Wedding Receptions 

7 Potential Wedding Disasters (And How to Prevent Them)

1. You’re having an outdoor wedding and it’s raining

Summer outdoor weddings are safe as houses but the colder months in Malta can be quite temperamental. If you’re dead-set on having an outdoor wedding in winter, make sure you have a backup plan – a tent will do as a temporary measure, but having somewhere indoors to take shelter is better.

2. Your dress doesn’t fit right anymore

Despite your efforts to the contrary, all that cake-tasting and stress-eating has taken its toll and you’re bigger than you were when you bought the dress. It’s not the end of the world. Try it on at least a few days before the wedding – your seamstress will have time to add a corset back to the dress or let out some of the seams, giving you a little bit more room to move around. Leave the sexy underwear for after the wedding, and put on a pair of industrial-strength control pants.

3. Guests you didn’t prepare for turn up

A few people brought along unaccounted-for plus ones and suddenly you’re worried you won’t have enough seats or food for everyone. If you enlisted a wedding planner, ask her to handle the situation. If you’re on your own, it’s time to rope in the help of the bridal party.

4. The children are having a rotten time

If your wedding includes children as guests, there’s always the chance that they’ll get bored of the ceremony or party and start being a disruptive nuisance. Take measures ahead of time to make your wedding child-friendly: book an entertainer, prepare props and toys for them to play with quietly, and make sure your lavish wedding menu includes a selection of less intimidating food for tiny tummies.

5. The DJ is a diva

Don’t book anyone who will treat your wedding party like the headline act at Tomorrowland. This is a family gathering and you want someone who will get people of all ages dancing and having fun, so either rent some equipment and ask a good friend or go with someone with decent reviews. You can also prepare your own set list of favourite songs, complete with songs which are forbidden from the turntables.

6. A family fight breaks out

Feuding family members plus alcohol equals recipe for disaster, and nobody wants to see a brawl break out on the dancefloor. If you have a seating plan, make sure to separate the warring factions, and if you notice any tension brewing during the reception, give them a task to do to occupy them. You can’t be expected to babysit a group of adults at your own wedding!

7. One of your guests is wearing white

First of all, how dare they. Second of all – this isn’t really your problem. You’re the bride – nobody is going to outshine you today. Not wearing white to a wedding is just a matter of courtesy, and if someone can’t wear another colour for this one day, more fool them. Smile graciously and move on – you’re not the one who’s having their social faux pas committed to wedding photo history forever.