The Organized Bride
A wedding planner is worth her weight in gold, but if you don’t have the budget to hire one, here are some tips on how to stay sane as you plan your Big Day.
A wedding planner is worth her weight in gold, but if you don’t have the budget to hire one, here are some tips on how to stay sane as you plan your Big Day.
Create a Spreadsheet
Fleur Pang, owner of A Warm Reception in Duxbury, says she develops a spreadsheet to organize all wedding information—guest lists, addresses, RSVPs, gifts, seating arrangements and vendors. “This way everything is in one place,” she says.
Recent bride Cathy Flynn of Wilmington advises DIY brides to bring their spreadsheet with them to the wedding, or hand it off to a bridesmaid who can call vendors if they don’t show up.
Make a Schedule
Pang also develops a schedule with what the vendors will be responsible for at each time: She’ll pencil in when the bride will dance with her father so the band knows when to play a certain song, and the photographer knows to record the dance. “It helps the event run smoothly and it makes you think about all the details you might not remember if you didn’t put it down on paper,” she says.
Delegate
A bride should not be bothered with the little details that may go wrong on her wedding day. Find someone you trust, but who is not directly involved in the wedding (so not your mother or a member of the wedding party), to be your day-of coordinator and troubleshoot any problems. “Make sure it’s someone who won’t need to be in photos,” she says. Possibilities include your mother’s best friend, a co-worker you trust, or a friend who is not in the bridal party.