Unexpected Wedding Mishaps
Rachel Seligman
Unless you’re an event planner, your wedding is the only time in your life when you’re planning an ornate, complex celebration involving vendors, lots of people, and loads of different elements. Therefore, a few things could tend to go wrong.
“There are always going to be things you didn’t think of—and things you can’t control,” says Jennifer Shawne, author of Instant Wedding Planner (Chronicle Books). “But just smile and keep going, because the mishaps turn out to be the most memorable part of the wedding. They’re what you laugh about later.”
You can take steps to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible. To help you do so, we’ve asked brides for their wedding debacles. Read on to find out how you can prevent similar snafus.
The Mishap:
The band breaks up.
A month and a half before her wedding in Florida last September, Jennifer Middleton Richards, 26, found out the band she’d booked had broken up. After promising to “put something together,” the band’s leader formed another group just two weeks before the wedding. “They had two rehearsals,” Richards says. “We were worried, but they ended up being great.”
The Fix: Make sure your contract states who will substitute if the band can’t be there. In addition, keep contact information for other bands or DJs you liked during the selection process. An entertainment agency is another option: Many can find a replacement on short notice.
The Mishap:
The best man faints from the heat.
It was a humid 90 degrees outside when Carrie Myers Smith, 37, was married in New Hampshire. Midway through the ceremony, the best man fainted. “Luckily, one of the other groomsmen caught him, and someone brought some water. He came to in a minute,” Smith says.
The Fix: Find out as much as you can about the weather. Visit both the ceremony and reception site a few weeks or days before the wedding. Go at the time when you’ll be having your event so you’ll really see what the weather will be like. Then rent fans or bring water bottles if necessary. If rain is a risk for an outside wedding, put a deposit on a tent or canopy.
The Mishap:
The minister takes leave.
Karen Shahbazian, 37, thought she had a backup plan for every situation. Then hree weeks before her wedding in Garrison, New York last September, the church called to say her minister had taken a leave of absence, and the other pastors weren’t available. Shahbazian’s uncle saved the day—after calling 10 ministers, he found one who was available.
The Fix: The contract for your ministers, photographers, and caterers should state who will fill in if there’s any type of problem. Make sure that you get names and contact phone numbers beforehand, so you can schedule the replacement right away.