawn games such as cornhole and bocce. We recommend have at least one other form of entertainment so non-dancing guests can have fun too!

You have to leave for your honeymoon the day after your wedding 
There’s no rush to jet off for your honeymoon the day after you get hitched. If you want to give yourself time to unwind or your work schedule doesn’t allow for it, it’s perfectly okay to hold off a few weeks or months before taking your trip. 

Five Things NOT to Do Right Before Your Wedding

With mile-long to-do lists and many loose ends to tie up, the final days leading up to the wedding can leave you feeling like a hot mess of stress. There are a few things you should avoid doing during the final hours of your single life in order to keep your sanity (or what’s left of it).

Don’t doubt yourself 
It’s important you don’t second-guess all the choices you’ve made leading up to the wedding. Whether you start to have doubts about the bridesmaid dresses or what you’re serving as the main entree, there’s not a whole lot you can do about it at this point. Chances are you’ve spent a good amount of time weighing the pros and cons of everything down to the table napkins. This late in the game you have to trust that your signature cocktail was the right call and that your hairstyle is the best match for your dress. At the end of the day, your guests are going to be more excited for you and your fiancé(e) than they will about what favors you give them.

Don’t sweat the small stuff 
Don’t fret if things don’t go exactly according to plan. If you have a wedding planner, it’s their job to take care of last-minute changes. Small details like escort cards and your guests arriving on time should not be your main focus. You’ve worked hard up to this point to make sure everything goes off without a hitch and some things are simply out of your control. Things that seem like MAJOR dilemmas to you will likely go unnoticed by your guests.

Don’t forget to rest 
With so much on your plate you may forget to take a deep breath and slow down. Set some time aside for yourself in the days leading up to the wedding and allow yourself to just sit back and relax. Take that time to do something non-wedding related such as read a book or go for a run. It’s important that you don’t let all the planning drive you out of your mind, this is supposed to be a fun time!

Don’t worry about everyone else 

If you’ve delegated tasks to the wedding party and various family members, trust that they will get it done. You assigned them tasks so you DON’T have to worry about it. It’s also not your responsibility to make sure your guests arrive places on time or to remedy to issues they may have with their travel or hotel reservations—it’s not your problem to fix. Your wedding party is there to support you when those kinds of things happen so don’t resist their help, take advantage of it.

Don’t forget to enjoy to yourself 
It’s your wedding after all! When it comes down to it, the only thing that matters is about the fact that you and your S.O. are making a lifelong commitment to each other. No misplaced escort card or incorrect lipstick shade is going to change that fact. Try to keep a realistic perspective on the day and soak it all in. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment!

10 Awkward Wedding Moments—And How to Gracefully Handle Them

Your wedding is going to be full of amazing moments—your first look, saying your vows, the first dance, and more. But there may be a few less-fun incidents during your otherwise fantastic day. These slightly awkward (but pretty common) situations are not catastrophes by any means, and if you handle them with grace, charm, and a little improvisation, your guests will quickly forget these minor mishaps and remember your wedding for the incredible day it was.

You’re called by the wrong name. 
A lot of people will be announcing your name during your wedding—your officiant, DJ, bandleader, and more. There is a possibility that one of these people will get mixed up and call you or your almost-spouse by the wrong name. Not ideal. 
How to handle: Before your wedding, be sure that all of your vendors have a wedding-day timeline both in email and hard copy. Your timeline should include your and your future spouse’s names, with pronunciation assistance if needed. If a mix-up occurs at your wedding, quickly and clearly correct the speaker.

An uninvited guest shows up. 
It happens more often than you’d think. Your cousin brings her kid. Your college friend brings her new boyfriend. Some people just don’t understand the meaning of an RSVP and feel like they can bring anyone they want to your wedding. 
How to handle: There’s not much you can do, but don’t—under any circumstances—make a scene. Instead, be gracious and let your wedding planner or a wedding party member try to accommodate the additional guest. Move on and enjoy your day.

Your flower girl refuses to walk down the aisle. 
Your flower girl throws a tantrum right before she’s about to walk down the aisle. Everyone is trying to calm her down (and/or totally bribing her), but nothing is working. 
How to handle: You may have had visions of the adorable little princess walking down the aisle with a big smile on her face, but that’s clearly not going to happen. Don’t force her to walk down the aisle, and let the ceremony commence on without her. Make sure a parent or close relative is watching the little one, and can bring her in to the ceremony if and when she’s ready.

