Getting married should be one of the most important days of a woman’s
life. More times than not, women dream of their wedding day years before
it happens. They will have every little detail planned to perfection in
their heads, but implementing their dreams comes with challenges.
Unfortunately, many brides make some common mistakes in the endeavor to
realize that dream. As a certified wedding coordinator, I was taught to
be aware of these mistakes, and I am passing some of that knowledge on
to you. The following list describes the pitfalls you want to avoid while
planning your nuptials:
• Bride’s who “blow” their budget – Bride’s
are generally excited about planning their wedding day and tend to “jump
the gun” and start booking vendors right and left without thoroughly
shopping the competition. Most vendors require down payments to book an
event and in the case of cancellation, the down payment will most likely
not be refunded. So, brides, shop before you book!
• The couple who doesn’t know the rules for obtaining a marriage
license – There are very important rules that need to be followed
in order to receive a marriage license, and if the rules are not followed,
you will not receive it in time for the ceremony. To receive a license
in Louisiana, you must bring birth certificates, $26 in cash, and divorce
papers if either of you have been married before. Also, the marriage license
must be purchased no later than seventy-two hours before the wedding,
and the license is good for only thirty days
• The bride who waits to the last minute to order her wedding gown
– The wedding gown is one of the most important features in your
wedding! You will want to make sure you get what you want, so go shopping
almost immediately after you get engaged. It is extremely rare that a
wedding gown will be bought directly off the rack, ready to wear. Most
gowns will need to be ordered and then altered; so saving enough time
to complete those tasks is crucial. Give yourself at least four months. This will also give you plenty of time to shop for the right wedding jewelry.
• The bride who does not affix the correct postage to her invitations
– Most invitations require additional postage beyond the thirty-seven
cents that is already required. The printing company you have hired will
most likely be able to tell you how much postage you need to make sure
your invitations will be delivered properly, but it is always a good idea
to take a “ready to mail” invitation to the post office for
weighing.
• The bride who tries to plan the entire wedding on her own –
Your engagement period should be one of the most enjoyable times in your
life, so why ruin it by stressing yourself out trying to plan the perfect
wedding! It is unbelievable how much time and effort goes in to planning
a wedding, so it is advisable to delegate different tasks to friends or
family, or better yet, hire a wedding planner!
Mistakes are easy to make when you are not armed with the knowledge
it takes to prevent them. I hope this article helps many a bride to relax
and enjoy her engagement and wedding day.
Erin Sharplin Love is a Certified Fashion
and Image Consultant and a Certified Wedding Coordinator who is the owner/founder
of Panache by Erin. Panache by Erin is a business dedicated to enhancing
its clients lives by providing services such as wardrobe consultation,
closet rejuvenation, wedding coordinating, personal color analysis, personal
shopping, etiquette training, and various home and office organization
services. Panache by Erin also offers several different presentations
to businesses, organizations, and “Girls Night Out” parties.
Erin received a Bachelor’s Degree
in General Business/English from Northeast Louisiana University and began
working full time as the Corporate Secretary of Sharpco, Inc. Before long
the fashion bug began to resurface in Erin’s life and Panache was
born. After several years of being in business, Erin realized that a certification
in fashion and image consulting could be an asset to Panache, so she began
to research different schools.
