30 Honest Brides Share What They Wish They Would’ve Done Differently On Their Wedding Day
Interview With Author
The happiest day of your life, your wedding, could always have been a bit brighter and brighter in your daydreams. At least, that’s what some people tell themselves during a moment of honesty when they look back at the occasion with their hindsight goggles on (remember, they always make your vision 20/20).
Reddit users frequenting the r/AskWomen subreddit have been opening up about some of the things they would love to have changed about their wedding day if only they could go back in time. In the viral thread, the women are offering a wealth of advice for brides-to-be. It’s thoroughly eye-opening to see how many things can potentially go wrong during the ceremony and reception. Things that you possibly wouldn’t even think of, unless you’ve already racked up the experience.
We’ve collected some of the best and most honest insights that internet users shared about their weddings, so take a peek if you’re curious, and don’t forget to upvote the answers that you found illuminating. Though with everything said and done, we do have to remember this simple fact—no wedding will ever be ‘perfect.’ All manner of things will go wrong, but, at the end of the day, it’s your love for one another that should be the focus. Not the photographer, place settings, and band.
The author of the original thread, Alyssa, aka u/Puzzleheaded-Yam-411, revealed to Bored Panda that she will be having her own wedding in May 2022, and was hoping for some advice from other brides. "I have found it so difficult to plan our wedding on my own. I wanted to get some advice from fellow brides on what they found helped them with the big day that might alleviate some of the pressure. Especially on the actual day, what they found important to remember," she told me in an exclusive interview.
In Alyssa's opinion, there isn't such a thing as 'perfect' wedding because everyone has their own idea of what this entails. "Plus, it is so much better when your wedding is original and different! That’s what people will remember about it," she mused. "Our wedding is in May 2022, and we know, just like in life, some things won’t go just as we planned. Ours was originally booked for 2021! It may be difficult on the day, but as long as you focus on what is the most important aspect, each other, then everything else will fade into the background. I won’t lie and say it won’t be stressful, but I’m sure a glass or two of champagne will wash that stress away!" Scroll down for Bored Panda's full chat with Alyssa as well as for my interview about wedding problems with Anna and Sarah, Team Leaders at The Wedding Society.
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Married someone else
My ex husband loves to have fun at my expense. When we cut the cake, I tried to playfully get icing on his nose. He ducked, avoiding me, didn't even take a bite of the cake, then he grabbed a handful of cake and rubbed it into my hair. It took everything in me to not cry in front of the 150 people there. I put on the performance of a lifetime. I feigned a laugh and acted like it was all in good fun. I wish I had just let my tears fall and simply asked him in front of everyone "why would you do that?" In reality, I should have never married him, and then I should have left years before I did. But here we are. I don't necessarily regret that (we had beautiful children), but I always wish I had stood up for myself.
Dear hubs has done it for many of our daughters' birthdays, even after each turned 18 and told him not to! Yeah, he should have respected that before as well because it was clearly embarrassing! Ugh.
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"My [ex] husband loves to have fun at my expense." That was the Huge Red Flag!
I asked my ex REPEATEDLY not to do anything stupid with the cake, and he decided to do the face smash thing, it was gross and I was upset.
Oh God and especially when the other person has asked you not to do that! Great way to start a life together
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This is such a weird tradition - does anyone except Americans do this? I don't understand why she wishes she had cried - I can't see how that would have helped anything. But yeah - don't marry a man who thinks this is funny
Next to embalming/ open coffin funerals, this is the americanism I can never understand. Pure desire to be wasteful, pure disrespect for resources?
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My daughter and I watch wedding programs on television. It's shocking how violent some of the husbands can get and pretending its all in fun. Grabbing the bride with one hand while smearing her face and/or gown with cake. I'd call it off right then. Brides should know what they're starting when they play with fire.
Unless they honestly didn't know their own husband would be like that until it was too late.
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This is the same as #1, but using more words. #1 in this moment is NOT MARRY HIM.
Unfortunately by the time you're cutting the wedding cake it's probably too late for that. However, annulment is always an option.