Guests are walking in late to your ceremony. 
You’re standing at the altar, staring into your beloved’s eyes when you hear chatter and rustling—latecomers. Everyone’s heads turn to the back of your venue as a group of guests come in.
How to handle: Assign close friends or relatives to be ushers. The ushers will stand at the entrance to your venue during the ceremony and escort latecomers to their seats—at an appropriate time.

A cell phone goes off at an inopportune time. 
You’re about to say your vows when you hear that familiar guitar strum ringtone. The room goes silent and everyone starts shifting in their seats. 
How to handle: Include a polite but direct request in your ceremony program or on signage that your guests silence their cell phones before the ceremony. Your officiant can also make an announcement at the start of the proceedings. Professional wedding officiants are usually pros at handling cell phones ringing and will probably be able to make light of the situation if it occurs. If not, and the offender is oblivious to their constantly pinging phone, a wedding party member can discreetly ask the person to turn it off.

The wrong song is played during your first dance. 
You and your future spouse have been planning your first dance for months, but due to a miscommunication, the wrong song comes on during your first dance. You and your future spouse stand there, frozen, and unsure of what to do. 
How to handle: Make sure someone in your crew (a planner or wedding party member) knows what your first dance song so that if the wrong song is played, he or she can ask your DJ or bandleader to switch tunes ASAP. If that doesn’t happen, just wing it! Your wedding is all about you and your future spouse having fun, so even if you’re not big dancers, enjoy yourself on the dance floor no matter what song is playing.

Your MOH mentions an ex in a speech. 
Your maid of honor wants her toast to be a total surprise. But when she starts speaking, it’s clear things are going in the wrong direction. She starts talking about your past relationships in gory detail, and it’s getting, well, awkward.
How to handle: Your guests will likely look to you to figure out how they should react. Your best bet is to simply laugh and smile, and don’t let any negative feelings shine through—squeeze your new spouse’s hand and fake smile. You can complain to your new spouse after the reception about your MOH’s speech, but don’t make a scene at the reception. Your MOH probably thinks she’s being funny and hopefully is coming from a good place.

Your best man’s speech is Way. Too. Long. 
Your best man’s speech has been going on for five minutes without any signs of stopping. Your guests are starting to get bored. 
How to handle: Ask all of your wedding reception toast-givers to keep their speeches to around three minutes. Your bandleader, DJ, or emcee can also quietly signal to the speech-giver that it’s time to finish up.

Your great aunt asks, “So, are you planning to start trying for kids tonight?” in a really loud voice. 
Whether it’s the champagne talking or not, people may feel the need to ask you super-personal questions during your wedding—and always in a super-loud voice when the rest of the room is quiet.
How to handle: Keep your response lighthearted. “We’re not sure yet, but you’ll be the first to know!”

A group of your college friends get really drunk. 
Guests may use your wedding as an excuse to get totally wasted, and that may cause things to get out of hand on the dance floor.
How to handle: A wedding party member can discreetly pull the drunk group aside and ask them to settle down, or distract them with desserts or a trip to the photo booth so they’re not making a scene. Make sure that there are transportation options so there’s no drinking and driving.

Should You Do First-Look Wedding Photos? You decide.

Ohh, the classic first-look photos. We've all seen them. The bride sneaking up behind the groom (like the one above!) The groom standing anxiously, with a smile of sheer anticipation. The look on the groom's face as he sees his bride for the first time in her wedding dress. Everyone knows that first looks can be truly magical and especially intimate, filled with raw emotion and heartwarming embraces that make for the best photographic moments. 

However, for many couples, seeing their hubby- or bride-to-be before the ceremony is still a big no-no — citing old traditions of bad luck or simply wanting to save the surprise of the first look for the walk down the aisle. If you're a bride-to-be, you've probably asked yourself if a first look is worth the pre-ceremony photo ops, or if it will spoil the surprise of meeting your fiancé at the altar. 

Among the many decisions couples make ahead of the big day are first-look photos: to take or not to take? When it comes to couples seeing each other before the wedding ceremony, religious and cultural traditions vary, so there are a number of reasons couples might choose to stage first-look pictures earlier in the day.

The "first look" is typically a special, private moment for the couple that's captured by the wedding photographer. Why do people do it? Beyond religious customs, one practical benefit is being able to take pictures with the bridal party and family members ahead of the ceremony. That way, friends and family can go straight from the ceremony to the cocktail hour or reception without having to take a photo break. Meanwhile, some couples may choose to have a first-look moment so that they can get some alone time during a chaotic day, and others may see it as a way help their nerves.

