It’s fun to jump on trends when you’re planning your wedding. And if you’ve got extra room in your budget for some fun and over the top touches like doughnut walls and extravagant favor packages, by all means do your thing. But for anyone who is trying to be mindful of spending too many dollars on their day, here are a few places I’ve seen brides go overboard (and kinda regret it later).

Budget-busting Bubbly

I love a good champagne toast. And I love champagne because it’s absolutely delicious and fits with my sweeter taste. But guess what? Unless your guests are serious champagne connoisseurs, they aren’t going to care if you splurged on Dom Perignon or bought $3 bottles from the wine and spirits store down the street. Half of them will already be a few drinks in by the time toasts start, and very few will be asking for more. Save yourself the money and get something affordable.

Fancy Footwear

Don’t come at me for this, but you don’t need to spend thousands for your wedding shoes. Almost every bride I’ve seen who has spent $30 to $3,000 on her shoes has ended up either taking them off to dance or complaining about sore feet and blisters. You still want them to look nice, but prioritize comfort over aesthetics because they’ll be hidden by your dress for most of the day anyway. I’m based in Florida so I’ve seen a lot of brides carry a cute pair of bridal flip flops to switch to after photos and the ceremony, but a cute pair of flats will do for any location.

Multiple Gowns

Sure, I agree that the gown you get married in might not be the most comfortable so it makes sense to change into something that’s both pretty and flexible for dancing. But you aren’t Kim Kardashian and there’s no need to purchase three gowns for the ceremony, first dance, and then regular dancing. If you want to do outfit changes, that means you’d be wearing each one for just a couple hours at most so opt for more affordable outfits if you’re worried about ruining your gown at dinner.

Fireworks

I don’t have anything against fireworks per se. I love them for a wedding and if you’ve got the proper permits and your venue’s neighbors are on board, go nuts. It’s a beautiful display to end the night, but if done right it can run as high as $7,000 for just 5 minutes of fireworks. I can think of at least 10 other things I’d rather spend that money on, and none of them come close to fireworks.

Extravagant Florals

Is it possible to have a wedding without flowers?? Yes, very much so. Try swapping out your floral arrangements everywhere (including the bouquet you’ll be holding) with greenery instead of flowers, and you’ll save a ton of money. Plus, some of them might have a chance of surviving past the wedding day, and if you’re a plant lover like me you’ll have some stunning greenery to bring back to your home for a long time. I was at a wedding recently that actually had potted plants everywhere… hanging, in floor pots, and in bouquets. The bride and groom ended up bringing a lot of them home and planting them in their yard.

Temporary Trends

Like I mentioned earlier, some trends are cute and fun and if you can afford them I’m all in. But reconsider before you spend a lot of money on things that might be a fleeting wedding trend. It’s easy to get swept up in the fun ideas of releasing butterflies or hiring fire dancers, but in the end will it make the day that much better? Probably not.