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This is bloody horrible. C'mon man...it's your wedding day...act like it...also, do you know how long it probably took to do her hair?
The cake thing was, is, and always be a stupid tradition. Whoever started it should have to clean up all the messes.
So getting cake on his nose is all in good fun? But when he gets cake in your hair, he has done the worst thing that he could ever do? What is the difference?
A tiny bit on the nose can easily be wiped off. A chunk in your hair? Good luck
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I've seen all those videos where both the bride and groom smash the cake in each others face like rednecks. I told my husband don't even think about it before we got married.
I told my hubby he was dead meat if he shoved cake in my face and I did not find that funny for either one of us. When I gave him his piece of cake his groomsmen and best man were lined up and best man hit my elbow so hubby got cake in his face. I went around and shoved cake in best man's face. Great picture!
Good for you! I hope that you yelled at that idiot for doing that!
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Well, I guess the wedding photographer who said that couples where one of them smashes cake into their SO without their consent get divorced...
My ex husband loves to have fun at my expense. Yet you never saw the red flags before the wedding? Not even the yellow caution warnings??
@Tom Donis-BITCH, you are just as immature and NO, she did not! Fucktard pissant loser asshole shitpile.
Never ever smudge cake on SO's face esp when it's a crowd you can't handle or will get judge. Leave all these games for private life.
I would NOT have told anybody my wedding plans. Like just not offered any info whenever I was asked how wedding planning was going, and just say I was keeping it a surprise.
My mother in law and sister in law lost their s**t over my flower selection. My mom told me I was an embarrassment over my catering selection (mind you my husband and I paid for everything ourselves). When showing my aunt my Pinterest board for wedding dresses she literally said “I know your style is better than this, these are terrible, it’s a good thing I caught it before you bought anything”. Everyone felt that they knew better than us. Up until the morning of our wedding day these women were trying to pressure me into making changes and spending money i didn’t have.
I still did everything I wanted and the day was lovely and everyone enjoyed/behaved themselves. but I just could have saved myself a ton a misery if I had only kept my mouth shut about my plans. I wish instead wasting all my energy on defending my choices, apologizing, and then second-guessing my plans, I spent that time enjoying being engaged. It seems petty because it only a one-day event. But seeing how judgmental and pushy they all were in trying to bully me into each of their own specific tastes really opened my eyes, and has caused a bit of a “strain in those relationships” (read: I’m no longer the easy to manipulate pushover they all needed me to be).
Alyssa, the author of the thread, was candid with me that she has found the wedding preparations to be very stressful and overwhelming. Even now, once she's gotten more experience.
"If I had to start the planning all over again I would say, don’t be afraid to ask for help," she gave our readers here at Bored Panda some spot-on advice. "Whether that be hiring a wedding planner, or asking friends and family to deal with certain suppliers. The difference it would have made hiring a wedding planner is insurmountable. Even though our wedding is small (around 70 guests) you would be surprised how much detail needs to be covered in order to have everything come together seamlessly."
The bride-to-be shared exactly how many details planners have to be aware of. Details that many of us wouldn't even consider. "Think of a table, what is on that table? Plates, cutlery, crockery, glasses, table linen, candles, flower garlands, chairs, sashes, the table itself, the list goes on. And you have to organize all of this!" Alyssa pointed out how overwhelming things can get.
My sister said she wished someone had packed her and her husband an extra to-go box of the food served at the wedding. She said they barely ate dinner because they were busy talking to people and they had an addrenial rush and not much of an appetite. They were starving when they got to their hotel.
Most caterers do this as a courtesy but be sure to ask when you're meeting with them so that it's in the contract. It'll be less likely to be overlooked that way.
It would've been much smaller and I would've told my dad that he wasnt planning it. I was 19 and my husband was 21 so we had no money but were in love. My dad decided since the FOB pays, then it's HIS wedding so whatever he wants is what I got.
