Keep scrolling to read about real couples’ wedding regrets and the lessons learned. Image by Salt Atelier.
Wedding days are filled with a mix of emotions like happiness, love, and joy. However, the last thing you want to feel on your wedding day is regret. Even with careful planning, there are often unexpected mistakes that only become apparent during or after the event.
Most people have at least one thing they wish they could redo about their wedding day. To help those planning their own weddings, we asked Junebug readers to share their biggest wedding regrets and the lessons they learned. They also revealed what they would change if they had the chance.
Image by Lily Wilson Photography
Junebug Readers Share Their Wedding Regrets
“I wish I wouldn’t have stressed so hard about the planning, but maybe it wouldn’t have turned out as perfect if I hadn’t. I am a firm believer in not looking back and wondering if things should have been different, and the same goes for my wedding. In the end, all the details will eventually go out of style, but I will always remember how amazing I felt on the day and how special it was to have all my favorite people around me (including my dog Nama) when I got to marry my favorite person.” – McKenna and Ryan
“If you are thinking of eloping, do it because if you don’t, you will regret it for sure.” – Jasmine and Patrick
“I did all the planning myself, from figuring out drink quantities to designing the wedding invites, and it is a lot to take on with a full-time job. However, it didn’t feel like hard work because I enjoyed every minute of it. The one thing I would do differently is to have a coordinator on the day to make sure everything is running according to schedule. I felt like I had to worry about that on the day, which was a shame. My advice would be to plan the event beforehand, but have a well-briefed, dedicated event manager on the wedding day.” – Lauren and Neil
“My advice for couples planning their own wedding: Get a day-of wedding coordinator! This is my one regret. I was so busy setting up everything and making sure that the day was perfect that I missed some precious moments that I can never take back. No amount of money is worth that!” – Noelle and Darryl
Recommended Reading: Wedding Planner vs. Wedding Coordinator Duties
“People told me this, but it never really sunk in until I was in it—enjoy every minute of it! The stress is not worth it. The major thing I wish I would have done differently is start small and grow as the date gets closer. My problem was that I was so excited I planned all these huge things early on and insisted on sticking to them. We ended up blowing our budget and had way more to deal with than we needed to.” – Diana and Adam
“I wanted to be comfortable on my wedding day and have a look that was glamorous but also free-flowing and a little boho. My favorite piece of my look was my gorgeous cathedral-length blush veil which had a four-foot blusher. I wore it for about two seconds, and one of my few regrets is not wearing it more!” – Courtney and Matt
Image by Madeline Barr
“We are both proud of the fact that our wedding was what we wanted it to be, that we didn’t compromise for anyone else’s sake, and that it was a beautiful wedding. The only aspect of our wedding I regret is not inviting Drag Beyonce. That was a missed opportunity”. – Courtney and Cherae
“We screened through orchestral/string quartet versions of contemporary songs as a fun wedding planning activity together. Our only regret is perhaps not hiring that live flugelhorn player when we danced to Chuck Mangione’s “Feels So Good.”- Mandy and Costanza
Recommended Reading: From DJs to Fireworks: The Best Wedding Entertainment Ideas to Consider
“I (slightly) have wedding regrets about not being more composed for the pictures. I was a hot, crying mess! But in the end, I’m glad our true emotions were really captured.” – Janice and Kevin
“The main thing I wish I would have done differently was organizing the timeline better and trying to stick to it. In Nicaragua, the sun is completely down by six in the evening. Kevin and I didn’t have a first look, and our photographers insisted the ceremony needed to be at four in the afternoon for best lighting. However, this gave us only about one and half an hour for photos. Everything was so rushed we did not even get a photo with both our immediate families together. So my advice would be to try to make sure the timeline allows for all these things.” – Pamela and Kevin
Image by Par La Mer Photography
“Make sure to hire a videographer. We had no service, so few people had their phones out. I regret not capturing our unique day on film.” – Marian and Will
“If you’re on the brink of whether to video that day or not, do it! That’s seriously my only regret.” – Ashley and Dustin
“Get a videographer. It’s our biggest regret!” – Martha and Liam
“Don’t skimp on hiring a good photographer or videographer, you will regret it. They will capture the special moments throughout the day because the day happens so fast, you won’t see everything, and it’s all a blur!” – Kelly and Alex
Recommended Reading: Why You Need A Wedding Videographer
“The one thing I would have done differently would have been to utilize my bridesmaids more. To ensure everything looked the way it was supposed to. I would have had someone be in charge of double-checking the bar, tables, food stations, etc. In every area, there were things that were missing or not put out the way we envisioned it, so I would have loved for someone to have known what it was supposed to be like and ensured it was correct.” – Pamela and Kevin
“I promised myself that I wasn’t going to get caught up in chit-chat, which is very unlike me. But I just wanted to have fun and do whatever I fancied. If you can’t do that on your wedding day, when can you? Ryan did the rounds like a good husband, and I’m glad he took the time to chat to everyone, but he didn’t dance once, and he regrets not doing that now.” – Tom and Ryan
“Don’t try to over-schedule the day. Leave time to hang with guests. That’s a big regret for me.” – Aravinda and Mason
“Between out-of-town guests coming to visit and having all of our loved ones in one place, we regret not having extra time before our wedding to spend with them” – Taylor and Noah
Recommended Reading: How To Plan A Wedding Weekend Itinerary
Image by Caitlin Steuben
Everyone has wedding regrets. No matter how well you plan, there are always some mistakes that become apparent later on. However, these missteps shouldn’t overshadow the overall significance of the day. Stay focused on what your big day truly represents and the positive aspects.
But, even when things don’t go as planned, you can refer to this guide for tips on handling the day smoothly. And if there’s something you’re uncertain about during the planning process but it’s something you really want, don’t hesitate to go for it!
Image by Henry Tieu
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