Wedding day without regrets

Brides can avoid the obvious wedding pitfalls

Most former brides wish they'd done something differently after the event. You'll probably go to someone else's wedding and wish you'd gone for a band instead of a disco; a shorter/longer veil; a more unusual reception. Everyone does this, we promise! However, there are a few regrets that seem to appear more often than most and with a little forethought, you can avoid them.

"I didn't get to speak to everybody" 

Make sure you have a receiving line, so you can greet everyone. Another idea is to get the best man to ask everyone to remain in their seats, post speeches and pre-cake cutting, so you can visit each table. Otherwise, ask someone to remind you to circulate at the beginning of the evening reception -- believe it or not, you will forget!

"I forgot to thank my mother/dressmaker/best friend" 

Make a note of any thanks you want to give, either publicly or privately. Get someone to hand you the list at the reception, as it's surprising how much goes out of your head on the day!

"The day went so fast, I can't remember it!"

Ask your chief bridesmaid to keep reminding you to look around and remember things -- this sounds odd, but you'll be surprised how little you'll take in as you rush about. At some point during the day or evening, grab your groom and spend a few minutes, just the two of you, soaking it all in. Ask someone to take a video and make sure it covers the evening reception -- usually the most amusing footage! Supply disposable cameras for guests to take pictures (you can find these in Shopping) and make sure someone is responsible for collecting them at the end -- you'll get a guest's-eye view of your day.

"I wished we'd booked a better honeymoon"

Unless you're really strapped for cash, splash out on your honeymoon and make it a holiday to remember -- it only happens once, after all. So many couples regret scrimping on their honeymoon and the cost of a little more luxury is likely to be a small part of your overall wedding spend. Now is the time to finally go five star!