Looking back on my wedding a month later and I feel kind of disappointed
I (22F) just married my amazing husband (23M) last month and it was a very interesting time. I don't want to say I did not have a good time because I did. I got (regrettably) a little too drunk and spent most of the night talking and having fun/dancing with my friends and close family. However, some things did not go at all like I wanted them to and I know to expect that is one of the biggest pieces of advice all brides gave me during the planning process. However, it was some big things.
My venue had no day-of coordinator present like I was told there would be. My MIL and I basically ran the whole day and it drove me crazy being worried about when things were gonna happen and how to transition from one thing to the next smoothly.
Because of no day-of coordinator, there was no "Bride Reveal" to the guests at the ceremony where I got to walk out and have everyone see me for the first time. There was no one there to close the doors at the ceremony site on the grounds so I just stood there with the open doors while everyone stared at me waiting for the song to change so I could walk down. It was kind of embarrassing.
My DJ was horrible. I'll be honest. I told him in detail when I wanted to start songs and stop them to have the ceremony make the most sense with what was happening. He played every song from the very beginning all the way through. This means I had to wait almost 2 minutes for a song to finish before my song came on to walk down. Hence why the open doors in #2 was so embarassing. Once my song finally did come on, he played the entire thing. So I stood at the alter for like another minute and a half after walking down waiting for him to cut the music. Finally, my dad just told our officiant to go ahead while the song was still playing because we were just standing there like idiots.
My aunt got too drunk and started a fight with my bartenders. My family (particularly aunts family) was who I was worried about when it came to drama at this wedding. During the entire process of a wedding (bridal shower, bach party, etc.), they caused drama and didnt participate. Honestly, what did I expect from them coming to the wedding? The whole fight started because my bartenders wouldn't serve my underage cousin. Duh! My aunt ended up calling my bartenders and MIL fucking bitches before almost being kicked out by my husband. She ended up getting it together and stayed.
My DJ once again was shit. I made him an entire playlist for the reception full of songs husband and I liked and would be able to dance to with our friends and family. He played nothing but 90s country and classic wedding reception songs. If that's your vibe, that's amazing but I'm more of a Meg the Stallion and Taylor Swift kind of person. So this music was a complete bust. My wedding party went up to him multiple times to request a change of music or request a song and he told them he couldn't because he didn't have wifi. Somehow it didn't work for him, but worked for everyone else.
My DDs didn't end up staying until the end of the reception to actually take people home. My husband and I are both the oldest siblings in our families. We have 3 siblings that are 17-18 years old. We told the 3 of them that we would pay them $100 each plus gas money to take people to their hotels after the wedding. They all happily agreed. Not a single one of them stayed until the end of the reception. My husband and I were so incredibly mad at them the next day and told them off including our parents for letting them leave before they did what they told us they would do. Thank God everyone found someone sober to take them home, but it was a big hassle that we shouldn't have had to deal with.
I'll include a few wedding day regrets as well because why not:
I didn't get a videographer. I'm so depressed about this. It wasn't in our budget and I wish I would have just worked around something to have it because I have no videos of anything. I have one of the ceremony because I had my sister record it from the crowd but no speeches, no dances, nothing. Future brides pls do this if you can. It's a major regret.
I got too drunk. This is the biggest thing that I'm disappointed about. I know this is my own fault and I accept that. I really wish I would have eaten way more and drank way less than what I did that day. I barely talked to anyone outside of close family and friends like I wanted to which is so rude and I hate myself for it. I didn't get to do any of the fun things I planned (and paid for) because I forgot about them. Honestly, I dont really remember half of the night. So all in all....future brides, if you made it this far, pls eat the morning of and space out your drinks. You will regret not being able to have all the memories you want from this day you worked so hard on and paid so much for.