Wedding planning. Two words that increase the heart rate, triggering stress in many.
There is an antidote though. If you stay organized, planning will feel seamless, like you’re conducting an orchestra playing a beautiful Mozart classic. You may even get a few tears – the good kind.
If you’re not organized, it will feel out of control. Loud and chaotic. A bassoon and saxophone competing for attention as violins shriek in the background. The tears here will likely be yours.
Okay, a tad dramatic.
However, organization while wedding planning cannot be understated. It saves you (and everyone around you) from worry and strife.
Forgetting where you tasted that delicate lemon elderflower cake – and having to settle for vanilla – is just one of the disservices being unorganized does, to both you and your guests.
Nobody wants that.
So, without further ado…
1. Get it Together
Do you love to have everything available digitally?
Or do you find your ideas flow best with a pen in hand, and prefer something tangible that you use to keep everything together.
Or perhaps a little of both.
The key is to get it together. Decide and commit to how you’d like to achieve that. Remember, whichever method you choose is going to house all the details, the phone numbers, guest list, appointment dates, EVERYTHING.
It is something you’ll refer to over and over throughout the process.
2. Paper Organization
Get a spiral notebook or a 3-ring binder that you’ll use to keep everything together.
Choose something with different sections, and an at a glance calendar with all the months leading up to your big day.
Have different sections within your binder.
Add prices, phone numbers, contact info, etc. Use the calendar to pencil in appointments, fittings, venue viewing dates, etc.
You can get wedding checklists online, and can also purchase pre-made wedding organizers with sections dedicated to each task.
The benefits of having something tangible are it’s easier to see what you’ve got to do. You can make it cute, and it can serve as somewhat of a scrapbook. You may realize you find inspo in odd places – a paint swatch in Home Depot catches your eye; it’s the perfect color for a bridesmaid dress! You tuck it in your folder so you’ll remember to search for sage green bridesmaid dress.
The downside to a paper planner is if it’s lost or misplaced…you get the picture.
3. Web-Based Organization
If paper isn’t your preferred organization method, use whichever electronic means is your go-to.
A Google Calendar is great for organization. It helps keep track of appointments, and you can share it if necessary.
There are a ton of website applications dedicated to wedding planning too. They list venues, vendors, allow your guests to RSVP, show wedding details, and house your gift registry.
4. Brainstorm & Prioritize
Now that you’ve decided how you’d like to organize, brainstorm a to-do list of everything you need to accomplish.
Don’t forget things like whether you want a photographer, or if you’d prefer creating a hashtag, or other way guests can share their snaps with you.
You’re brainstorming here, just trying to get as much down as possible.
Next, organize the list according to highest priority.
Things like picking out a venue, figuring out the aesthetic, and choosing your wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses are high priority items.
5. Pick Deadlines
Time is not on your side. If you don’t set deadlines, you’ll find yourself scrambling at the last minute, having to settle.
Make sure you assign deadlines to all your tasks, and do your best to stick to them.
6. Delegate Tasks
No one says you have to do it all. In fact, you’ve got a ton of people who are probably almost as excited as you, who would be thrilled to be asked to lend a hand. For instance, if you’re tight on budget, you could consider a DIY wedding flower package. The cost-effectiveness of DIY wedding flowers is one of its major appeals. When you design your floral arrangements, you save money on a wedding florist! For the tasks you do delegate, make sure the person you’re trusting with the assignment.
- What your vision is
- When it needs to be completed
- If a decision is involved, whether or not they need to run it by you before
7. Master List
Create a master list that has everything, EVERYTHING! you need for your big day. This is a working document, to be updated throughout the process. It contains just a synopsis of each task.
Just before your wedding day, assign different components of the list to those close to you. Instruct them to check up on their portion of the list. Have them ensure everything you need, have ordered, etc. will be there on your wedding day.
Conclusion:
By being organized and following these tips, you can rest assured everything will go off without a hitch, and you can enjoy every moment as you get hitched.
