Top 6 Mistakes Wedding Couples Make In Wedding Planning — And How to Avoid Them
Let’s be honest
Planning your wedding can feel like a full-time job, and with so many decisions to make, it’s easy to overlook things that seem small — until they snowball into stress on the big day.
After photographing hundreds of weddings, here are the top 6 common mistakes I see couples make during the planning process — and how to avoid them for a smoother, more memorable wedding experience.
1. Not Enough Buffer Time In the Schedule
The Mistake:
Trying to pack everything into the day with a tight, back-to-back timeline. It might look great on paper, but weddings rarely run exactly on time. One delay — hair and makeup taking longer, a forgotten item, traffic, or a vendor running behind — can throw off the rest of your schedule.
Why It Matters:
When there's no breathing room, you end up rushing through important moments like getting ready, your ceremony, or portraits. It creates stress, and it shows up in your photos.
How to Avoid It:
Build in buffers throughout the day — 15–30 minutes between major events. For example:
Add 30 mins extra for hair & makeup
Leave a cushion after the ceremony for family photos and mingling
If doing a first look, give yourselves 45–60 mins of uninterrupted portrait time
A relaxed timeline = better photos and a much calmer experience.
2. Skipping the First Look (Without Considering the Lighting)
The Mistake:
Couples often skip the first look for tradition’s sake, not realizing how it affects the photography timeline — especially during fall/winter weddings or late ceremonies when daylight disappears fast.
Why It Matters:
Without a first look, most of your couple portraits (and often wedding party photos) happen after the ceremony. If it's dark by then, you're limited to flash photography or indoor lighting, which may not reflect the style you were hoping for.
How to Avoid It:
Talk to your photographer about the ceremony time and sunset schedule. If your ceremony starts late in the day, a first look can be the best way to capture romantic, naturally lit portraits. It also gives you a private moment to connect before the day flies by.
Pro Tip:
A first look doesn’t ruin the aisle moment — it enhances your experience by giving you two chances to lock eyes and feel all the emotions.
3. Forgetting to Prioritize What Actually Matters to You
The Mistake:
Trying to please everyone — parents, planners, Instagram trends — and ending up with a wedding that doesn’t reflect you as a couple.
Why It Matters:
Weddings are emotional and expensive. When you focus too much on others' expectations, you risk feeling disconnected from your own day. It becomes more about performance than presence.
How to Avoid It:
Sit down with your partner and list your top 3 priorities — whether it’s food, music, photography, an intimate guest list, or cultural traditions. Let those guide your decisions and your budget. Everything else is secondary.
Pro Tip:
If you’re investing in things that don’t align with your priorities, ask yourself: “Will we care about this in 5 years?”
4. Not Having a Clear Family Photo List
The Mistake:
Assuming family photos will “just happen” naturally after the ceremony — without a game plan or list. This often leads to chaos, missed shots, and major timeline delays.
Why It Matters:
Family formals are important, but without structure, they become a bottleneck. People wander off for cocktails, groupings are forgotten, and it turns into herding cats.
How to Avoid It:
Create a clean, organized shot list ahead of time. Group your photo combinations logically (e.g. bride + mom, bride + mom + dad, bride + mom + dad + siblings). Share it with your photographer and designate two people (one from each family) to help round up the right people.
Pro Tip:
Limit the list to 10–12 combinations max. If you have a big family, consider doing extended group shots either before the ceremony or during the reception.
5. Treating Videography as a Last-Minute Add-On
The Mistake:
Many couples either skip videography entirely or book it last-minute, without much thought — often assuming photos are enough or that video won’t be worth the investment.
Why It Matters:
Photos capture moments. Video captures emotion. The vows, your parents’ reactions, the sound of laughter, your first dance song, the speeches — all the things that bring your story to life in motion. It’s often the one thing couples say they regret not having.
How to Avoid It:
Prioritize videography early in your planning. Don’t just look at highlight reels — watch full films to see the storytelling, pacing, and quality. Make sure your video team aligns with your personality and the vibe you want to remember. And if you're hiring both photo and video, make sure the teams work well together for a seamless experience.
Pro Tip:
Ask if your videographer includes audio from vows and speeches. These moments layered into your film make it personal, cinematic, and powerful — something you’ll watch again and again, even decades later.
6. Wasting Time on Travel Between Too Many Locations
The Mistake:
Couples sometimes book multiple locations — a separate hotel, ceremony site, photo location, and reception venue — thinking it will create a more “epic” day. But all that moving around can seriously eat into your timeline, cause delays, and add unnecessary stress.
Why It Matters:
Every minute spent in transit is a minute not spent celebrating, taking photos, or just enjoying the moment. Travel often takes longer than expected (especially with wedding dresses, family, or traffic). It also drains energy — not just for you, but for your wedding party, guests, and vendors.
How to Avoid It:
Try to minimize transitions. If possible, choose venues that are close together or even all-in-one. If you love a certain photo spot that’s far, consider doing your couple shoot on a different day (like a post-wedding or pre-wedding session) so it’s not eating into your actual wedding day.
Pro Tip:
Ask your photographer to suggest beautiful locations nearby — we know the secret spots that are close, convenient, and stunning.