If I could go back, I would've had a budget wedding with maybe 40 friends/family of MY choosing instead of 200 people that I'll never see again. Different gown (no train or veil this time). And REAL flowers instead of fake ones.
I also wouldn't have had it in a church. I'm not religious but was guilt-tripped into going to pre-cana classes at the church and having the ceremony there. I would've taken most of the "traditional" elements out.
Side Note: I still have a good relationship with my dad AND my husband and I have been married almost 20 yrs now. So really bottom line... the wedding day doesnt matter. It's all the days after it that matter.
I'm glad the relationship with your husband is going strong and also the one with your dad. Weddings are for a day...but those are for a lifetime.
I would have gotten married at 11am!
I spent so much time being nervous to walk down the aisle (because of all the people). I spent literally half the day being nervous! Get married in the morning so you can spend the rest of the day partying and having fun on your wedding day!
"If your fiancé is anything like mine, don’t even contemplate asking for his opinion as it will most likely be answered with, 'Errrr…' Though in all seriousness, I think it’s because he knows whatever he says I won’t listen to, haha! This is all of course relevant to people organizing a wedding where it is not in a package. Package weddings work completely differently and may be much more stress-free for future couples to look into."
Alyssa also advised other brides-to-be to do their homework on their supplies and read every single contract in detail before signing anything. That can save a lot of headaches in the future.
"Especially due to the current economic climate, many companies have changed their terms and conditions. So if you think you can just get a deposit back because of something Covid related, you may be disappointed. Many suppliers are friendly, to begin with, but the moment money is mentioned or involved they can completely turn in into different people. Trust us, we know. Covid broke out a few months after we booked with many suppliers."
However, the most important thing is to do your research. "Read reviews, look at the photographer’s portfolio before hiring, research what the food looks like or what other people’s thoughts were! Another silly detail would be what do the products look like in 'natural' light. It’s easy to spend loads on décor when you choose it from studio lighting, it may look completely different in person.
Hired a photographer.
We eloped with siblings as witnesses because of some messy parent stuff. I really wish we would have hired someone to take a few posed pictures at the park or something.
I would have made sure to plan a bit of alone time for myself the day of. I didn’t get even 5 minutes to just be by myself before my wedding, to breathe or reflect or generally be in the moment. That morning was a blur of people and activity. I found it exhausting to have some kind of audience for an entire day, sunrise to well after sunset. A moment to happily freak out about the fact that holy s**t, I’m about to get married! with no one watching would have been awesome.
Remembered to take a change of clothes with me to the hotel so I didn’t have to leave the next morning in my wedding dress like some kind of crazy-ass walk of shame
Oh yep...good point. The guy wouldn't really get two looks in a suit so he doesn't have to worry.
Meanwhile, Anna and Sarah from The Wedding Society shared their professional perspectives on why things can go wrong during weddings and what the main issues tend to be. At the core of it all lies the importance of accepting that some things won't go smoothly. Plans are rarely (if ever!) perfect and some things will go wrong sooner or later.
"From our experience, the main issues that pop up for couples usually revolve around family dynamics, which are almost impossible to avoid!" they were candid with Bored Panda. "It's hard to foresee everything that might go wrong from vendor mistakes or issues through to that drunk bridesmaid falling on the cake, so all you can really do is plan for what you might expect and accept that something definitely will go wrong. If you can just embrace the fact that not everything will go to plan. you'll have a much better day!"
Everything. Wanted a lavender dress but I was young and told I had to wear white. I would have it in an old bldg, gothic style with a garden outside for pics, pro photographer and very few people. Taco and margarita bar for the win next time if ever.
Remembered to grab my bouquet. It was sitting on the coffee table all day. Now we just laugh about it - I spent hundreds of hours crocheting it for it to be left at home.
Would’ve gotten a dress that made me feel like a goddess. Mine was pretty but white ain’t my color and it could’ve been better. Also, don’t do strapless.
Oh yeah. Strapless. l made that mistake, lost a few kilos too much before the wedding and was afraid to dance the hole evening because I feared of the dress slipping a bit too low.
