7 common wedding day mishaps and how to solve them
08/11/22
It’s a week before your wedding, a day you’ve planned to the nth degree. All your t’s are crossed, i’s dotted and you’re pretty much good to go. The Big Day arrives and somehow things don’t go as expected which can be such a disappointment. Having worked on weddings for over 5 years, I know firsthand some of the things couples worry about going wrong on their Big Day, and whilst you can’t control absolutely everything that happens, here are some things you can do to avoid or prevent a few of the typical wedding day mishaps:
- Running behind schedule – This has to be one of the most frequent wedding day issues I hear about and I totally understand it. Sometimes things overrun, key people turn up late, unexpected delays occur… the list goes on. One of the ways I help couples solve this particular issue is to create a heavily detailed timeline of the day and add in extra time for activities that have the potential to overrun. Try to leave in more than enough time for things like makeup, outfit changes, pictures, and the wedding breakfast. I also advise couples to be flexible on the day as we may need to rejig the schedule and cut out some things.
- Wardrobe malfunctions – From buttons popping and unexpected stains to trousers splitting, sometimes outfits can go rogue and so to mitigate this, I recommend having an emergency kit with items to help fix the situation. Typically, your wedding day coordinator should have one on hand for any accidentals but if not, ensure you’ve packed various sized of safety pins, a sewing kit, a stain removal solution, wipes, a crochet pin, a steamer, and any other tools that might come in handy.
- Guests not knowing where they need to be – Believe it or not sometimes guests will call on the day to find out where or what they need to be doing (wild right?!). My top tip for this is to 1) Put as much information on your wedding website so people know exactly what and where they’re meant to be 2) Set a point of contact, for example a wedding coordinator or trusted loved one, who can deal with any queries 3) Lay out the order of the day across your venue with creative signage that directs/signposts guests.
- Not getting the pictures you want – For this, I always recommend working with your photographer before the Big Day to map out a shot list and prioritise the most important ones. That way you can be rest assured you’re getting the pictures you definitely want.
- Family drama – No one wants drama at their wedding especially not between family members but in some cases, previous history can mean tensions run high. Ideally, your loved ones should aim to be on their best behaviour however one of the ways you can avoid any flare-ups is by seating potential suspects at different tables and further away from each other. Also, try employing the help of a neutral party who can help manage the situation and step in as a go-between.
- Elongated or inappropriate wedding speeches – Whilst this one is slightly harder to manage, you can step in before the day to help guide how the speech will go. Firstly, provide your speech giver with a set time which they should aim to stick within. Ideally, 3-5 mins is what I recommend especially if you have more than 3 people speaking. Also, if for any reason a speech is veering to the inappropriate side, speak to your DJ and host before the day to intervene when a ‘special’ signal is given.
- Wet Weather – Again, another one you can’t really control but you can try to work around. Any decent wedding or venue coordinator should work with you to devise a wet weather plan in terms of locations as well as suggest options like purchasing umbrellas and wellies, considering alternative forms of transport, and so on.
My most important piece of advice is to try and remain calm throughout the day and don’t let mishaps ruin your moment. You’re marrying the love of your life which trumps everything else so don’t let anything take the focus away from that amazing fact. If you can, please enlist the help of a professional wedding planner or coordinator who can step in and manage the situation, so you don’t have to. My team has availability for weddings and events in the coming year so if you’d like to talk about managing your wedding and finding solutions to the concerns you’re facing, fill out the enquiry form on the Contact us page!
