The Best (and Worst!) Wedding Advice

Whether you want it or not, people will give you their opinion.

I’m sure you’ve figured this out by now. It’s no secret that when you get engaged, people will come out of the wood-works to congratulate you. They will also come out of the wood-works to give you their opinion. (Even if you don’t want it!) This also goes for people giving you advice. You’re about to embark on this new chapter of your life. I mean, who knows you and your situation better than your second cousin Julie that you haven’t seen since you were 5 – Right? (Insert eye rolls here)

Sometimes it’s great advice and, frankly, other times it’s a load of bull. Sometimes it’s hurtful, and other times you won’t be able to contain your laughter. But one fact will always remain the same. There are always those people who will make sure it’s heard.

Your engagement is suppose to be one of the most exciting times in your life. You’re about to marry the one your heart loves and soul longs for. This is YOUR time! I wanted celebrate engagement season and all of the advice (good and bad!) that you’re about to hear for the next year or so. I took the liberty of asking my fellow vendors about the best and worst wedding advice they’ve been given or heard given to their brides. And, oh boy, did they deliver! Grab some coffee and sit back, they got extra real for you.

The Best (and Worst!) Wedding Advice – As Told By Wedding Professionals Themselves

“Best Advice: Enjoy the process from start to finish… absorb yourself in a stress free zone!” – Dale W.

“Worst Advice: I was at a David’s Bridal and the woman doing the alterations told my bride she could put her wedding gown in the washing machine.” – Brianne A. (Stress Free Weddings)

“Best Advice: Really look at the guest list. We invited so many people we don’t even know anymore. We should have had a much smaller, more intimate wedding.” – Erin B.

“Worst Advice: You can make all of your decor and do everything yourself for your wedding invitations… ummm NO!” – Amy T.

“Best Advice: Hire a planner! Worst Advice: Get a cheap photographer! … Side Note: All of the best weddings I have been to as a guest and a vendor, the most memorable are the intimate ones with only truly close family and friends.” – Linda M.

“Worst Advice: You can trust your lone friend to seamlessly run your wedding plan, decorate the hall and do your wedding party florals! Wonder woman is her friend, by the way!” – Analyn C. (Occassions to Treasure)

“Best Advice: Take 5 minutes during your day together to stop and be alone to just take it all in. No cameras, no wedding party, no family members either. Just the two of you, mindfully enjoying your time together on your special day. Worst Advice: Following a wedding template budget! They are not personal at all. Just because Susie wants expensive food and no dj, doesn’t mean that’s what Betty wants. There is no one size fits all budget. So prioritize the things that are important to you and then look at the market value of those things in your area and then set your budget. Working from a template will just let you down and break the bank.” – Alex F. (Weddings by Alexandra)

“Worst Advice: Ask your photographer for all the raw files.” – Chris S. (Chris Sosa Photography)

Spoiler Alert: They don’t provide those! Instead, ask about digital files and printing rights. This is probably what you mean anyways!

“Best Advice: The best advice was for us to make sure we’d eat during our reception and just have a good time with our guests. We had a blast! 😀
Worst Advice: The worst advice was people asking us ‘are you really sure you want to get married? Oh, don’t do it. You’re so young and free.’ I married at 25 and my hubs was 28. We have been happily married for 4.5 years. Living life with my guy is the best!” – Fernanda B. (Cherry Daydream)

“Worst Advice: You can let your maid of honor do all the makeup for your bridal party of 8 girls, including your parents and grandparents. Ummm, No ma’am!” – Tawanda S. (Elite Events by Tawanda)

“Best Advice: Take a step back during your reception. Take your groom to a corner of the room and just observe everyone celebrating YOU. Soak everything in…it goes by too fast!” – Arielle V. (Arielle Valenzuela Photography)

“Worst Advice: A stranger one week before my wedding told me I was far too young and I should instead get on a plane and go somewhere to learn about myself instead of going to my wedding. 😂  I had no idea how to respond to her!” – Kaitlin B. (Captured by Kaitlin Rose)

“Best Advice: Take some time to slip away with your husband for a few moments during the reception. It was honestly one of my favorite moments of my wedding day-standing outside on a grassy hill and watching the sunset with my husband, more dressed up than we will probably ever be again! 😂” – Larissa V. (Larissa Valdez Photography)

“Worst Advice: My mother told me, ‘don’t marry him.’ Best Advice: I told myself to have the kind of wedding that I want and not my family, friends, bridesmaids, etc. want” —-I eloped in Jamaica :)”  – Christine L. (She Creates)

“Best Advice: Make sure you eat something throughout the day before ceremony begins. Have food pre made and planned ahead of time.” – Brandy S.

“Worst Advice: Hire a cheap photographer or have a friend do it” – Mandi M. (Mandi Mitchell Photography)

Like I tell my brides, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”

“Best Advice: A good friend of mine told me about a month before the day that at their wedding they just did whatever they wanted to do! If they wanted to spend all night dancing they did if they wanted to get a drink they did! She said that it was too easy to be pulled into conversations by all of your guests trying to get a minute with you so on our day we enjoyed ourselves and did what we wanted and we enjoyed the day so much more! We got to enjoy the playlist we spent so much time on the food we picked and the drinks we bought! Your guests will understand if you don’t spend 30 minutes talking to each of them! It’s your only wedding day!” – Kristen H.

“Worst Advice: I was told, ‘don’t get married quickly just because your boyfriend is leaving for basic training, it will make you that much upset about him leaving because then he’s your husband.’ and ‘Your going to regret not getting to have time to plan your wedding.’ Best Advice: My now-husband’s army recruiter told him, ‘If you plan on spending the rest of your life with this girl you should get married before you leave for basic.’ – Keely N. (Keely Nickel Photography)

“Best Advice: When creating your guest list, ask yourself would you usually be happy to pay for a meal for this person? Also, just totally relax from the night before. What will happen from that point will happen, and it’s totally okay to let go of control. And enjoy YOUR day!” – Sophie W. (Throwing Apples Designs)

“Best Advice: Dont try to DIY too many things otherwise you’ll end up stressed, low on time to relax and enjoy the process, and you might not even save enough money to make the stress worth it. Learned that one the hard way 😬” – Taylor J. (Taylor Catherine Photography)