Bored Panda wanted to know how the happy couple can ensure that their wedding is truly their own and how to not get lost in the maze of advice, coming from friends, family, and professionals. "It's important to remember the almost everyone with an opinion really does have good intentions," Anna and Sarah told me. However, having a clear vision of the happy day can help the couple focus.
"That said, it's useful to have a really good idea of what you and your partner want for the day before you share the details with family and friends, so that you can stand firmer in your discussions about those choices. "
There's also the old nod-and-smile technique that works in all walks of life, not just during wedding prep. "If all else fails, one of the best things you can do is nod your head, smile, and agree, then do it your own way anyway!!" they revealed to Bored Panda.
Chosen different bridesmaids. I had six. Two are still in my life and four left in two separate s**tty incidents. I hate most of my wedding photos now
I had 3 and don't have any contact with any of them. I feel I should have just walked down the ailsle alone
Sometimes I wish it wouldn't have had to happen during a global pandemic, but honestly it turned out so beautiful anyway that I wouldn't change a thing.
I'm glad you ended up having a beautiful wedding despite the pandemic <3
“Trust us—you're only going to truly enjoy the day if you're focusing on what matters—the marriage. Everything else is just details,” Anna and Sarah from The Wedding Society told Bored Panda during an earlier interview that the happy couple should put the marriage first, not the party.
According to the wedding experts, some people get far too “caught up in the party and the image” of the wedding. This puts a lot of stress on the couple’s shoulders. They become worried about things going perfectly. When, obviously, minor (sometimes major) mishaps will occur. Instead of trying to impress their social circle, they should focus on each other.
It's going to sound rough but I wouldn't have worried about inviting most of my family. It turned out to be more of a fiasco than it was worth. We had the whole thing at our house and it was amazing, except my mother and some other members refused to communicate when or even if they were attending until the evening before. I knew my mother was likely to derail the day by giving the silent treatment and then just showing up and expecting applause. I felt sort of shamed into inviting them when I should have just been confident with the decision in my heart that I just didn't need her there that day.
Other than that, I was so happy we had a small wedding by our garden and damn the desserts were so good...
Our daughters wedding guests were mainly their friends. From our side there was my husband and I, our son, my father (92 at the time) my sister and her husband their son and one son in law. Our sons wedding was the same although my father and brother in law had passed away. Weddings are about the couple getting married not about the parents and extended family.
Not included my MIL in any of the planning/decorating what so ever! She forgot who’s wedding it really was and turned into a mom-zilla.
Actually saved our vows. I have zero copies of it and neither of us remembers what all we said. Ugh.
The same sentiment of wanting everything to go ‘perfectly’ extends to wedding dresses, too. Some brides believe their wedding will be a failure if they don’t have the most magnificent dress that is ‘perfect’ down to the last detail that they’ve been imagining for years and years. However important a dress might be, it’s still just a dress, at the end of the day.
“The concept of a ‘perfect wedding dress’ really only matters deeply to those who are probably focusing on the wrong thing,” Anna and Sarah noted that if someone finds themselves obsessing over a dress, it’s best to reevaluate their priorities for their big day. The person needs to consider why they’re getting married in the first place and if the image is more important to them than their partner.
“There are literally thousands of incredible dresses directly available to you—it's almost a physical impossibility for only one to be right for you and, if that's how you're feeling, it's probably worth stepping back, taking a deep breath, and re-shifting your priorities,” the experts told Bored Panda.
Left my mil out of alllll of the planning… omg she had an issue with everything. We got the tuxes for the groomsmen and the dads and the dads wore black. Well she said “I’ll go with dad when he gets his because i want him to match me” she wore purple. We said no 94835 times abs she was not happy. Then she needed a limo to get back and forth. She was way too involved and barely paid for anything.
Why does this Mother-in-law thing always seem like a bad idea. Lol
I wouldn't have drank so much. I had loads of fun which is good but I wish I'd have been a bit more sober.
