If there’s anything for certain about wedding days, it’s that they have a mind of their own.
You can plan and prep and strategize all you want, but sometimes, things just go completely off the rails.
And when they do (notice I said “when”, not “if”), what do you do?
I have two pieces of advice:
1. Be Prepared
2. Be Flexible
BE PREPARED
You know the Boy Scout motto, right? “Be prepared.” Prepared for what? For everything and anything.
THE WEATHER:
Very few weddings take place entirely indoors. In fact, it’s more likely that a wedding be planned to take place entirely outdoors than in. Even if the entire day is not outside, it’s highly likely that at least some portion of your wedding day will be planned to be outside: whether it’s the ceremony, reception, or portraits.
And since we still can’t control the weather (or even accurately predict it most days), it’s common sense to have a plan in place for what happens if it rains. (And, there’s a big difference between a light rain and a hurricane – so two “rain plans” might need to be made.)
Whether that’s having a “Plan B” location or lots of umbrellas, preparing for any weather situation is key (and then simply hoping that all of that “planning” will go to waste!)
COMMUNICATION IS KEY:
What are your “Plan B’s”?
Who have you communicated them to?
If all of your backup plans simply reside in your head, that’s great, but not very helpful if you have to actually execute one of those plans. Share your backup plans, ideas, and “Plan B’s” with your family and friends – and your vendors too! Trust me, we’re all on your team and we want to help! Let us know what you’re thinking and we can all work together to create the best possible outcome.
BE FLEXIBLE
We all have big dreams and visions for our wedding day.
As little girls, brides plan out and anticipate their wedding day with great excitement.
But the trick is: understanding that things may not play out the way you envision them to (and that’s okay).
STAY CALM:
Trust me, freaking out and losing your mind will not help anyone. Maybe you need to shed a few tears over a truly tragic turn of events, but turning into a monster just makes matters worse (and trust me, you’ll hate thinking back on your wedding day and remembering the bad decisions you made.)
Knowing ahead of time that things will NOT go perfectly will help you accept the bumps in the road along the way (unless you’re a chronic perfectionist, to which I suggest some therapy).
EYES ON THE PRIZE:
What is the big picture?
Keeping your expectations fluid and your eyes on the end goal will help you navigate the unexpected along the way.
After all, what is the most important part of a wedding day? Marrying your best friend – the end.
And as long as that happens, it’s the best day ever.
No wedding day goes perfectly as planned.
The good news is: most of the time, no one else will ever notice that something has gone wrong – if something isn’t set up correctly, the cake is the wrong flavor, the bar messes up your signature drinks, a groomsmen is missing a button off of his tux, one of the bridesmaids gets a stain on her dress early on in the day, bouquets are incorrect, the wrong music is played, the list just goes on and on and on.
But as long as you are as prepared as possible and determined to stay as flexible as you can – the day will be “perfect”.