A professional bridesmaid who has been in over 125 weddings has revealed the top seven mistakes she sees couples make before they get married – from drinking too much to not engaging with all of their guests.
Jen Glantz, 34, from New York City, is a full-time bridesmaid who has served in over 100 wedding parties since she began her career in 2014 and is now sharing the most common flaws she sees couples overlooking during their wedding to help lovebirds looking to tie the knot in the future avoid making the same mistakes.
From not having a ‘worst case scenario game plan’ to ‘forgetting to set a drink maximum,’ Jen revealed some of the worst planning problems she has seen that tend to lead to major issues during the special day.
Professional bridesmaid Jen Glantz has revealed the seven mistakes she sees couples make before wedding
Hope for the best, plan for the worst! Jen’s top mistake is the lovebirds who never plan for what will go wrong
Speaking to Insider, Jen revealed the top mistake she sees couples making while planning their wedding is not coming up with a strategy for what to do when things go wrong.
Jen’s top mistake she sees couples making while planning their wedding is not coming up with a strategy for what to do when things go wrong
When planning your wedding day, your planning a huge life event, and it’s only natural to want everything to go perfectly.
And while you may want to get hitched without a hitch, Jen explained that things will inevitably ‘go wrong on your wedding day.’
So, the professional bridesmaid recommends you and your partner hope for the best, and plan for the worst to get through the day without a hundred panic attacks.
She explained that the lovebirds who believe everything will be perfect on their special day are often the ones who ‘make the mistake of not planning for the worst.’
Jen suggests you have a weather backup plan if your wedding is outside and even have a plan for what do if your food vendors get sick.
She explained that if you should ‘have a list’ of local food restaurants to call in the morning if you’re in need of a quick fix.
And Jen said you should even plan for your guests, adding that if your guests ‘are stuck in traffic,’ you should brainstorm ways to ‘adjust your timeline.’
Don’t drink too much! Why many couples fail to set alcohol limits
Jen recommends both you and your partner set a limit on how many drinks you should indulge in
Because you definitely want to remember your wedding day and not make a total fool of yourself before the day is even over, Jen recommends both you and your partner set a limit on how many drinks you should indulge in.
And while you should grab a glass of champagne to celebrate your special day, the professional bridesmaid advised you don’t let booze get in the way.
She explained that no matter how rowdy you and your partner enjoy getting, you should begin thinking of your wedding as a ‘marathon’ from the moment you start planning it.
Jen said that she has seen way too many couples get drunk during their wedding and noted that you shouldn’t strive to be wasted as soon the reception begins and ‘passed out before dinner is served.’
To not overdo it and avoid becoming the tumbling bride on the dance floor, Jen advised you discuss a drink maximum with your partner that you are ‘both comfortable’ with.
While you don’t want to be left not recalling the day, you do want to have fun. So, she recommends setting a plan and sticking to it.
Keep it cordial! Jen reveals she has seen too many guests refuse to talk to problematic guests
Jen recommends confronting those who tend to become problematic about their behavior before they even get a chance to act up
Among any large gathering, there is bound to be a few people who take things to the next level and become problematic.
And while you may want to run and hide when a guest begins misbehaving on your special day, Jen recommends you confront them about their behavior before they even get a chance to act up.
Prior to your wedding day, the professional bridesmaids suggested you sit and go through your guest list with your partner and make note of those that may cause problems.
Whether it’s someone who will get too drunk, get into fights, or discuss politics, you should have a plan for every type of problematic behavior you may encounter and how to handle it.
The 34-year-old bridesmaid noted that while it may be ‘awkward’ to discuss their behavior beforehand, you shouldn’t ‘hope they will be be well-behaved.’
She noted that you should ask these guests to be respectful, or even advised having a friend or family member step in and ‘keep an eye on them’ so you can celebrate worry-free.
Avoid handing your wallet over! The professional bridesmaid notes dozens of couples spend too much money and get into debt
A trip down the aisle shouldn’t result in stumbling into debt, so Jen recommends you avoid putting all your funds down
A trip down the aisle shouldn’t result in stumbling into debt, so Jen recommends you avoid putting all your funds down.
