The road toward your perfect wedding is going to be anything but perfect. The old adage “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” is bound to prove true at one point. While you can’t control everything, you can definitely do your best to avoid common pitfalls. Though all brides and grooms are different, human beings tend to fall into the same general patterns when put in tense situations. Since weddings are as ubiquitous as they are stressful, there are countless couples who have shared their own experiences to help others avoid the same errors. Give yourself a moment to look over these common wedding mistakes and how you can avoid them. By taking this precautionary step, you’ll be a bit more prepared when frustrations start growing and you want to keep your cool.

Fixating

When something seems too big or complicated to fathom, it is normal for a person to focus on what they can control. For example, a person is far more likely to make dramatic changes with their hair during times of stress. Unfortunately, ignoring the bigger picture can also prove to be a huge issue in the long run. With wedding planning, this can take the form of fixating, one of many common wedding mistakes. Instead of thinking about the wedding as a whole, you might find yourself obsessing over the most minuscule details.

Should you spend too much time worrying about the little things, you run the risk of getting into altercations with your partner. To avoid these tiffs and keep yourself sane, try to stay aware of what is making you feel stressed. When something is causing you frustration, take a step back and think about whether you need to devote all your energy to this specific situation. It can be difficult to remind yourself to not sweat the small stuff, but taking this extra moment to gather yourself can make a positive difference.

Getting Ahead of Yourself

Running behind can be a huge cause for stress while planning your wedding. What you might not realize, however, is you also could be putting yourself in a bad place by taking care of business too early. While you definitely want to book your venue and reserve a date as early as you can, there are other steps that need to wait until a bit later in the process. Sending out your Save the Date cards too early might lead to complications. While informing your guests early is wise, too early might be giving too much room to reply.

It can be difficult to get many people to reply to Save the Dates nowadays. Most younger guests are likely to send a text instead of the actual R.S.V.P. card. When you give way too much time for a response, it can lead to people assuming they have plenty of time to get to you and forgetting altogether as the months move on. Find a happy balance between running behind and staying ahead, and you’ll keep stress levels under control.

Rushing Around

On the actual day of your wedding, you are going have a lot to take care of. With photos to take, guests to greet, and a marriage to make official, you may feel yourself rushing through it all. Since you want to remember this day fondly, you need to slow down to a reasonable pace. Enjoy yourself as much as possible and remember the limited time you have should be used to the fullest, not the fastest.

Though you never know what sort of troubles might arise as you plan for your big day, you definitely can do your part to be ready for some commonplace traps. Stay mindful of your behaviors, and you’ll be able to control your stress when needed.