Common Wedding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Houston, we have a problem.. No bride wants to hear those words, but people do make mistakes in planning their wedding. Wedding mistakes can be costly, stressful and time consuming. Here's some top wedding planning mistakes and how to avoid making them.

Assuming your parents will pick up the cost of the wedding. Today's wedding couples are older and have been on their own for a long while. Mom and Dad are getting ready to retire. Don't expect them to foot the bill on a $30,000 wedding. Before you start planning your wedding, sit down with your parents and ask if they are planning to contribute towards the wedding costs and if so, how much. Don't expect that your parents will pick up the costs of the reception and his parents the alcohol, DJ and flowers. They may not be in any financial position to help you out.

Overspending your budget: You have a budget for a reason. Its the sum of money you have available to spend. With the current state of the economy, it doesn't make sense to overspend and and start your marriage in debt.

Being disorganized. Disorganization will make you crazy and stressed out. Its so easy to buy a wedding planner book or wedding software and keep records of your wedding expenses, guest list and the thousands of details you need at your fingertips.

Letting your guest list get out of control. Most wedding venues have space limits and you'll have budget constraints that will force you to keep your guest list to a target number. There'll be a certain amount of guests that won't be able to attend, don't assume they won't attend and over invite.

Not hiring professionals. Too many couples in their zeal to cut their costs, will use an uncle to take pictures, a cousin to bake the cake, an aunt to help cook at the reception. A professional will make sure your pictures are well composed, perfectly grouped and the memories of the wedding will endure. The biggest regret I hear after the wedding is that they couple wished that they'd hired professionals to get the job done the way they envisioned.

Not making decisions in a timely manner. There is a certain amount of time it takes to execute a wedding. Wedding pros book up years in advance. Wedding venues book in advance. And it takes 16 to 20 weeks to order a wedding gown. If you don't make a decision, you risk disappointment. The church or the reception hall you wanted will be booked. The photographer is booked. You didn't allow time to get your dream dress. Make a decision, book your vendors and stop shopping. If you don't make a decision, another bride will make it for you.

Continuing to shop after you've purchased something for your wedding. (Just in case you might like something better.) This goes hand in hand with not trusting your decisions. Once you've purchased something, stop shopping, cross it off your list and move on. Trust your instincts Your first impulse is usually the best decision. If you continue to shop, you'll stress yourself and the others around you. Move on!

Trying to trump a friend or a family's wedding. Weddings aren't a competition. They are a joining of two people in marriage. The reception is a party. It is a milestone in your life, but you don't have to outdo your family, friends or friends you only know from the Internet wedding chat boards. Have the wedding YOU can afford.

Allowing wedding stress and wedding planning overtake your life. Wedding planning is stressful and it can take up a good part of your life. But your focus should be on the marriage and not the wedding. When you find yourself becoming stressed and turning into a Bridezilla, take a deep breathe, take a day off wedding planning and do something for yourself. Take the dog for a walk, do some aerobics or Pilates, get a massage, spend quality time with your fiance. And don't talk about the wedding. You'll feel renewed and ready to tackle the next job.

Take time to laugh and enjoy the planning process. And have a happy wedding and marriage!