My Wedding Planning Notebook

Creating your own wedding planning notebook is a huge task despite all of the many DIY and wedding websites and resources there are out there. Although the Mr. offered to get me an Erin Condren planner as a birthday present, I decided that I really needed to just create my own and tailor it to my needs and to the details of our special day.

I started by doing what I always do when researching anything..opened up Google!
My first search brought up this amazingly helpful post by a darling girl named Katherine.

After spending an afternoon printing some resource documents and tables that I thought I would need I started organizing them, and then took the Mr. on a shopping trip to Staples.

I love the look of the Martha Stewart line, and chose a white textured binder for this project. Unfortunately, I was not able to find and purchase all of the cute tabs that Katherine had from her post, but I found some tabs and dividers that would do the trick.

Dividers:
1. Important
2. Budget
3. Ceremony
4. Reception
5. Guests
6. Attire
7. Photography
8. Miscellaneous

Within each divider section I used colorful card stock three-hole-punched with sticky tabs added to each to create my subsections.

Below are links to the worksheets I used.

1. Important
      -Timeline (I actually created my own based on these two: Real Simple Checklist and pages 1-5 from Wedding Templates)
      -Vendors
            -Vendor Contact List
            -Venue Research
            -Flower Worksheet (page 25 Wedding Templates)
            -Music Worksheet (page 32 Wedding Templates)
            -Rentals Worksheet (pages 37-39 Wedding Templates)
            -Wedding Stationery (pages 57 & 56 Wedding Templates)
            -Vendor Information (pages 47-51 Wedding Templates)
      -Wedding Party
            -Wedding Party Contact Sheet
            -Maid of Honor Checklist (I chose not to have a MOH, so this went to my two bridesmaids)
      -Day Of
            -Timeline and Outline (I created my own based on these two: Real Simple and Bridal Guide)
            -Day-of Checklist (page 18 Wedding Templates)
            -Emergency Kit Checklist (I created my own based on these two: page 21 Wedding Templates and Emergency Kit)
            -Wedding Day Checklist (all items and decor to be brought to the ceremony and reception--I found this Wedding Essentials list to be helpful)

2. Budget
      -Budget Worksheet (an additional option is found on pages 13-16 Wedding Templates)
      -Although I did not include this in my notebook, you may find this Splitting the Wedding Tab article helpful

3. Ceremony
      -What to Ask Your Wedding Officiant
      -Officiant Contact Information and notes
      -Ceremony text
      -Ceremony Worksheet (page 17 Wedding Templates)
      -Music selections
      -Seating set-up diagram (include reserved seating)
      -Decor details (include pictures and instructions)
      -Program (draft, order details, and actual copy)
      -Contracts

4. Reception
      -Timeline
      -50 Tips for the Perfect Reception
      -Toast information (who and when)
      -List of people to thank
      -Decor details (include pictures and instructions)
      -Music Play/Do Not Play List (page 31 Wedding Templates)
      -Music Worksheet (page 32 Wedding Templates)
      -Menu
      -Beverage List
      -Cake
      -Guest book/canvas information
      -Favor information
      -Send-off details
      -Contracts

5. Guests
      -Guest List (I created mine as an Excel document)
      -Guest List Tracker (multiple copies of page 28 Wedding Templates)
      -Guest hotel information
      -We are not offering welcome baskets for our out-of-town guests, but if you are, here are a couple great articles to help: Welcome Basket Ideas and Wedding Welcome Baskets

7. Photography
            -Contract
            -What to Ask Your Photographer
            -Must-take Wedding Photo Checklist
            -Any props (to be used for engagement session and wedding day)
            -List of everyone needed for photos (broken down into names and roles)

8. Miscellaneous
      -Registry
      -Rehearsal
      -Honeymoon

I have a feeling that along the way I will be updating my notebook and possibly doing a reorganization overhaul, but I will be sure to do a revised post in the coming months!

I hope that you find this useful, and you can relax for a week or two knowing you have got the first part down (other than the proposal, of course!). Let me know if I can be of any assistance--I would absolutely love to help!

Just some of my supplies. PS the green book is Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married, and was an engagement gift from a dear friend that I highly recommend!

XOXO,

R