TLC's hit series Four Weddings, where four brides with very different wedding styles compete to win a luxury honeymoon by attending and judging each other's weddings on the food, dress, venue, originality, and overall experience, returns tonight at 10 p.m. with a brand new episode.
Over the past few seasons, viewers have learned a ton about what will impress your guests, and as well as some surefire ways to irritate your nearest and dearest. Here, the top 10 mistakes we've seen:
Blunder #1: Not accounting for the temperature with an outdoor wedding.
Always put your guests' comfort first. This is even more important when having an outdoor wedding in the middle of July. Don't even think about having an outdoors-only affair if you can't hook up fans or, even better, air conditioning. If your guests are overheated, they're not going to be focusing on what's going on and will instead be preoccupied with their discomfort. Plus, you'll get a lot of early exits at your reception. People do not enjoy extreme temperatures, even if it is your special day.
Blunder #2: Putting too much distance between the ceremony and reception.
We all know that time gaps are definitely not preferable, but you also need to consider location. If your guests have to drive an hour (or more) from the ceremony to the reception, they're not going to appreciate the added expense of paying for gas on top of what they've already spent to be there for your big day. You risk people not wanting to make the trek and not coming at all, and you also risk people getting lost (not everyone has a GPS!). Most of all, it just adds additional time to an already long day.
Blunder #3: Having your wedding on a weeknight or major holiday.
Not only is this inconsiderate, it's also see as selfish by many guests. if you're hosting your wedding on Memorial Day or New Year's Eve, you risk getting a lot of "no's" because of annual traditions your guests already have. And even though you can save big bucks by holding a weeknight wedding, it's really inconvenient for your guests —especially out-of-towners — and many will opt out rather than taking extra time off work.
Blunder #4: Only thinking about yourself when choosing your menu.
Your wedding menu is a great place to pay tribute to your culture or feature your favorite exotic foods, but keep in mind that not everyone shares your taste. And, as host and hostess, it is your responsibility to make sure your guests are happy and fed. Love spicy food? Want to serve traditional Ethiopian fare? Always have at least one crowd-pleasing option those with less adventurous palates.
Blunder #5: Getting carried away with wedding toasts or speeches.
We can't stress this enough: Keep the toasts brief! Don't let speeches drag on forever, or you'll bore your guests to sleep. And make anyone giving a toast promise not to turn the toast into a roast or overdo it with the inside jokes; this makes guests feel uncomfortable.
Blunder #6: Lacking variety with your music selection.
Play too many slow songs, and you'll lull your guests into a seated slumber. Play only techno music, and your grandparents will be running for the door. Try to book a fun, upbeat band or DJ that can play across genres.
Blunder #7: Overwhelming your guests with entertainment or decorations.
A magician and an ice sculpture display and a guy blowing balloons? Don't go overboard with the entertainment at your wedding reception. More often than not, it's better to keep things simple. And that goes for the decorations, too. A rule of thumb: If the centerpiece takes over the entire table, it's probably too big.
Blunder #8: Going overboard with personalized logos and monograms.
We'd hope anyone attending your wedding already knows the names of the bride and groom. Seeing a few things with your names or initials is cute, but you don't have to monogram every single item that gets placed in front of your guests.
Blunder #9: Overdoing it at the alcohol.
No one likes a drunk, sloppy bride. Guess what? Even if you don't remember it the next day, your guests will, and they will certainly talk about it. You don't want everyone to look back at your wedding and only remember how drunk you or your groom were.
Blunder #10: Not paying attention to timing.
Before your big day, make a timeline of the major events. And, more importantly stick to it so that your event flows well. Guests will be annoyed if they're trying to mingle as chairs are being stacked around them or they're taking a bite of cake and the wait staff takes their plate out from under them.
Tell us: What are the biggest wedding blunders you've seen?
—Kelsie Allen
- Anonymous's blog
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