Organize Your Wedding with a Wedding Planning Notebook

Planning a big wedding, but already getting frazzled? Relax. Yes, there is an enormous amount of information you need to keep track of, but there's also a simple way to do it. It's called a Wedding Planning Notebook. After you reach for that sparkling engagement ring, this should be the next thing you grab.

Being organized for the big day will save time, money and energy. Even if you hire a wedding coordinator, it's still your day and you need to be on top of things. And most brides have very set ideas about what they want. So get organized from the start, and you'll be glad you did when things get hectic.

Here's how to set up a Wedding Planning Notebook. Purchase a large binder at any office supply store. They come in lots of colors, but white seems the obvious choice for the bride. The father of the bride might think green is a better choice if he's the one handing out the dollars. You'll also need a large supply of index divider tabs. Get the ones where you can write on the tab itself, instead of fiddling with those little plastic tab protectors. Round out your supplies with several large envelopes, some notebook paper and a three-hole punch.

Label each section. You'll probably have Wedding Dress, Bridesmaids, Guest List, Food, Flowers, Music and Ceremony. Other categories might include Info for Out-Of-Town Guests, Vendors for Rentals and Honeymoon Ideas. Now add a large envelope in each section for receipts, color swatches and other odd-shaped papers. Put several sheets of notebook paper behind each tab. You'll probably need more than you think!

It's also a good idea to add a calendar with blocks large enough to write in important events. If a lot of parties are given in your honor, it's easy to refer to this calendar when coordinating dates. You can also make a checklist with what needs to be done each week in the months before and what's needs to be done each day in the weeks before the wedding. A personalized telephone directory is another possibility. You don't want to have to look for the yellow pages each time you need to call your caterer.

You might want to add a section for listing wedding gifts, who sent them and what date you wrote a thank-you note. This section can also contain the guest list and their responses.

Take your notebook with you each time you visit a bridal shop or reception location or stationery store. If there was ever a time to be obsessive about keeping track of details, it's a wedding. Jot down notes about each conversation with florists and caterers. You may think you'll remember every last thing, but if you talk to five florists, what they say will all begin to run together. As you plan the big event, you'll find yourself using this notebook over and over. And after the wedding is over, it's a nice memory book to remind you of such a special time in your life.