Breathed. Slowed down. Spent more time with each person. Stopped worrying about all the things I couldn’t control. (It hailed and then poured rain on my outdoor wedding)
I wish I'd had someone record the toasts. I didn't want video of the rest of it, but I wish I could remember what the best man, my uncle, etc actually said.
I am VERY glad I got myself a dress to match my bridesmaids for the reception. We did out first dance and the father/daughter dance, then I excused myself to change. I was wearing more comfortable shoes, could dance easier, and wasn't paranoid every time I had food or drink in my hand.
I was the best man at a good friend's wedding. I never realized and no one told me ahead of time that the groom was expected to give a speech. I didn't find out until about 10 freaking minutes before it was expected of me when a friend seated next to me asked what I was going to say in my speech! I was like, WHAT SPEECH? He then clued me in. I could have crapped myself right then and there. I'm an introvert, I don't do public speaking, I would take an F on an assignment in school before getting up in front of the class. Apparently, I successfully muddled through it as I was applauded and that other friend said I did great. I had zero memory of what I said just 1 minute after. It's as if someone else had taken over and spoke through me. Many others said it was a great speech! I didn't remember one word and still don't but my memory of standing there in front of everyone is still burned in my mind some 30 years later.
I would have slept in my own bed with my husband the night before.
I have a hard time sleeping, especially when I am feeling anxious/have a lot on my mind or when I’m in an unfamiliar place. I rented a small hotel room with my sister MOH and mom to “follow the tradition” and ended up getting 3ish hours of sleep off and on.
I was totally exhausted all day and we ended up going home earlier than I wanted bc I literally could not keep my eyes open. When I was checking into hotel the night before I had a bad feeling I wasn’t going to sleep well and I really wanted to just go home and sleep in my own bed. We had a small non traditional wedding due to covid restriction in my province and I had it stuck in my head I needed the tradition of not seeing each other until our first look.
I also would have forced myself to scarf down a breakfast even though I was feeling anxiety nausea, and brought more snacks to eat before the ceremony.
I would have waited 5 years.
Not because I regret marrying him, we are still together and still in love, and not necessarily because I was too young to be married (I was 21) but because I was a very different person at 26. We live in a different state now, and our lives are way different to when we were married. I have met so many more people and formed so many wonderful relationships with them, I'm actually sad they weren't at my wedding.
I would have held it in a different location, one that suited my personality more because I like different things now that I'm older. The venue we chose was lovely but in the end, it didn't feel personal, it was just a place to be married.
I also have far different taste in style now, and have hobbies that I would have liked to see included in my day.
So, short answer is I wish I waited to know exactly who I was before getting married, but I don't regret it entirely. I still married the man I love, and that's all that matters
This bride seems to not comprehend that so much of these differences came about because she was married. They grew together, she had the confidence of being loved and being able to discover new things within their marriage. She could have been a very different person entirely if she'd not married when she did. Not worse or better, but different.
Have the posed cutesy/spicy pictures done on a different day. Scheduling all that on a day that you're supposed to celebrate is honestly a drag and felt like a job.
I would have just done it at the park, and had the reception at my favorite resturant. Organizing furniture and dishes and decorations to bring all of it on site was a job.
just do anything that doesn't make it feel like I worked instead of just enjoying my wedding day.
less people
spent less money
should’ve asked guests to take home the flowers (centerpieces, etc) because they were so beautiful and filled our tiny apartment before we abandoned them to die while on our honeymoon
should’ve steamed the antique veil before wearing it. I was so afraid of wrecking my grandmother’s veil that I didn’t take it out of its box until right before I walked down the aisle
less staged family photos and more candids
But… I’m an introvert and would’ve happily eloped. My husband loved the big party and I’d do it all again just the same to see him that happy.
Following, because I look forward to my big day (whenever it happens lol) and I want to know what I shouldn’t waste time/money on.
My best friend got married in august. She interestingly said she would have eloped, and had more of a “party”/“gathering after. She said she still would have worn a cute dress, just nothing as uncomfortable and expensive as a bridal gown. She said she wishes she saved money and scrapped the whole walking down the aisle portion altogether. She would have instead put the ceremony money towards a nicer honeymoon than the one they’re going on (Disney world).
