Every time I'm involved in helping to prepare someone's wedding, I want to just shake the bride in particular sometimes, because of the stuff they obsess over doing and planning for a wedding thinking that guests will be wowed or care a lot about these details they are killing themselves to produce. Honestly, wedding guests care about the food and drink, the music/dancing, and their comfort level (too hot/too cold/standing too long).
1. The Guest Book
In the immortal words of Miranda via Sex and the City, when asked if she could leave her position attending the guest book, "It's a bullshit job Carrie, people know what to do with the guest book!" and that is ignore them even if you do have someone trying to get people to sign in. Guest books are useless. You have pictures, and RSVPs, and gifts that indicate who all was there. In 20 years of marriage, you're not going to open up the guest book and reminisce about who signed in. Half the people miss it and don't see it, the other half see it and still don't sign in. It's a time filler, and a useless one.
2. Monogrammed favors
Think about this...why would someone else want an object with YOUR initials on them. People will forever pick these items up and wonder, oh who are J and S if they didn't already throw them away. As much as you want to sear your wedding date in the hearts and minds of your guests, no one wants something emblazoned with your wedding date on it either. Guests aren't going into their kitchen cabinets to resurrect the wine glass with your wedding date on it, to drink out of or remember. If anything, they saved the date on their phone and that's all that's needed in terms of sending you well wishes on your anniversary.
3. Homemade favors
You might think if you spent 4 weeks straight finding teacups and hand making teacup candles, that guests would care about the hard work, time, and effort you put into making them, but they don't and won't. Homemade favors mean something to the family, not to the guests who just want to eat, dance, and drink. Most people don't even see the favors to begin with on the side table, or they have no where, especially men, to stow them at the ceremony so they get left behind. IF you must make or give a favor, let it be something small or edible.
4. Posh Specialty Drink/Food
Is it food? Is it drink? Okay then, people will eat it/drink it, but no one cares that you had to find some guy in Bolivia to make it or that you and your hubby got together and cobbled the drink after tasting 15 different varieties. If you're hoping for a round of applause for this one, it's not going to come.
5. Who made your dress
Thanks to a certain wedding dress show on TLC, every other bride is convinced that she MUST have a designer gown or her guests won't be impressed. No guest would be so rude as to ask, how much your dress costs. Your goal is to look and feel your best for you and your grooms sake. Spending tons of money on this dress just because you believe you have to as opposed to actually going in and finding a dress that you like because you like it even at a lower price point, is not worth it, not for you, and not for your guests.
6. Centerpieces and Flowers
I've gone to a wedding where the bride put candy in a glass bowl as centerpieces and not a flower in site, and you know what, it was awesome, and everyone ate a bit of it. I've never loved a wedding because the bride and groom had 50,000 flowers. I just think, damn, they must really be broke now. To most guests, good food, drink, and good dancing make it a good time. Don't obsess over this centerpiece deal. It's just not worth it nor is busting your entire budget on something that will soon die anyway and you can never use again.
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