Whether you are getting married for the first time or the second or more, you will want to make it a day to remember. Often many prospective brides will have been planning their perfect version of their wedding since they were small girls. Now when it is the actual time to make it happen, it is vital to follow a plan. Hiring a professional to plan your wedding can be a great help but it can also be an expensive option for someone that is going to check everything with you anyway.

You can plan the perfect wedding by avoiding the following mistakes which are commonly made:

Exceed Your Budget

At the very start of the process, you should fix your budget. There are many resources online that can give you a rough idea of the price range for vendors. You are aware of how much money you have available to spend on your wedding so keep within your budget. Calculate the price of everything and if something is going to cost an additional five hundred dollars here or a thousand dollars there, then reconsider the expense. You do not want to start married life in debt.

Trying to Do Everything

Just because you are organizing the details of your wedding it does not mean you need to do everything by yourself. Take for example putting together the party favors. These are a nice idea and can come in various forms requiring a little manual work. You should ask for assistance rather than spending long hours filling small bags with chocolate. Get the bridesmaids together and make it a party and set up an assembly line. Any assignments that require “busy work” should be approached with this method.

Size of the Guest List

When you approach a wedding vendor, you will be asked two important questions: What is the date and how many people are invited? Actually, deciding on the number of guests in many ways is more important than the actual date. Until you can confirm the number of people that are going to be attending the reception, you cannot set a menu or pick the venue. You may be inviting two hundred people but that does not mean two hundred people will actually turn up. But you will have to plan for two hundred people.

Crazy Dieting

All brides want to look stunning on their big day but that should not be at the expense of their health. When it is time to buy your dress, do not purchase a smaller size and then crash diet to fit it. During the planning process make sure you continue to eat right, exercise daily, keep healthy and the dress will look absolutely amazing on the day.

Making Changes

Wedding planning can change as new ideas can frequently pop up. The issue is that with every change, there is a cost. Your plans need to be set at least eight weeks before the date. Set does mean no more changes. Your first instincts will generally be your best ones anyway.

Overwhelm Your Partner

It is not unusual for one person in the couple to do the majority of the planning. That does not mean they should take on all the responsibility by themselves. Set aside one night to discuss all of the pending decisions and details. This is a great opportunity to get your partner to sort out what is most important to them. There might also be some tasks that they will happily take over. It could be a good idea to hold a weekly planning meeting. It may sound formal but it does work.