Planning Your Own Wedding? Get Organized!

If you've decided that you're going to plan your own wedding so it is completely you and everything's done just the way you want it...great!

Do yourself a huge favor and begin the journey by committing to organization. Easiest way to do this is what I do for all my brides: create a wedding planner organizer.

Stuff you'll need:

Three ring binder, preferably 2" or 2 1/2"
Package of sheet protectors (office depot sells these in packs of 25)
One three hole zippered pouch
Three hole lined paper
10-15 tabbed dividers
Calculator
Two pens, a pencil

Put the dividers in the binder and within each tab put a small stack of lined paper and two to three sheet protectors (protectors should go in front of the paper). The pens and the calculator should go in the zippered pouch. This goes in front of the tabs.

You can get creative and print out a cute cover for your binder with your name and wedding date and stick that in the front of the binder. Also, if you chose numbered divider tabs make a table of contents sheet for the inside so you know what each section holds.

Sections for dividers in no particular order, just what's most important to you (but the first SHOULD be your budget):

Budget (in here you'll print off an excel spreadsheet or other document that will list the breakdown of everything you are budgeting for your wedding and who is paying for it. Columns for these will be BUDGET, QUOTED, ACTUAL. You can even leave space between vendors and planned spending to include several options for each. )

Important Phone Numbers (this will be phone numbers for attendants, important family members and all your vendors. You don't need to make this a separate section; if you prefer, print this out separately and slip it into the inside left-hand pocket of the binder for easy access.)

Checklists (you can find checklists to print out online for free by plugging in your wedding date. A task list will be generated for you that will list out what month in the planning process you need to have something completed and sometimes even the due date. Keep these lists handy and update them as necessary!)

Ceremony (this and the following areas are where you'll be using the sheet protectors most. all prospective ceremony sites go in here and everything else that goes along with it, pictures, your notes and thoughts on the site, your question and answer sheet from the site visit, etc. Once you finalize, your contract, receipts, etc will be placed in the sheet protectors for this section.)

Reception (in this section put everything from the reception sites you are visiting, including menus, room layouts, policies, etc. Once you finalize, you'll put your receipts, contract and any other important notes in here. Keep the business card of the event coordinator at the reception site in this section, too.)

Flowers/Decor (any decor should be in this section, whether flowers or linens or centerpieces. Favors too. All your receipts, pics from the web for ideas, notes from the vendors should all be in this section.)

Photography (you might be getting the idea by now...anything to do with the photographer and your choices of photographers go in here.)

Invitations

Videography

Music

Bridal Gown

Tuxedos

Bridal Party

Cake

Makeup/Hair

Honeymoon

Misc (this section is for all the extra stuff that doesn't really need to be categorized: bridal shower stuff, gifts for the wedding party)

This binder will become your bible for the next many months and also makes a cute keepsake for you once your wedding day has come and gone. Good luck!