Your wedding day should be full of joy, love, and as little stress as possible. But there are endless things that could set your day back and disrupt the path to your perfect day. Planning ahead can make a huge difference in whether or not these common setbacks will ruin the party, or you can breeze through and still enjoy every second. While no wedding is perfect, these tips will help you keep your stress to a minimum so you can have the best wedding experience possible.

Setback 1: Scheduling Too Little Time at the Beginning of the Day

The Problem: Couples often underestimate how long it will take to get ready, travel between locations, and set up for their first look and ceremony. Leaving too little time at the beginning of the day can cause you to feel rushed, stressed, and overwhelmed.

What You Can Do:

• Schedule extra time in your timeline for hair, makeup, and getting dressed to create a buffer for the next events.
• Try to prepare as much as possible in a single location to minimize travel time and avoid unexpected traffic disrupting the timeline.
• Create a schedule that allows for moments to relax and connect. Your wedding day is all about your happiness, not fitting so many things into the day that you don’t have time to enjoy it.

PS: We can help you create a photography timeline that is realistic and allows for beautiful, relaxed moments!

Setback 2: Forgetting to Eat and Drink

The Problem: With all of the excitement of a wedding day, not to mention the nerves, many couples forget to create a plan for meals and hydration. Skipping meals and neglecting hydration can lead to fatigue and irritable bridal parties. No one wants to be hangry on their wedding day!

What You Can Do:

• Put someone in charge of providing snacks and water while getting ready.
• Order breakfast and a light midday meal for the bridal party if you have an afternoon ceremony.
• Ask your wedding coordinator or maid of honor to check in with you and help you remember to eat snacks and drink water, especially if you are drinking bubbly as you get ready.

Setback 3: Wedding Day Rain—Unexpected Weather Causes Plans to Fall Through

The Problem: Unexpected weather like wedding day rain can throw off your plans completely without a solid backup, especially here in Wichita and KC.

What You Can Do: 

• Always have a backup plan for outdoor events. Make sure your outdoor venue has a solid rain plan and a backup indoor space that can fit your entire guest list, or have a tent to rent just in case.
• If rain is expected, stock up on umbrellas for ushers to help guests to the entrance.
• Communicate with your photographer to identify covered or indoor areas where you can take photos if outdoors is not an option. If outdoor photos are important to you, ask your photographer about booking a bridal session before or after your wedding to capture the photos you want. Your photos can still be beautiful and intimate, even if the weather doesn’t cooperate with your plans!

Setback 4: Vendor Miscommunications

The Problem: Miscommunications or vendor mistakes can cause delays or issues with key aspects of your wedding day.

What You Can Do: 

• Create a detailed timeline and share relevant information from the timeline with your entire vendor team to ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Designate your wedding coordinator or a trusted loved one to ensure all vendors arrive on time to complete their part of your day.
• Make sure to book vendors that have a good track record of being on time and completing their service.
• Lively Photography recommends sharing your timeline and any moments that are especially important to you with your photographer far in advance! This will ensure that your precious memories are captured the way you want them to be remembered.

Setback 5: Guests Needing Extra Help

The Problem: Elderly guests, guests with small children, or out-of-town guests who are unfamiliar with the area may need extra help, which might create confusion or delays.

What You Can Do:

• Consider in advance the needs of your invited guests so you can plan ahead.
• Assign someone to welcome guests at the venue entrance and guide them to their seats.
• Make sure your ushers are aware of accommodations’ locations, such as wheelchair entrances or family bathrooms.
• Consider whether there are guests who will need special seating arrangements to be comfortable.
• Make your wedding planner and coordinator aware of any guest concerns so they can be addressed ahead of time. Talk with your venue coordinator about what accommodations they may offer so you can communicate with your guests before the big day.

Setback 6: Underestimating How Much Time Photos Take

The Problem: It is easy to underestimate how much time is needed for family photos, bridal party pics, and couples portraits. Not allotting enough time for photos leads to delays in the events of the day.

What You Can Do:

At the end of the day, your wedding should be about your happiness. The important thing is to celebrate your love and enjoy yourselves, ideally with as few setbacks as possible. Although unexpected setbacks may come up, good planning, flexibility, and relying on the right vendors will help you overcome anything that threatens your joy. Your wedding day can be everything you’ve ever dreamed of! Looking for a photographer to capture the joy on your wedding day? Inquire with our team today!