Trash the Dress Photo Shoot

From Wikipedia:

"Trash the dress", also known as "fearless bridal" or "rock the frock", is a style of wedding photography that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is out of place. It is generally shot in the style of fashion or glamour photography. Such photography often takes place on a beach, but other locations include city streets, rooftops, garbage dumps, fields, and abandoned buildings. The woman often wears a ball gown, prom dress or wedding dress, and may effectively ruin the dress in the process by getting it wet, dirty, or, in extreme circumstances, tearing or destroying the garment."

I personally enjoy the Trash the Dress photo shoot because it is a stress free photo session.  The wedding is over and the bride and groom are more relaxed.  We can do a Trash the Dress shoot weeks, months or even a year or two after the wedding.  I'll give you a discount if you book it at the same time that you book the wedding photography. --  John Arty                    

Click on link for:  Trash the Dress Photo Shoot Video

Thoughts Every Bride Has On Her Wedding Day

After a long road of planning, there are bound to be dozens of thoughts running through the bride's head on her wedding day. Below are a few we imagine may come to mind at some point. PS- they're not always completely logical.

“I’m getting married today! I can’t believe it's finally here!”

“Holy crap, wait, I’m getting married today?”

“There must be something I forgot to do.”

“Oh. my. gosh. I didn’t buy the wedding ring.”

“How are we supposed to have a wedding without a wedding ring?!”

“Oh wait. I did buy it. Phew.”

“WHERE are the hair and makeup people? They were supposed to be here at 8:30 a.m., and it’s 8:31 a.m.”

“Is this airbrush makeup really going to cover up my zits?”

“Does it look like I only slept for two hours last night? Because I did.”

“Did my bridesmaid SERIOUSLY just break her zipper?”

“I hope my fiancé(e) is awake. Sleeping through the wedding is not option.”

“I really hope my dress still fits. Did I have to participate in taco Tuesday the week of my wedding?”

“I should’ve bookmarked that YouTube video so my fiancé(e) knows how to tie a bowtie.”

“Maybe I should slow down on the champagne, I have to walk down an aisle in front of a few hundred people…”

“Or maybe I shouldn’t.”

“Is my passport expired? Guess we’re spending our honeymoon at the cheap motel down the street from my childhood home. #romantic.”

“I really, really hope Uncle Todd doesn’t get drunk and dance on the table like he did at Thanksgiving last year.”

“Do you think the groomsmen remembered to press their suits? Someone get an iron over there stat.”

Related : 20 Things That Keep a Bride Awake at Night >>

“Is the flower girl EVER going to stop crying? No? OK just checking.”

“Is my mom EVER going to stop crying? No? OK just checking.”

“How is it possible that my grandma still doesn’t know my fiancé(e)’s name? We’ve only been dating for four years.”

“I really hope I don’t pull a Ross and say the wrong name at the altar.”

“I should have practiced walking in these shoes, I can already feel the blisters coming.”

“How is it humanly possible to sweat this much?”

“I’m a WIFE! Holy #&@!”

“If my dad shows any childhood photos of me during his speech I may quite literally die of embarrassment. Can someone please do a quick read-through?”

“Wow I’m starving. Have I had anything to eat?”

“Wait, I’m going to faint. Does anyone have smelling salts? Are those still a thing?”

“When did my hair go from a chic updo to a hot mess?”

“Has anyone posted to the wedding hashtag yet? Check!”

“I didn’t think my finger could sparkle this much with not one, but TWO rings. Like this could blind someone.”

“I love my friends! I love my family! This is the best day ev...whoa, there’s a dancing circle around me, hands in the air, like I just don’t care!”

“Is the best man really taking a nap in the corner right now?”

“There’s no way that reception was three hours, it feels like it just started.”

“How am I going to make it through the after, after-party?”

“Is it really over? Here comes the wedding withdrawal.”

“What am I supposed to plan and obsess over for the next year?”

“How many more times can I thank everyone for the best. day. ever?”

by Sarah Title

12 Things Couples Forget to Do for Their Wedding Guests

When planning your wedding, you absolutely should focus on creating an event that feels personal to you and your future spouse. But at the same time, you’ll need to be mindful and considerate of all of your loved ones who will be celebrating with you on your wedding day—your guests. Here are some wedding details that are easy to forget about, but will make a HUGE difference in your wedding guests’ experience.

Complete your wedding website

Your wedding website should include all of the important information about your big day—from the date, time, and location to travel and registry information. Even if you don’t have all of this info when you first create your wedding website, you should make sure to update it when the details are set. If your wedding website is incomplete, you can bet that you’ll receive phone calls from guests with questions—not ideal for anyone.

