Planning a wedding is hard enough as it is. Planning a wedding with multiple issues – and some emergencies – in the way is even harder. Depending on the kind of wedding emergencies you face, you may be looking at the possibility of the entire wedding having to be postponed or canceled.
Fortunately, most wedding emergencies are situations you can prepare for. With a bit of planning and the tips and tricks we are about to discuss in this article, you can deal with many wedding-related emergencies very easily. Let’s look at how you can prepare for some common emergencies, shall we?
Unexpected Costs
Having unexpected wedding costs and additional charges to deal with is not uncommon when you are planning a wedding. Even when you are completely meticulous every step of the way, you may still end up with added costs that you’ll need to cover.
A great way to avoid these additional costs is by asking for written estimates and a detailed cost structure from your vendors. When working with a wedding organizer, it is also a good idea to make your budget clear. This way, the wedding can be planned around that budget.
You also want to have some extra room in your budget just to be on the safe side. Ideally, you want to set aside 10% of your original budget for dealing with emergencies. This way, you still have some leeway when dealing with extra charges.
It is also a great idea to know your options when the extra charges are too big to deal in cash. There are short-term loans and other financing options from reputable companies such as Bonsai Finance that you can turn to if you still need help with the added charges.
Bad Weather
Planning an outdoor wedding means preparing for the worst, even when you are planning a wedding in June. The weather can be very unpredictable, and it is always better to be extra safe than sorry. Similar to dealing with unexpected costs, avoiding issues is better than dealing with them.
If your wedding involves outdoor ceremonies or uses a venue that has both indoor and outdoor areas, you may want to put wedding tents on standby. Should the weather turn against you, you can have the tents erected within minutes.
Many vendors now allow you to put a down payment – a relatively small one compared to the risk you face due to unexpected weather. You don’t have to pay the full price until you actually need the wedding tents set up in your venue.
Alternatively, go with a venue that offers sufficient indoor area to expand your options. If the weather goes bad, you can easily move the ceremony to the indoor area right away. Again, many venues offer this service as an extra, and it is certainly an extra worth investing in.
Plus-Ones
I’ve been to many weddings that had more guests than the couple anticipated. There is actually a simple reason behind this common problem: a plus-one doesn’t always mean one additional person. Guests may bring extra people to the wedding, and those extra people could cause headaches.
Lack of seats or not enough tables are the common problems associated with more guests coming to your wedding. They may seem like small problems to deal with, but they can still cause big issues if you don’t tackle the emergency the right way.
Thankfully, your caterer and decorator usually have extras on standby; yes, I’m talking about extra food and chairs. Simply coordinate with the caterer and decorator to solve the issue. You may not be able to accommodate everyone, but you’ll be able to keep your wedding going smoothly.
It is also recommended that you ask guests to confirm their attendance – and the people they’ll be attending with – beforehand. That way you can prepare for extra guests. Use a wedding site or other tools to help manage RSVPs and other details about your guests.
The Décor Is Horrible
Planning your own wedding is a bit of a balancing act. You want the special occasion to be perfect in every way, but you don’t always end up with the dream wedding you have been imagining for so long. In fact, you may think of the décor as, well, horrible on the actual wedding day.
There are two things you need to understand about this common issue – and yes, it is common. First of all, you will always feel like there’s something wrong with the wedding, no matter how small it may be. I guess the anxiety is a part of being a bride or a groom.
Second of all, you have plenty of opportunities to make sure that everything is done correctly. You just have to go the extra mile and deal with details while planning for the wedding. Work with the decorator, review samples, and see mockups before finalizing the décor.
A good example is getting the wedding flowers just right. Under extreme heat, the gorgeous flowers you’ve ordered may turn brown even before the wedding begins. This too is an issue that can be anticipated by both the decorator and you.
Keep Calm and Continue
There are still so many other wedding emergencies you may face along the way. A vendor may suddenly cancel, the band’s singer could catch a cold one day before your special day, and countless other things can go wrong right before you walk down the aisle.
Here’s the one secret I always tell my clients: there is always a solution. Sometimes, you can’t think of one because you are too anxious about dealing with emergencies. Step aside, take deep breaths, and look at the problem from a more objective point of view.
After all, you have vendors working towards making your dream wedding a reality. Talk to them about any issue you have before and during the ceremony. Make preparations and contingencies to ensure a smooth wedding day and work with the vendors when issues do arise. You’ll deal with even the worst wedding emergencies like a pro, and you will have your dream wedding in the end.
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