Common Mistakes That Brides Make

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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:

o 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!

o 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.

o 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.

o 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.

o 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.