While your wedding is an extremely special life event, the professional bridesmaid explained that the lovebirds who spend too much money tend to end up regretting their decision later on.
And if you hand over your wallet no matter how unnecessary the expense is, you will most likely struggle to have fun and celebrate because you will be so focused on how many bills you have.
Before the wedding planning process goes into full swing, Jen recommends sitting down with your partner and discussing a budget.
After figuring out your budget, make a plan to stick to it.
That way, you will have boundaries to prevent you from going into debt.
It’s not over yet! Lovebirds always forget about the end of their wedding
Every couple tends to imagine their ceremony and reception, but they usually forget about what comes after
Every couple tends to imagine their ceremony and reception, but they usually forget about what comes after.
Jen explained that she’s seen too many newlyweds forget about the end of their wedding day.
As your special day comes to an end, you and your partner can’t wait to make your grand exit and hop on a plane to your honeymoon.
But, leaving your own wedding without thinking about the clean up process leaves many of your guests and venue vendors in a difficult position.
Jen explained it’s often quite ‘frustrating’ having to ‘pack up’ all of the wedding decorations, floral arrangement and fill the car when the bride and groom leave.
She added that couples should never assume someone will be in charge of cleaning, but rather assign a friend or family member to lead the ‘end-of-night’ tidying process.
Don’t forget to communicate! Jen notes that too many couples forget to talk about the wedding
It’s important for both you and your partner to be involved in the planning process ahead of your wedding day
It’s important for both you and your partner to be involved in the planning process ahead of your wedding day.
Jen noted that she has seen multiple couples that don’t both participate in coordinating their special day.
She explained that usually one partner takes control of the wedding and just gives the other a general idea of ​​what the day will look like.
However, this type of planning will not only leave your partner feeling left out, but it will also leave them feeling a guest at their own wedding.
Jen recommends that both of you share your ideas and visions ahead of the wedding.
In addition to discussing your wants for the ceremony and the reception, the professional bridesmaid suggests you and your partner sit down every week and review ‘all the details’ to both be ‘in the loop.’
The fall of lovebirds! How avoiding big topics until after marriage can result in problems
While wedding planning can be overwhelming, the professional bridesmaid noted that you shouldn’t let it deter you and your partner from discussing life post-wedding before the big day
While wedding planning can be overwhelming, the professional bridesmaid noted that you shouldn’t let it deter you and your partner from discussing life post-wedding before the big day.
Although it may seem easy to save those difficult conversations until after you tie the knot, it can also result in many issues.
Whether it’s the topic of children, bills, or living situations, spending time to talk to each other before getting married can help you avoid having a rough start to your new life together.
Jen is the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire, where she’s offered her services as a professional bridesmaid to dozens of women over the past years.
Previously, Jen opened up about her unique business to DailyMail.com, explaining that her brides all have different reasons for hiring a bridesmaid (or two, or three): They may need to compensate for extra groomsmen, or they’ve fall out of touch with friends.
Jen (who married her partner Adam last year) is the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire, where she’s offered her services as a professional bridesmaid to dozens of women over the past years
She offers several packages to her clients, which each include different services
Last year, Jen ditched the bridesmaid title and became a bride herself when she tied the knot
But only some of them are up front to their other guests about hiring the help.
‘When other people at the wedding ask how we know each other, I stay very vague!’ she said.
She offers several packages to her clients, which each include different services.
In one-on-one coaching sessions, she can act as emotional support, allowing brides to vent about wedding stresses. She also offers advice, helps brides tackle their to-do lists, has ideas for saving money, and more.
As a bridesmaid for hire, she can attend pre-wedding events like showers and bachelorette parties, handle day-of problems like rowdy guests or cold feet, and tackle wedding-related drama.
You can also serve as a wedding coordinator for $1,750 to $2,957, which includes pre-wedding photo sessions, virtual tools, vendor coordination, and wedding day support.
Last year, Jen ditched the bridesmaid title and became a bride herself when she married 34-year-old Adam Kossoff.
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