Recently, I was asked to speak about 5 COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WHILE PLANNING YOUR WEDDING on Television Jamaica (TVJ). If you did not see this interview, I want to share it with you.

1. Assuming that you can plan your wedding by yourself. It is not uncommon for Brides & Grooms to believe that they can pull together their wedding plans all by themselves. After all, it is their wedding!!! However, you must have the time required to dedicate, research and plan your wedding day. Many couples work 9 to 5 jobs and simply do not have the time required to research the many wedding options, and to book, make payments, etc. Couples who plan on their own soon find that they are overwhelmed, frustrated and tired and the wedding is no longer looked at as a joy but a burden. So it’s best to engage help and I highly recommend the services of a professional wedding planner.
2. Thinking it will cost too much to hire a wedding planner, and so you don’t !!!. While there is a cost to hire a wedding planner. This will be well worth it and sometimes less when compared to the cost of the telephone calls, site visits, time off from work and the stress and worry that you may endure when you plan your own wedding. In addition a wedding planner knows the wedding landscape and can provide answers and guidance for all the wedding concerns you may have.
3. Stop trying to replicate someone else’s wedding. Make your wedding, YOUR wedding. You definitely want your wedding to be remembered for how unique, different, enjoyable and fun it was. Incorporate ideas in your wedding that represent you. If you like salsa music, then incorporate this in your first dance. Don’t plan your wedding based on all you have read or seen on the internet. The weddings that are remembered are the ones that are unusual and fun.
4. Don’t lie about your budget or as we say in Jamaica, “don’t put your basket where you can’t reach it”. It is always best to talk to your planner or among yourselves about your wedding options and cost, then make a budget and decide on how you are going to pay for the wedding. Be realistic, you may like tall & big floral arrangements, but the budget cannot accommodate this. Ask for suggestion on less expensive options. Many couples really do not realize how expensive weddings are and are many times surprised at the total figure.
5. DIY doesn’t always mean cheaper. Pinterest has fooled brides into thinking that they can do anything just by looking at a pretty picture. If you weren’t crafty before your wedding, you’re probably not crafty now. “Do it yourselves” doesn’t mean that you should make the bridesmaids dresses on your own. What it means is that you do not buy the Dress at that fancy Bridal store, but you go buy the fabric, etc. and you take same to a dressmaker and have her make the dresses. This way, in the end, the dress will not look cheap and you have pulled it all together yourself.