By Kim Forrest for WeddingWire
Yes, your wedding is your day to shine -– you’re the center of attention and you probably want every detail to be perfect. However, you don’t have to “go big” with every single aspect of your wedding -- you run the risk of taking the focus off of the real reason your friends and family members have gathered together: to celebrate your love.
Here are a few things you shouldn’t go overboard with:
Signs
Cute signage can serve an important function at your wedding –- pointing guests toward the ceremony space, displaying the menu, or telling everyone where to sit. But too many signs can confuse guests and clutter your wedding space. Our advice: Only use signs where absolutely necessary to convey information.
Speeches
Of course, speeches from the father-of-the-bride, the best man and maid of honor are mainstays of a wedding reception, but avoid adding many more to the lineup –- this is a wedding, not a stand-up comedy hour. The rehearsal dinner is a great time for additional speeches from other VIPs: your bridesmaids, the friend who introduced you, your great-aunt, etc.
“Extra” Activities
It’s a nice gesture to provide alternative activities for guests; we’ve seen photo booths, lawn games, written games like Mad Libs or I Spy, and piñatas, to name a few. But we recommend choosing one “extra” activity and sticking to it, rather than creating a children’s party-like atmosphere with lots and lots of different games.
Accessories
Your gorgeous face shouldn’t have to compete with lots and lots of accessories. Avoid piling on too much jewelry on your wedding day. Pick one statement accessory, whether it’s a glam headpiece, stunning necklace or standout earrings and let that be your main source of sparkle.
Ceremony Readings
The ceremony is the most important part of the day and its nice to infuse a personal touch with a reading or musical interlude. Try to stick to one or two readings so that they remain memorable, and find an officiant on WeddingWire who can offer advice throughout the ceremony-planning process.
DIY
You may want to take a hands-on approach to some of your wedding details, but taking on too many DIY projects will likely stress you out -– and perhaps not turn out as beautiful as you hoped. Choose one project that you want to take on and make sure you give yourself enough time to do it well.
Alcohol
While you don’t have to avoid alcohol all together, it’s a good idea to watch your intake (which isn’t easy, with guests handing you celebratory glasses of champagne left and right!). You want to remember your wedding day, after all!