1. Hiring a cheap photographer 

You know I had to include this mistake as number one on my list and its the one mistake I hear the most. People think they can cheap out and hire an amateur photographer or even a family member to photograph their wedding and get horrible pictures of their wedding day! After a wedding couples want to hang up pictures in their homes or enjoy looking through a photo album but when they don’t pay for quality work they don’t get to reap the rewards. As a photographer, I value this the most but you should too. I know for a fact that everyone from wedding planners to brides knows that when you’re budgeting you can cut out a lot but you have to be ready to pay for a quality photographer. So  many things can go wrong on your day that you might not even remember years down the line but your photos are forever. Your photos are the only tangible thing that you get to keep to remember your wedding and are so important. This is always one of the biggest regrets married couples have about their wedding day. Some people even go as far as reshooting their wedding formals and getting all dressed up again because their actual wedding photos were so bad. These couples sometimes end up spending more money this way. Save yourself the trouble and hire an accomplished and experienced photographer and look into their work and see if you like their style, and hey I know a great one! 

2. Inviting people they don’t want to invite

This is something every married couple reports feeling: pressure. Your mom wants all of her distant cousins invited and you have to invite all of your co-workers so no one feels excluded. You invite all these extra people and each one of them makes your day more and more expensive. You want to be able to look around your wedding guests and see people who truly love and care for you as a couple and not stare out at a sea of acquaintances. Especially when those acquaintances cost you some serious money that could be put towards something else. No matter how many people you invite, you’re gonna hurt someone’s feelings. It’s an unfortunate side effect of getting married and you just have to remember that your wedding is a celebration of your love and you get to choose who you spend that day with. No one should be there that you’re not okay with being there or are gonna cause unnecessary drama. Weddings are stressful enough. The people who are most important to you will be there and that’s all that matters. Unless your mom is gonna pay for all the extra people she wants you to invite, you have to put your foot down and say no. 

3. Not taking more time to be present 

Wedding days can go by in a blur. People run around getting ready and rush through the ceremony, photos, cocktail hour, reception, and the next thing they know they’re back at their hotel room barely remembering what just happened. You want to be able to enjoy your wedding with your partner, even just for a moment. If you can allot 20 minutes out of the day where you and your new spouse can go and enjoy a snack together in a separate room or have an intimate first look that can help. Reminding yourself throughout the day to enjoy yourself and not stress over the tiny details is so so so important. You’ve planned and saved for this day for so long and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy it. 

4. Not doing a hair or makeup trial

Another mistake I see quite often is brides not liking their hair or makeup because they’re just meeting their hair or makeup artist for the first time that day. Going in blind to anything is risky so why risk what you’re gonna look like on your wedding day? Photoshop is magical but I want you to feel confident and happy all throughout your special day. Many times brides hire their hair and makeup artists not just for themselves but for their whole wedding party so if you end up not liking their style it now affects how everyone is going to look. The best case scenario is to discuss with your artist when you can schedule a trial to experiment and see what’s gonna look best for you before your big day. Maybe you think you want a smokey eye and during the makeup trial, you realize that’s not what you want on your actual wedding. The trial allows you to see what’s gonna look best before walking down the aisle and not having to worry about a major time constraint. I’ve written an entire blog concerning hair and makeup tips for your wedding in collaboration with one of my long term colleagues and professional makeup artist so if you want to learn more you can click here. 

5. Not hiring a videographer

Couples sometimes believe that if they have a photographer they can skip on a videographer but years down the line they tend to regret not hiring one. A well edited and beautifully shot video can be enjoyed for years to come and can capture a more dynamic memory of what happened on your wedding day. You can capture your favorite vows, speeches, dances, and so much more. I can always put you in contact with videographers that I trust to provide excellent work if you’re interested. 

