Wedding planning can be a daunting task, with so many details to consider and decisions to make. From choosing the perfect venue to creating a guest list and selecting vendors, the process can quickly become overwhelming. However, with the right tools at your disposal, this journey can be made much easier and less stressful before you hand over necessary information to your wedding event designer or planning team.

In this blog post, we will explore the various tools that are essential for successful wedding planning. These tools will help you stay organized, save time and money, and ensure that your special day is everything you have dreamed of.

Investing in the right tools early on in your planning process will not only alleviate stress but also allow you to focus on what truly matters – celebrating your love with friends and family on one of the most important days of your life. So let’s dive into the world of wedding planning tools and discover how they can make this journey smoother and more enjoyable for you!

1) An Absolute Must – Creating a Free, Joint Wedding E-mail Account

One of the first things you should do after getting engaged is to create a joint wedding email address – future you will absolutely regret if you don’t and here’s why! When you are getting everything sent to your personal inbox- doctors appointment reminders, shopping promotions to your favorite stores, daily news, you name it- do you truly want any and all emails from your wedding vendors in the same place?That is going to get overwhelming, very very quickly. Definitely get ahead of this and create a separate point of contact, so tht you can easily compartmentalize from everything in your personal life, full-time job, and wedding planning.

This will serve as a central location for all communication related to:
-Communicating your wedding with vendors and guests
-Connecting your wedding-related accounts for different wedding planning to-do’s (check them out further, on this blog post!)
-Sharing and maintaining information on things like spreadsheets, wedding-related timelines, and documents making it easier to stay organized and on top of things, without the overwhelm!

As tempting as it may be to use your personal email addresses, trust me, you’ll thank yourself later for keeping your wedding planning separate from your personal emails. Finding a free place like Gmail is a great platform for creating and managing documents, files from and to vendors, and everything in-between to stay on top of things without nearly as much stress!

2) Vow inspiration/ writing – Provenance

Writing your own vows can be an overwhelming task, and something that I’m sure you’ve been putting so much thought into, whether or not you’ve started drafting anything quite yet.

With the help of Provenance, it doesn’t have to be. This online service allows engaged couples to write their vows anonymously while ensuring that they remain cohesive in terms of sentiment, topics, length, and weight. Provenance provides a stress-free and collaborative approach to vow writing, making it easier for couples to express their love and commitment on their special day.

3) Suit/ Dress Attire Styling – Wedding Party

Finding the perfect attire for you and your partner can be a daunting task. For dresses, I am working on separate blog posts for this- based on a ton of factors for those who identify as a bride!

Fortunately, to get things going for your partner who may want to wear a suit- there are companies like Indochino Rentals and Friar Tux Rentals that offer rental options for grooms’ suits and tuxedos. This not only saves you money but also takes the hassle out of coordinating multiple outfits.

For bridesmaids’ dresses, Birdy Grey offers affordable options in various colors and styles. And if you’re looking for unique bridal attire options, Revelry has got you covered with customizable dresses with lots of different cuts, styles, and custom designs that have built in padding and support.

4) Wedding Checklists

Staying organized is crucial when it comes to planning a successful wedding, and there are some checklists you can have to keep for yourself, regardless of when your event design & planning team is coming into the fold before your wedding day. Do this through Notion, if you’ve already created an account with them from a previous mention- or Google’s G Suite is free and very user-friendly!

That’s why I highly recommend using my free PDF Wedding Checklist (you can make a copy of this, and customize it!)

It covers all aspects of wedding planning from start to finish and can easily be customized to fit your specific needs. Keep track of vendor contracts, payments, guest lists, seating arrangements, and more with this comprehensive checklist.

5) Budget-Tracking for Your Wedding

One of the most important aspects of wedding planning is managing your budget. With so many expenses and payments to keep track of, it can be easy to overspend if you’re not careful. That’s where Mint comes in.

This budgeting app allows you to set budgets, track expenses, and receive alerts when you’re approaching your spending limit, specifically for your wedding, or managing between both in one place. It’s a great tool for keeping your finances in check and ensuring that you stay within your budget.

6) Best place to Host Wedding Website

Your wedding website is a great way to share important information with your guests, such as venue details, registry links, and accommodations. Riley & Grey offers beautifully designed wedding websites with customizable templates that are easy to use. Plus, they offer features like online RSVPs and guest list management, making it a convenient platform for both you and your guests.

7) To-Do Lists until Wedding Planning & Design Team Comes Into the Fold

If you’ve hired a wedding planning and design team, then they will take care of most of the tasks leading up to your big day. However, there may still be smaller tasks that need to be done on your end before things can be handed off.

To keep track of these tasks, and have an accurate understanding of what’s done, what needs to be completed, and any other status within your planning journey, I highly recommend using Trello or Notion. These project management tools allow you to create lists and boards where you can add tasks, assign deadlines, and collaborate with others involved in the planning process.

8) Registries for Multiple Types of Gifts

Creating registries is an essential part of wedding planning but having multiple registries can be overwhelming for both you and your guests.

Joy Weddings simplifies this process by allowing couples to create one registry that includes gifts from various stores and categories like experiences or cash funds. It also offers features like group gifting and thank-you notes tracking.

9) Looking Ahead, After the Wedding Day

After all the excitement of the wedding day has passed, it’s important to look ahead to post-wedding tasks like sending out thank-you cards and changing your name (if you choose to do so).

Postables is a helpful service that takes care of these tasks for you, or make all of the smaller tasks for accurately and efficiently sending out invites way way easier.

When it comes to changing your name legally post-nupitals, enter Newly Named.

Otherwise, if you are curious to go more step-by-step sans app or website account to create through a third-party, Brides Magazine provides a super helpful, in-depth, step-by-step process with additional resources. Woohoo!

You can upload your guest list, choose from a variety of card designs, and have them sent out on your behalf if you’d like! This removes the stress of having to remember who you’ve sent cards to and ensures that all your guests receive a personalized thank-you note.

Wrapping It Up

In conclusion, investing time into these services, companies, and tools will not only make your wedding planning journey more organized and enjoyable but also guarantee a successful wedding day experience.

Looking for more resources? Check out my blog posts some more!

Have you booked your wedding venue? Congrats! Next, book your wedding photographer.

Check out my wedding services!

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