Having officiated at dozens of weddings over the years, I’ve started keeping a list of minor and major pitfalls that marrying couples can accidentally fall into.

None of these have been the cause of Total Wedding Ruination, but they’ve made a happy, memorable moment somewhat less happy and a little more fuzzy than anyone expected.

1. No candle-lighting during an outdoor ceremony. There’s always an unexpected breeze.  Really.
2. Don’t party so hard the night before that you show up pasty and hung over. Looks bad in your photos, and you won’t remember a thing from the ceremony.
3. Make sure your wedding garments allow you to do everything you want to do when you’re wearing them. Brides, if you can’t lift your arms over your head in your gown or grooms, if your cummerbund is so tight you can’t exhale, you’re not going to have a good time.
4. No gum. I mean, really.  Come on.
   
5. If it’s cold and your wedding is outside, don’t force your bridesmaids to go without their shawls or pashminas. For one thing, it’s mean.  But more importantly, you might think the pictures will look better sans shmattes, but they won’t.  Why?  I got one word for you.  Nipples.