6. Not scheduling time to eat

You have no idea how many starving couples I’ve come across. On your wedding day, alcohol is sometimes more accessible than food and an empty stomach and alcohol are not a great combination. With the hustle and bustle of your wedding, there’s hardly a spare minute and you’ll realize that it’s 7 pm and you haven’t eaten all day. You’re in a bad mood, hungry, and maybe a little too tipsy. You paid for all of your guests to eat and you have to wait for dinner to be served so you can finally eat. Sometimes couples don’t even get to taste their wedding cake! Make sure to eat a nutritious, filling breakfast, and assign someone to carry snacks for you or keep some in your car or purse. You can also schedule 20 minutes between photos and grand entrance to grab fast food or get something door dashed to you. So many couples forget to plan their meals and allocate time to eat so don’t make the same mistake! You’ll regret it if you do. 

7. Following trends instead of opting for timelessness

I’ve been shooting weddings for about 30 years and my couples from even 10 years ago come to me and tell me that looking back they hate their dress and their hair and the colors they chose because they were being influenced by what was trendy at the time. Now the photos look dated and don’t have the timeless beauty the couple would’ve wanted. If what you like happens to be what’s trendy then by all means do it, but don’t feel constrained by what everyone else is doing. Maybe opting for a nice black suit is a safer option than the same navy blue with a floral handkerchief that everyone has worn for the past 5 years. Or do something you like that’s totally unique to you like a deep maroon suit or something significant to your culture or background. Don’t make the mistake your parents might’ve made and pick what you think you’re gonna look back on and love twenty years from now.  

8. Hiring a professional DJ AND giving hime a playlist of your favorite songs

Even with a professional DJ they might play the most popular wedding reception music at the time and it might not be what you want. You could be from a different cultural background and what some of that music played or you might hate Ed Sheeran’s music with a passion and want to make sure he doesn’t come up while you’re dancing with your friends. No matter what it is, providing your DJ with a list to go off of helps you and them tremendously. It gives them a sense of your music taste and also provides them with the songs you’ve specified you want played for your parent dances, your first dance, grand entrance, and so much more. A professional DJ can be great but they aren’t mind readers. This also applies to PROFESSIONAL DJS and NOT your cousin Greg who knows how to hook up his laptop to a speaker. Do NOT risk your reception music and people leaving early because the music isn’t right. I can attest that I’ve seen people party their hearts out to good music and people leave very early in the night because the music wasn’t good. 

9. Stressing, micromanaging, and not taking care of themselves

I know from firsthand experience how stressful planning a wedding can be. So many little intertwining parts need to work together and you want to oversee all of it. And of course, no matter what you do, something will go wrong. Whether it be the flowers showing up late, the cake falling over, the limo booking the wrong day, or the air conditioning ceasing to work (all real-life examples I’ve witnessed) you cannot let the little stuff ruin your day! You worked too hard for this to not have the chance to enjoy it. No matter what happens you can shrug it off, remind yourself what this day is all about, and choose not to worry about it. Everything will work itself out and unnecessary worrying doesn’t solve anything. If you want even less off your plate, hire a wedding planner or day-of coordinator! You can sit back and relax while they make sure everything you want and need gets done. If you want any recommendations for wedding coordinators, ask me, I know plenty I would trust my life with. 

10. Not having enough pictures or time with their partner

If you go the traditional route you won’t be seeing your spouse until the ceremony. That means that a good chunk of the day is spent getting ready, waiting for your bridal party, and counting down the time until the ceremony. If you choose to go a little less traditional you can spend more time with your partner throughout the day, get more photos with them, and still get to see their first reaction to you. I try to convince all of my couples to go the first-look route and many regret not doing one down the line. I know it’s not as conventional but there are so many positives to seeing your partner before the actual ceremony it should definitely be considered especially if you want plenty of pictures of you and your spouse to choose from. 

That’s it for now one my list of couples biggest wedding day regrets! I hope this can guide you on your wedding journey and if you’re in search of an award winning, creative, bad ass photographer, contact me! 

• South Whittier, CA.
• Pico Rivera, CA.
• Santa Fe Springs, CA.
• Hacienda Heights, CA.
• La Mirada, CA.
• East La Mirada, CA.
• Avocado Heights, CA.
• Montebello, CA.
• Buena Park, CA.