Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but that doesn’t mean that things always go smoothly and as planned. There are a number of common regrets that couples have about their wedding day, so we’re here to make sure you’re not going to have the same big day blunders…
Picking the wrong wedding outfits, wasting money on a rubbish band and worrying too much in the lead up are among Brits’ biggest wedding regrets, as well as poor budgeting, not spending enough on a decent photographer and opting for a free bar. Discover the list below and how not to make the same mistakes.
Top 40 Wedding Regrets From Real Couples
Research from Shawbrook Bank – who asked 2,000 brides and grooms their most common wedding regrets – reveals spiralling costs and having to make cutbacks were among the top responses.
While almost four in 10 felt overwhelmed by the cost of their wedding, a fifth had to make cutbacks due to spiralling costs. The honeymoon was the most common item that couples decided to save cash on, with just under one in three slashing their spend on a romantic getaway. Other cutbacks include reducing the number of wedding guests (26%), the venue (24%), and decorations (23%).
Sally Conway, Head of Consumer Communications at Shawbrook Bank Personal Loans, said: “The wedding day is one of the most special moments of a couple’s lives – but it’s also one of the most expensive.
“That’s why it’s essential to factor in plenty of time to make it both a personal and financial success.
“Planning early enough and using budgeting tips to manage the various costs is one way to help couples pivot a step closer to achieving their dream day.”
Over a third regret the amount of money they spent, with 50% having had received financial help from their family. While 33% accepted help from their partner’s family, 25% used savings and 12% took out a personal loan.
Wedding planner Rianna Elizabeth added: “While the early planning stages can feel overwhelming, the good news is that there are techniques and ways to help steer your wedding planning in the right direction.
“Set yourselves a timeline and running order to keep you on track in the lead up to your big day too.
“It’s important to work out your priorities as a couple too – if there are then certain compromises you need to make to save costs, it will become clearer which elements to cut back on. Wedding planning is a really exciting time, so it’s important to remember to enjoy the process!”
The study, conducted via OnePoll, also revealed that a third said they would go smaller if they were to have their big day again. Facilitating more guests, choice of catering and the wedding party’s outfits were also among the top things people would spend less on a second time round.
Despite their regrets, 47 per cent still felt had their ‘dream day’. And, almost half (44%) didn’t have to make any cutbacks – with 47% able to stick to their budget. View the full list of regrets below.
Top 40 Wedding Regrets
I didn’t spend enough time with guests
I worried about the little things too much
I got stressed and didn’t enjoy the day enough
I tried too hard to please the guests – rather than myself
I would choose a nicer venue
I spent too much money
I would choose a different wedding outfit
I would choose to have a smaller ceremony
I would choose a different hairstyle
I should have spent more on the photographer
I should have invited less people
I would choose a different location for the venue (city, town, village or country)
I invited too many distant relatives
I didn’t plan enough beforehand
I should have invited more people
I wish I’d spent more money to make it special
Not budgeting properly
I should have gotten a videographer
I would choose different bridesmaid outfits
I would choose different flowers
I would choose different bridesmaids
I would choose a different best man/woman
I would choose a less expensive venue
I should have spent more on the food
I didn’t like my evening entertainment
I would choose a different maid/man of honour
I would spend less on alcohol
I would choose a different colour theme
I would choose to have a bigger ceremony
I should have invited children
I wouldn’t have a free bar
I should have spent more on a better band
I would choose different groomsmen
I shouldn’t have had so much food
I wouldn’t get married in the winter
I wouldn’t get married in the summer
I shouldn’t have bothered with a videographer
I shouldn’t have given gifts to my bridal party/groomsmen
I would choose different groomsmen outfits
I would choose to have the ceremony in a church
Sally Conway added: “Creating a budget in the early stages can help work out your priorities and keep overspending in check.
“It’s important to establish your total wedding fund early on – whether made up from current savings, future savings, family contributions or potential lending options – then you can estimate the costs of each element based on your priorities as a couple.”
Shawbrook Bank Personal Loans has created a dedicated hub of information to help couples with budgeting for their big day, find out more at: shawbrook.co.uk.