Wedding day disasters are bound to happen if you’re not prepared for them. And, even when you know what may occur, it’s important to have a plan to deal with the disasters.
The thing about weddings is that there are a lot of elements and moving parts. With that, there is always risk for something to go wrong. In some cases, the thing that can go wrong isn’t that big a deal. And, in others, it’s becomes one of those wedding day disasters that can ruin your mindset and experience. While there is no real metric for a “big” or “little” wedding day disaster, I feel that if the problem upsets the couple, it’s a big one.
Wedding day disasters don’t have to ruin your experience, though. Things happen, and sometimes they are common occurrences. Knowing what can go wrong means that you can prevent it, or properly handle it if it comes up. Being prepared will help on your wedding day, in both keeping you calm and in control, and also to lessen the blow if a disaster arises.
8 Common Wedding Day Disasters (And What To Do!)
This post is going to dive into eight common wedding day disasters, and let you know what to do about them. In some cases, you can prepare during your wedding planning to make sure the disaster is a non-issue ahead of your wedding day. In others, you can create a plan to take care of the issue if it comes up. No matter what, you’ve got this!
Let’s get into it.
1. YOU FORGOT TO BRING SOMETHING
Forgetting to bring something important to your wedding is so common. For many couples, the whole wedding day revolves around what we bring. From thoughtful letters, to the right jewelry, to an extra set of comfortable shoes, there’s a lot to remember to bring.
The first plan of attack with this issue is to have a comprehensive list of what to bring. Pack up everything methodically, labeling as you go. Check things off your list, and double check what you have. Being prepared ahead of time is key.
However, if you arrive at your wedding and really don’t have something important, see if you can send someone to get it or purchase a replacement. If this isn’t an option, scrap the item. In most cases, you can still go through with the wedding without the thing you forgot.
2. GUESTS ARE LATE DUE TO TRAFFIC OR GETTING LOST
Late guests are one of those wedding day disasters that is so frustrating, especially if you want to keep everything on time.
Your first plan with this wedding day disaster is to make the directions to your wedding venue very clear. Be sure to put them on your wedding website, and on your wedding invitation inserts. This is very important if your venue is tricky to find, or parking is complicated. Also leave a note about traffic, if you think it may be an issue. The second way to deal with this issue is to wait a little to start the ceremony, unless you’re waiting on someone “critical”. In that case, you’ll have to wait until that person arrives before begin.
3. A VENDOR IS UNABLE TO MAKE IT OR CANCELS LAST MINUTE
This is a wedding day disaster that nightmares are made of.
If you have a vendor who is unable to make it, last minute, see if you can hire a replacement super quickly. The vendor may even have a back up plan that you can execute, just in case. If hiring someone else can’t be done, do what you can to have that service on your wedding day. For most vendor services, like a day-of-coordinator, officiant, caterer, photographer, and even DJ, a less-than-ideal substitute can come in to take their place. Ask guests for help, order take out, use cell phones for photos, and do what you can to make the best of the situation.
4. YOU CAN’T FIND YOUR WEDDING RINGS
Wedding rings are definitely a wedding day item that you don’t want to get married without.
Your first action item, should this be one of your wedding day disasters? Assign a crew to search for your rings. During this time, you need to continue with your wedding day plans. If they can’t find them, see if you can borrow some “stand in” rings for your ceremony. You can deal with finding your actual rings later on.
The great news is that you don’t need your wedding rings to get married. They are symbolic, not legal. So, the show can go on without the actual ones you bought ahead of the wedding.
5. YOU HAVE A SKINCARE CRISIS
Skin flareups are super common on our wedding days. With all the stress, and being too busy to take care of our normal skincare routines, pimples happen.
If you think your skin may be an issue on your wedding day, take care of it ahead of your wedding (here’s a guide to help you get started). Be sure to properly cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize, so you set your skin up for success. If all else fails, makeup is your friend on the big day. Makeup can be used to cover the worst of acne, and your guests and photos will be none the wiser. Also, bring a good zit-zapper to your wedding, for last minute emergencies.
6. THE WEATHER IS A NIGHTMARE
I know all too well that weather can become an issue on your wedding day.
As you get closer to your wedding, pay attention to the forecast. Have an alternative location or plan in mind, should you be getting married outside. Work with your venue on this, and be clear about what will work and not work given the situation. Worse comes to worst, hopefully you can change the location of your wedding last minute, rent a good tent, or just deal with the elements for what they are.
In the event of a major weather issue, like a tornado or wildfire, don’t be afraid to postpone in the name of safety and stress management.
7. FAMILY DRAMA IS GETTING CRAZY
Family drama can totally get crazy ahead of your wedding. Hopefully you have a chill family, who respects your wedding day experience, but unfortunately that’s not always the case.
If your family is getting a little out of hand ahead of your wedding, talk to them about your concerns. Tell them what your boundaries are, and what you expect from them in terms of their behavior. Be clear about what is okay, and not okay. If this intimidates you, you may need to hold strong. You’re about to be married, and start a new chapter of your life. Your family needs to respect that, first.
Remember, if your partner’s family is the one that is acting up, have your partner talk to them. It’s usually easier if you both deal with your family of origin rather than trying to cross paths.
If you have real concerns about your wedding day, delegate a friend or someone you trust to deal with drama if it comes up. Your assignment is to enjoy your wedding, and put the drama out of your mind, despite what may be going on in the background.
8. SPEECHES AND TOASTS BECOME INAPPROPRIATE
Have you ever been to a wedding where the speeches or toasts get a little weird? I have, and it’s super uncomfortable.
When you plan out who may be asked to give a speech at your wedding, be selective. Don’t ask someone who is likely to be derailed while giving a toast. Ask those who can be prepared, thoughtful, and appropriate. Feel free to send them this link, if you think it will help.
And yes, sometimes there is an expectation for someone to give a speech even though you aren’t sure what to expect. If this is the case with your wedding, have a plan to stop the speech if it becomes one of your wedding day disasters. Unplug the microphone, or have another person prepared to interrupt, if needed. This is especially important if a speech gets insulting, offensive, or downright unruly.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Friends, wedding day disasters come up at every wedding. The difference of letting them ruin your day or not is based on how you handle them. Your first line of defense is to prevent them from happening at all. The second is to have a plan to handle wedding day disasters like a pro. Stay tuned for another blog post about wedding day disasters next month, as there are more that we can explore! Happy wedding planning!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice
10 Things That Are Easy To Forget About Your Wedding Day
Breaking Down Your Wedding Day Schedule
11 Things Brides & Grooms Forget To Do On Their Wedding Day
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[…] However, disasters are still out there. And, they can happen. Because of this, I recently published a post all about wedding day disasters, and what to do about them. However, there’s more I want to […]