Weddings in Islam, - Planning Your Wedding: The 10 Biggest Pre-Wedding Mistakes

Even the smartest, most on-top-of-things couple can make mistakes
during wedding planning. Here are the 10things you should keep an eye
on before saying Ido.
1. Blowing off your budget
It costs a lot of money to put on a wedding. Many excited brides start
booking vendors and making purchases without having a real budget, and
then they're shocked to discover they've spent all of their money (or
their parents' money) and still don't have half the things they need.
If you bounce checks, don't have the money to pay your deposits, or
make your final payments past your vendors' deadlines, your wedding
will not happenas you have planned. Theflowers won't be delivered,
your cake will not be decorated, and the band will not play all night
-- unless you pay up. Planning a wedding is serious business. Make a
budget and keep track of your expenditures.
2. Ordering the wedding gown and/or bridesmaid dresses late
If going for a traditional bridal gown, brides needto place their
orders six to eight months before their weddings. Most gowns are made
to order; if you wait too long before your wedding date to make your
selection, the gown simply may not be ready in time. Bridesmaid
dresses should also be decided upon during the same time period, but
only after the gown has been selected. You want to make sure your
ladies have enough time to get measured and find accessories.
3. Procrastinating on thatprenuptial...
It is a reality these days that people -- even brides -- have assets
they want to protect. (This is particularly prevalent now that there
are so many second marriages where a bride or groom may have children
to whom they want their assets to go in case of death.) Leaving the
discussion of a prenuptialagreement until the week before the wedding
is a sure-fire way to increase the stresslevel by ten thousand percent
-- and endanger the impending marriage. So deal with this potentially
sticky issue months in advance (Zawaj.comEditor: this applies equally
to any provision that the groom or bride may want to include in the
marriage contract).
4. Messing up the marriage license
There are so many rules around marriage licensesthat brides are bound
to make mistakes. Be sure to investigate time restrictions well in
advance of your weddingdate. Get your license 31 days before in some
states -- and you won't be able to legally marry on your wedding day
because it may be valid for only 30 days. Go for your license the day
before your wedding and you may not get it in time, because some
states have a 48-hour waiting period. Another common mess-up if you're
remarrying is not having official divorce papers in time to get the
certificate.
5. Booking guest hotel rooms too late
Brides often leave blocking out hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
until the last minute. If you're marrying in a city (particularly one
where conventions take place) or in a resort town and you don't
investigate hotel availability in advance, you can literallyend up
with not a single room for any of your guests to stay in. Your wedding
might go on -- but no one will be able toattend. Reserve a room block
as early as possible,up to a year in advance.
6. Inviting too many guests
Make sure your guest list and your reception site match numbers-wise.
Youcan't invite 400 people assuming only 250 will RSVP with a yes --
because if 300 happen to say yes, you may have to turn 50 away at the
door.Sites can't just add 10 more tables, as fire laws limit the
maximum number of people in any room at one time. To avoid this,
assume eighty percent will respond yes and limit your guest list
accordingly.
7. Last-minute beauty blunders
Many brides think that scheduling chemical peels the week before their
weddings will leavetheir skin looking angelicon their big days. Others
think having their teeth bleached within days of their weddings will
leavethose pearly whites sparkling. Thinking of tanning the day before
your wedding? Think again: You may end up with blisters instead of
sun-kissed skin. Last-minute beauty treatments can lead to breakouts,
mistakes, or --even worse -- serious infections. Start a long-term
beauty regimen months before the big day and focus on natural and
common-sense measures such as eating a healthy diet and exercising, or
you could risk ruining all the hard work you've done to make your
wedding -- and photos -- perfect. (Never mind putting yourhealth and
happiness at risk for the most important day of your life.)
8. Underpaying postage on invites
You'd be surprised how many brides just stick a stamp on their invites
and drop them in a letterbox. All but a few wedding invitations
require additional postage. The postal service will not take pity on
you -- your invites willbe returned (and rubber-stamped with that
ugly"insufficient postage" message) -- and it will take at least two
weeks (never mind the additional $$) to get them back out the door. Be
sure to get one complete invitation weighed at the post office before
purchasing all your stamps.
9. Ignoring religious restrictions
If you plan on marrying in a house of worship, you need to abide by
the rules. Wearing inappropriate attire or not completing pre-wedding
requirements is grounds for your officiant to stop your wedding before
it begins. As soon as you get engaged, be sure to contact your house
of worship to find out about any potential issues. Some houses of
worship won't let you marry on certain holy dates; make sure to
checkyour wedding date with your officiant before putting down any
deposits for your reception site or vendors.
10. Ignoring weather warnings
Brides marrying outdoorsoften test fate and just wish for the best
when it comes to bad weather. Always have a backup plan -- you may not
have a place to marry at all, or your guests (and you) may be in
misery at the hands of Mother Nature. Temperatures normally around the
balmy 70-degree mark may unexpectedly turn into a boiling 100-degree
debacle; be sure to have outdoor air-conditioning. A hurricane,
flashflood, or gale force winds may visit on your wedding day; make
sure you have an interior alternative or a tent as a back-up location.