Limit Wedding Surprises with Advice from Real Brides

We asked the couples featured in some of the latest issues of Inside Weddings to share what surprised them most while planning their wedding, and we're sharing those with you to ensure you aren't surprised by anything unexpected that may come your way. Some brides were shocked by how certain aspects of planning went or which vendors they had to hire, while others were pleasantly surprised by how relaxed they felt throughout the process.

Everyone – and every bride – is different, so these may not be the only surprising things you'll find while planning your own wedding; however, we feel that it's best to be prepared and discover wisdom and advice from real brides who have been in your shoes.

Read what real brides from the issues of Inside Weddings found the most surprising about wedding planning, below, to help prepare you for your own nuptials:

"We didn’t realize that we would need to hire speciality and sub-vendors for audio and lighting. That was probably the biggest surprise." - Portia

"I was surprised by the amount of things that one considers when executing a perfect wedding. Silverware, serving dishes, which wine glasses look better, which seat is more comfortable for our guests – those are things that I never thought about until we had an hour-long meeting on the silverware!" - Chelsea

"How hard every decision seemed to be! I kept waiting for an easy decision, but found myself over analyzing even the simplest of choices. It’s hard to let go of the feeling that everything has to be perfect. But really there are no wrong decisions, if you like it, go with it." - Suzanna

"I didn't realize how indecisive I was until I had so many decisions to make! We also just wanted everyone to be happy with our choices." - Jenna

"The church ceremony was a lot of work... We had a traditional Catholic Mass ceremony and picking the music was very important, as well as the readings and who was going to do them. We wanted every detail of the day to be well-thought-out and meaningful. It was interesting how involved you actually are in the mass portion of your wedding. You really dictate the entire ceremony, which was surprisingly stressful." - Michelle

"I am very detailed-oriented and a bit of a perfectionist. So, thinking about all of the details and everything coming together was overwhelming. Honestly, without Blair Peterson [of SoCo Events] I would have given up. She made everything possible, took care of all the details, and ensured everything was perfect. If it weren’t for Blair, I would have lost my mind." - Simone

"How much fun it was! Of course there were a few stressful moments, but my mom and I really had so much fun planning together." - Melissa

"I didn’t realize how easy it was going to be on me. My wedding planner made it a breeze. She is now a close friend; we still talk on a regular basis." - Bentley

"I was pleasantly surprised by how much my mom and I grew in our relationship through this time. We worked together each and every day, including countless trips to Dallas. By the end of the 11 months, we understood each other’s decision-making habits, strengths, and weaknesses. We learned how to work together and still have a loving mother-daughter relationship." - Kristin

"How quickly you need to make decisions once you choose a venue... Having been married in a very sought-after location, if you wanted the best vendors, you had to move quick! The first 60 days of planning can be rather intense!" - Brittany

"We were surprised by how many decisions we ended up not caring about as much as we thought we would. Once we decided what was really important to us – that it felt warm, joyous, inclusive, and intimate – a lot of the decisions, both big and small, became far less important." - Lauren

"Not so much surprising or unexpected during the wedding planning, but there was something on the wedding day that was a bit unexpected. There's a moment you reach on your wedding when you are so ready to finally see your guests and shower them with love. You spend the morning of the wedding with your bridesmaids, some family members, your photographer, and videographer. Next is the ceremony, and by the time you are finished with photos, you're ready to celebrate! I couldn't wait to make my rounds at every table and thank everyone for coming." - Amy

For more advice, discover wedding-planning tips from top wedding professionals, find out what you may not have considered needing for your big day, and read why you will want to hire a wedding planner if possible!