I kind of consider doing that sometimes.
Your wedding day can be fun and a truly beautiful memory. Wear whatever you want. Feel like a princess or just be as comfy as you like. Our daughters dress wasn't ready in time for the wedding so we took her to her favourite dress label, they'd just started stocking wedding dress. She grab a dress that wasn't as elegant but it was her favourite label and she was so much more comfortable than she would have been. Our daughter in law is a dungeon master (D&D) her dress, made by her mum, was gorgeously unusual, she wore platform boots and her bouquet handle was a light Sabre! They all had fun, only inviting immediate family so they could have more of their friends there.
I wouldn’t have had my dad walk me down the aisle. He was late, left early, and tried to make the whole thing about him.
Hired a professional photographer. The one I got was recommended by a friend and only $100 (I was too young and inexperienced to realize this was a red flag).
She rushed us around the day of, left early, then we NEVER GOT THE PICTURES. We paid in full plus a tip, waited for months, contacted her again and again, but nothing. Not even a refund.
To this day, I only have candid pictures taken by family and friends. I've come to terms with it... and at least the marriage is going great. We celebrated 10 years recently.
Taken more photos for myself. We eloped and I made a point of not using my phone the entire day and now I wish I had photos of the food we ate and just low key shots of husband. All we got were overly staged photos where we felt awkward having to pose so much in unnatural ways.
The whole idea of doing the photos between the service and the party really breaks up the fun. The candids always look staged. Come party with your friends and family. Don't leave them for an hour and a half.
Note: this post originally had 81 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Change my glasses. I tried this self shading glasses to spare some money, because i need sunglasses with my Dioptrien too and it sums up over the years. Every ducking picture with me in it, is this guy with his brown/shady looking glasses on his face and i hate it. My wife looks beautiful and i would marry her again, but this damn glasses haunt me to today.
Same. We had medieval style wedding at a castle in traditional clothing, and I forgot to wear contacts, so I wore shades... Also had a good sunburn from my bachelor party at the beach (with untrimmed beard) so if you zoom in or in the photos I took my glasses off, you can clearly see the tanlines in my face
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I have no photos We eloped in the file room of the court house. I would of loved an actual wedding.
I loved our wedding, small, cheap and we were in a position to go for a wedding in a windmill- it was awesome. Weather in september on the day was gorgeous too. We couldn't take food back with us so rip fried chicken. Other than that- I wouldn't change a thing.
Seriously save the money and get married either at the registry office with a couple of friends and family, or if you are a church goer, ask your minister if you can get married during the morning service like a baptism or something. Just the next item on the agenda, before the notices.
Wouldn't have changed much. I took my good time asking the question, so both of us were old enough (28/24) to do it our way. Which meant medieval, in full ornate, at a castle, with only 28 people, closest friends (bridesmaids) and family. Had a semi professional (experienced hobbyist) photograf which did a great job, great staged and candid shots of everything, tons of beautifull pictures for a fair price. Only thing I regret is not having a video of our speech. It was really spontaneous, nobody had time or thought of pulling his smartphone. We have great pictures, but no recording. And we missed the cheese platter while doing staged photos...
I’ve been married for 29 years. My only regret is that I didn’t make my sister the MOH instead of a bridesmaid. I’ve lost touch with the other 2 girls, but she and I are closer than ever
Hm, I hope I get married some day! Even though I'm reading all these stories of weddings gone wrong!
I just wanted a friend to marry us and then go to a restaurant with a group of friends and family. My mother said I would regret not having a wedding and insisted I have one. It was small and simple, but still more than I wanted. After 25 years the only regret is that I gave in and didn't stand up for what I wanted. Because I was unhappy with the arrangements, I don't have a single photo with me sincerely smiling, just a "let's get this over" smile.
