Oops! I Forgot…
On the morning of my wedding, my buzzing cell phone woke me from bridal daydreaming. “We’re calling to confirm your cake order for tomorrow night at seven,” said the baker on the other end of the phone.
“I’m getting married today,” I exclaimed. We quickly deduced the mix-up. When my fiancé ordered the cake, he confused the date of the wedding. Fortunately, wedding professionals are prepared for forgetful mistakes, and the baker delivered a beautiful, emergency wedding cake. Like my scenario, brides are bound to forget some large or small details. Below are some common oversights and humorous stories when brides say, “Oops! I forgot…”
Common Oversights
Even with a Pinterest checklist, a bride may overlook basic elements of the wedding as the many decisions and details overload her brain. The stories below highlight a few common oversights when wedding planning.
“I forgot to bring an invitation to the wedding to have photographed as part of the detail shots. The invitation was a design from my favorite stationery company, and we even chose our flowers with it in mind. So, I would’ve loved to have it in a photo with my flowers.”
–Christiann L., hand-lettering enthusiast and marketing associate
“We bought a bunch of food in bulk the day before and put it in the fridge. Some items got left in the fridge accidentally until the very end of the reception when everyone had already eaten their fill. We had a ton of leftovers!”
– Heather T., organized list-maker and project manager
“As a wedding planner, my boss always carries with him a big box of emergency supplies to make sure we can deal with this anything-can-come-up industry. We have everything that you can think of in that box from Advil to a sewing kit to sunscreen. And when we thought we had everything prepared, we still had to run out to buy a razor and shaving cream for our bride last wedding.”
– Annie, Wedding Coordinator at Jose Rolon Events, NY
“I had a really tight timeline for my wedding, so the photographer really didn’t have a chance to take pictures of just me on the day of my wedding. Luckily, I had her come take some bridal portraits when I did my hair and makeup consultation. I was able to use those to bridge some of the gaps of the actual wedding day photos.”
– Chaia, a Navy Nurse who married a Marine Corps Officer
Humorous Stories
Sometimes, brides encounter unique problems on their special day because they did not think something through. But these circumstances create hilarious stories for couple to retell at dinner parties during their newlywed months.
“The DJ had to start the song that the grandmothers and bridesmaids walked down the aisle to again because the grandmothers took longer than anticipated to get to their seats. So, the song was cut off abruptly. In the end, it was fine because I still got to walk down to the song I had chosen for my processional.”
– Heather T., organized list-maker and project manager
“We had our ceremony at around 5:30 p.m. It only lasted eight minutes, and we had the reception right after. Well, we planned on doing a sparkler send off, but I didn’t think about how long it would be until the sun set. It was actually around 8:20 p.m. in late May. So, all my guests started leaving before we were able to do the send-off! Luckily we were able to bribe enough people to stay for the photo.”
– Leah J., long-time Lynchburg resident and marketing professional
“One of my closest friends just married the love of her life. However, there is one ongoing battle in their relationship: The New York Yankees vs. The Boston Red Sox. The bride, a devoted Yankees fan and New York native, swore to me that she would never date a Red Sox fan. However, she fell in love and decided to marry a loyal Red Sox fan. When we traveled to New York to pick out the bridesmaid dresses, the abundance of Yankees hats inspired our epic rehearsal prank. The bride and bridesmaids walked down the aisle wearing Yankee hats. While our rehearsal prank went well, there was one thing we forgot—retaliation. Just as the bride reached the doors of the church on the wedding day, the groom placed a Red Sox hat onto his head. The room erupted with laughter, and the bride beamed with the sweetest, surprised smile. While these two may never see eye to eye on America’s greatest team, they are committed to loving each other, for better or for worse—including winning and losing seasons—as long as they both shall live. That kind of love? A home run.”
– Deana D., Lynchburg resident and social media professional
Whether you lose the marriage license or forget where you stored the rings, last-minute fixes make the wedding day memorable. While the advice above may make you a better planner, it’s important to remember that your love will last much longer than those forgotten wedding details.
By Danielle Verderame
