Potential Wedding Disasters

By The Celebration Team 17 Oct, 2011

A wedding takes plenty of time, tears and tenacity to plan, but no amount of planning in the world can ensure a perfect event. However, there are definitely precautions that you (as the bride-to-be or the wedding planner) can take to minimise the risk of your special day being ruined by one of these unexpected disasters.

Here are some of the more common potential disasters as well as what can be done to avoid or handle these effectively:

Uncooperative Children
Part of the sweetness and fairytale appeal of weddings is having cute kiddies running around in tutus or other equally adorable ensembles. But (and quite understandably), children can become restless, shy or outright mischievous.

There is no way you can absolutely avoid any naughtiness from the young ones, but there are some things that you can do. The most important way to avoid such disaster is to keep the children busy. Consider having a playroom (with a guardian or babysitter in it at all times) at the reception, complete with tables at which to eat and soft places for the younger ones to sleep, if necessary. Alternatively, offer kids colouring books or board games, even if they are to sit in the reception venues with the adults.

Damaged Attire
Looking at your dress minutes before you’re about to leave for your wedding and spotting a massive tear or stain is certainly worthy of the ‘disaster’ status. Damage to your attire can also happen during your photographs or at your reception (while dancing and mingling).

Firstly, it is important to be as careful as possible when handling and putting on your dress. Be especially careful with your make-up and red wine. It is advisable to ask your bridesmaid or maid of honour to carry a needle with transparent thread, as well as wet wipes. These may not solve all of your dress-damage dilemmas, but they will certainly help.

Feminine Emergency
The body has a will of its own and, whether it is as a result of timing, nerves or hormone imbalances, it is quite possible that you may start your period on your wedding day.

This is not the end of the world, but is certainly inconvenient. Whether or not you are expecting any such feminine emergency on the day, wear a panty liner just in case (the last thing you need on top of starting your period inconveniently is to have blood stains on your dress too). To prevent this from happening completely, start taking the contraceptive pill at least two months ahead of time. Plan your cycle (according to the colour chart on the pack) so that you finish your period just before your big day. Do not make a habit of using the pill to manipulate your cycle, though, as it is not at all good for your body.

Ditched by a Service Provider
You are relying on a number of different vendors to arrive and participate in your wedding to make it a success. Short of doing everything yourself, you have little choice but to trust that they will be there.

Wedding insurance may not change the fact that your reception venue burnt down the day before your event, but it will assist with your financial investments. When faced with a disaster of such proportions, try to remember what your wedding day is all about and keep your wits (and your sense of humour) about you. Your guests will almost definitely try to be as understanding and helpful as possible, so get creative. Call in favours with friends, if possible, or adjust the tone of your big day to fit in with your new, somewhat negotiated circumstances

Photo Credit: weddings.dennisdrenner.com