The second best wedding I have been to was my cousin's. The bride and groom's parents each gave the couple a monetary gift when the wedding planning started and told them that was all they were getting and they could have whatever they wanted. They got married at 10AM on a Saturday morning, after the ceremony, we gathered in the church atrium for brunch. Everything wrapped up at noon so they could make their honeymoon flight. All-in-all, they spent $3,000 on the entire wedding, the honeymoon was a gift from our great uncle, and they used the rest of the money for a down payment on the house where they have lived for the past 27 years and raised five children. They were so happy on their wedding day. My cousin said she was stress-free and they are still happy together. I would do a wedding her way.
I wouldn't have let my in laws have any input whatsofuckingever. We went from a wedding with 75 people max to over 400 of mostly people we didn't know. My FIL was a deacon at his church and insisted we do the wedding there and we had to invite the whole church, which we didn't attend, so as not to be "rude". Should have eloped.
Change my glasses. I tried this self shading glasses to spare some money, because i need sunglasses with my Dioptrien too and it sums up over the years. Every ducking picture with me in it, is this guy with his brown/shady looking glasses on his face and i hate it. My wife looks beautiful and i would marry her again, but this damn glasses haunt me to today.
Same. We had medieval style wedding at a castle in traditional clothing, and I forgot to wear contacts, so I wore shades... Also had a good sunburn from my bachelor party at the beach (with untrimmed beard) so if you zoom in or in the photos I took my glasses off, you can clearly see the tanlines in my face
Load More Replies... I have no photos We eloped in the file room of the court house. I would of loved an actual wedding.
I loved our wedding, small, cheap and we were in a position to go for a wedding in a windmill- it was awesome. Weather in september on the day was gorgeous too. We couldn't take food back with us so rip fried chicken. Other than that- I wouldn't change a thing.
Seriously save the money and get married either at the registry office with a couple of friends and family, or if you are a church goer, ask your minister if you can get married during the morning service like a baptism or something. Just the next item on the agenda, before the notices.
Wouldn't have changed much. I took my good time asking the question, so both of us were old enough (28/24) to do it our way. Which meant medieval, in full ornate, at a castle, with only 28 people, closest friends (bridesmaids) and family. Had a semi professional (experienced hobbyist) photograf which did a great job, great staged and candid shots of everything, tons of beautifull pictures for a fair price. Only thing I regret is not having a video of our speech. It was really spontaneous, nobody had time or thought of pulling his smartphone. We have great pictures, but no recording. And we missed the cheese platter while doing staged photos...
I’ve been married for 29 years. My only regret is that I didn’t make my sister the MOH instead of a bridesmaid. I’ve lost touch with the other 2 girls, but she and I are closer than ever
Hm, I hope I get married some day! Even though I'm reading all these stories of weddings gone wrong!
I just wanted a friend to marry us and then go to a restaurant with a group of friends and family. My mother said I would regret not having a wedding and insisted I have one. It was small and simple, but still more than I wanted. After 25 years the only regret is that I gave in and didn't stand up for what I wanted. Because I was unhappy with the arrangements, I don't have a single photo with me sincerely smiling, just a "let's get this over" smile.
The second best wedding I have been to was my cousin's. The bride and groom's parents each gave the couple a monetary gift when the wedding planning started and told them that was all they were getting and they could have whatever they wanted. They got married at 10AM on a Saturday morning, after the ceremony, we gathered in the church atrium for brunch. Everything wrapped up at noon so they could make their honeymoon flight. All-in-all, they spent $3,000 on the entire wedding, the honeymoon was a gift from our great uncle, and they used the rest of the money for a down payment on the house where they have lived for the past 27 years and raised five children. They were so happy on their wedding day. My cousin said she was stress-free and they are still happy together. I would do a wedding her way.
I wouldn't have let my in laws have any input whatsofuckingever. We went from a wedding with 75 people max to over 400 of mostly people we didn't know. My FIL was a deacon at his church and insisted we do the wedding there and we had to invite the whole church, which we didn't attend, so as not to be "rude". Should have eloped.
