The process of planning a wedding invites all kinds of disasters. It can lead to arguments with your future spouse, it can cause discomfort between you and those in your wedding party and cause future in-law issues. There are tried and true words of wisdom that every bride and groom should know before beginning. You don’t want to be at the point of looking for unique wedding favors and then finding out about what could go wrong.

First things first. If you’re the bride, know who you are. Be constantly aware that this is your day, and hopefully the only one you’ll ever experience. So make sure that the things that are important to you, get accomplished. Make a checklist of specific things that you want to have in your wedding, from who you and your fiancee want in the wedding party, to the ceremony through to every detail of the entire day, including right down to picking out the totally amazing candle wedding favors. This will eliminate any confusion and problems that may arise from being undecided.

Secondly, be careful who you give control to. You don’t need to please everyone. This is your special day, not your mother’s, aunt’s, sister’s, friend’s or future mom-in-law’s day. It’s yours. To avoid problems, don’t say yes to everything if you don’t agree with it just to be nice and get everyone involved. You will regret this and you will resent those that take over. Be nicely firm. You’ll be happy you did when your day rolls around.

That being said, you will want to enlist the help and experience of those close to you. And they will want to get involved also. Just make sure, like I said above, that you keep control, especially when it has to do with the moms. I love them. In fact I am one. But I’ve seen too many weddings ruined because of in-law battles. If your mom is different, you’re blessed. Then involve her all the way, along with the aid of those that will do what you really want and not what they want including if you want the adorable personalized wedding favor and she wants something else. Just try to be aware of your fiancee’s family also. Remember, whatever happens during the planning stages of your wedding, will live with you for years.

Lastly, make sure you have a budget no matter who’s paying for the wedding. The average wedding today costs between $20,000 to $25,000. Yes, some are less, but many are more. So you have to know exactly what you want to spend and stick to it, or you will end up paying for this for many years to come.