Update registry

Once you’ve created your wedding registry and shared the information on your wedding website, you can’t just kick back and forget about it. It’s important to check and update your wedding registry on the regular to make sure that you still have enough gifts available. Your guests will appreciate having plenty of options to choose from—at all price points.

Help your guests make travel arrangements

If many of your guests are traveling to your wedding, you should do your part and try to make booking travel as easy and affordable as possible. One way to do this is by reserving hotel room blocks so that guests can easily find and book their accommodations for your wedding. And some airlines will provide you with a small discount code if many of your guests will be flying to your wedding destination on the same airline. If you do reserve hotel room blocks or secure an airline discount, be sure to share this information on your wedding website so everyone’s aware.

Comfort over style

When you’re selecting your wedding décor, you’re probably focusing on how everything will look—but don’t forget about your guests’ experience as well. Sure, those chairs will look amazing at your reception, but are they actually comfortable for your guests to sit on? And those menu cards may look beautiful, but is the font too small for guests to actually read? Yes, you want your wedding décor to be memorable—but for the right reasons.

Welcome them

Especially if your guests have traveled to your wedding destination, it’s important to make them feel welcome. Provide welcome bags filled with necessities like bottled water, snacks, and a schedule for the wedding weekend. If you can’t accommodate all of your out-of-towners at your rehearsal dinner, host a “rehearsal dinner after party” at the hotel bar or a local restaurant to welcome everyone. If you can schedule activities for the morning of your wedding (walking tours, boat cruises, golf outings, group yoga sessions) to give out-of-towners something to do, go for it!

Scout out the parking situation

One of the most important questions couples forget to ask their wedding venue is: “Do you offer parking?” If the venue has a free lot or offers valet parking as part of their package, you’re all set. If the venue does offer valet, but it’s not part of their package, it’s usually on you to pay for it (that includes the tip)—it’s not ideal for your guests to have to shell out cash for any part of your wedding. If the parking situation is difficult or near-impossible for your guests, you might want to consider other options, including…

Provide transportation for guests

If you’re hosting a lot of out-of-town guests and/or the parking situation at your wedding venue is on the trickier side (see above), you may want to provide transportation for your guests. Yes, this is an additional expense, but your guests will be so grateful to not have to worry about driving and parking—and it also helps solve any potential issues with drinking and driving. A shuttle from guests’ hotels to the ceremony, the ceremony to reception (if needed) and the reception back to the hotel is all you’ll need, and a reputable transportation company can help you figure out all of the logistics.

Tell them what to expect—and be on time

While some surprises are okay during your wedding (hello, flash mob!), your guests generally will want to have a sense early on of how the weekend will go. Enclosing a timeline of events with your welcome bags is helpful. You can also display signage at your wedding venue to give your guests a heads-up on timing. And sharing the wedding timeline is one thing, but actually sticking to it is a whole other ballgame. Try to stick as close to the schedule as possible—guests aren’t usually fans of sitting around waiting for events to start.

Provide ample, delicious food and drink

Your guests will likely be pretty hungry after your ceremony—so don’t make them wait too long to eat. If possible, plentiful food and drink should be offered right away during cocktail hour, so that everyone can dig in (and won’t be “hangry”). Even if you and your future spouse have exotic taste in food, offer cuisine that most everyone—even your pickiest guests—can enjoy, with a few unique dishes provided as well, if you’d like.

Make sure there are enough restrooms

Your loved ones do not want to spend your wedding reception waiting on line for the bathroom. So make sure that your wedding venue has enough restrooms so that there won’t be long lines—one bathroom for every 30 guests is a good rule of thumb.

Thoughtfully assign seating at the reception

While couples are moving away from assigned seating at wedding ceremonies, the reception is a different story. Your guests will appreciate having assigned tables at your reception, so they’re not awkwardly trying to find a table, middle-school cafeteria style. And when it comes to assigning guests to tables, think strategically about your guests’ experience. Seat people who know each other together, people who hate each other far apart, and elderly people far from the band or DJ’s speakers. Try to be as thoughtful as possible when creating your seating chart.

Say thank-you

You’ll be busy during and after your wedding, but it’s essential that you take the time to say thanks to your guests—in more than one way. During your reception, it’s a nice idea to “make the rounds.” In other words, go table to table while guests are enjoying dinner to say a quick hello and thank your guests for coming. You can also make a little speech after the cake cutting to thank everyone for joining you, and provide thank-you notes on place settings, or signage near the guest book. And don’t forget about the actual thank-you notes—be sure to send those as quickly as possible after your wedding gifts are received.

by Kim Forrest