Friday, October 19

WWW - How to put together a Wedding Planning Notebook

EDIT: Well, I was attempting to update the photo on this post and not re-post it...but apparently that is not possible! So sorry for the duplicate post!! However, I did update some of the info in the post!

I love lists. Lists for everything! There is something so satisfying in making a to-do list and marking it off as you accomplish tasks. Don't you agree?! I also need to have a tangible, in-my-hands planning tool in order to stay organized. I put together this Wedding Planning Notebook so that I could have everything in one place. After doing some research, I've added in lists, forms, and lots of things I had no idea I would need for planning our wedding! (The printables will link back to their original source)


I purchased all my products from the Martha Stewart office line. If you don't want to make your own planner, as I did, Martha has a pre-made planner for just $25. (I spent more than that on the binder, dividers, etc.) I got all my things from Staples, and they are beautifully color coordinated and pretty! I bought the binder, clear zip pouch, sticky notes, dividers (x2) and calendar. (here is a coupon, good until the end of 2012)

Now of course you can organize your binder however best suits you, but here is how I organized mine, what I have put in it, what I'm going to be adding to each section and how I plan to use it.

First up, the clear zip pouch I have used for fabric samples, business cards, etc. The sticky notes are for, well, notes (duh!) and I've used the little tabs for making additional sections by putting them on pieces of hole-punched card stock to serve as subcategories within the blue dividers.



After this I have the calendar. I do obviously have a colander on my computer (that is synced with my iPhone) but I like to have an actual paper & pen calendar too. (edit: I haven't actually been using this. I'd suggest you save your money.) I think this helps with long term planning. I will have dress fittings, cake testings, etc on here, but more importantly deadlines! I want to keep track of when payments are due, contracts have to be signed and final decisions made.


After that I have 10 blue dividers. I have broken them down into these categories:

  1. Important 
  2. Budget
  3. Ceremony
  4. Reception
  5. Guests
  6. Attire
  7. Photographer
  8. Florist
  9. Rehearsal
  10. Miscellaneous. 
I added photographer and florist to theses because they will apply to ceremony, rehearsal and reception. Within these categories I have added subcategories and worksheets and checklists that I printed from the web.



  1. Important
  2. Budget
  3. Ceremony
    • Copy of Ceremony text
    • What to Ask Your Wedding Officient
    • List of processional & recessional order
    • Contracts
    • Officiant contact information
    • Cost & tips
    • Music to be played and any musicians contracts, contact info and fees
    • Decor
    • Any seating arrangements and reserved seating 
    • Program
    • Confetti 
      • (Clearly all these items won't actually be going in the binder, but I will put the order forms, receipts, etc in there to make sure I keep track of it all and that I have completed it all.)
  4. Reception
    • Timeline of reception (dance, cake cutting, toasts, flower toss, exit, etc)
    • Music
    • Rentals (separate subcategory) w/ contract (see bottom for link to template) 
    • Decor
    • Setup info and instructions
    • Menu
    • Beverage List
    • Playlist with noted special songs (1st dance etc)
    • List of who will be giving toasts
    • List of people to thank at reception
    • Favors
    • Cake
    • Guest Book
    • Photo booth (if we end up having one!)
    • Exit sparklers
    • Reserved seat signs
    • Toasting glasses
    • Band contact information, pricing, tips etc
    • All relevant contracts
  5. Guests
    • Guest list (I will probably do all this in a  spreadsheet)
      • Mailing address
      • RSVPs
      • Dinner choices
      • Gifts received list
      • Thank you notes sent
    • Guest hotel information
    • Welcome bags
  6. Attire
    • Bride
      • Schedule of fittings etc (this is redundant, but I want it here too) 
      • Dress
      • Jewelry
      • Bag
      • Shoes
      • Lingerie
      • Veil
    • Groom
    • Bridesmaids
      • Dresses
      • Accessories
    • Groomsmen
    • MOB
    • Ring Bearer
  7. Photog 
    • Contract
    • Must-have photo list
    • List of everyone needed for photos - break this down into names (i.e. Courtney, MOH)
    • Any props (Don't think we will have any)
  8. Florist
    • Contract
    • Pricing & budget
    • List of arrangements for Ceremony
    • List of arrangements for Reception
    • List of bouquets
    • List of boutonnieres 
    • Flowers for family members
  9. Rehearsal
  10. Misc...

I also recently came across this fabulous source of Wedding Templates from "Russell + Hazel" - I definitely suggest you check it out for additional helpful form and such!






56 comments:

megan said...

This is a great post and will definitely help me get organized, as well! :)

Worthington said...

hahah omg don't kill me but I just wrote a post about the SAME PRODUCT. FML. I will edit mine and unpublish it so I don't look like I ripped you off. I will republish it later. I think I got mine when @_Grits wrote about Martha's products - did she turn you onto them too?

Michael said...

Wedding couple make your wedding planning as easy with this article and it's explaining about the planning for your wedding.It's having more useful information more wedding planning and it's having useful tips for your wedding

BrandVisionEvents said...

Thanks for sharing such a good information.


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That is main thing about wedding couple make our wedding planning. These all topics and ideas really informative to me.

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Kate said...

This is one of the best blog posts & I'm not even engaged... yet :)

Kristin said...

love your ring!! and that is one crafty book!!

Mommy Webb said...

Um, can I just state the obvious?! Your ring is gorgeous. And I love the bunny dish from W&S in your last post:).

McKenna Brown said...

So helpful! I am recently engaged and just starting the planning process. Will definitely utilize aspects of this post :)

Tiffany Laverne Gardette said...

YOu and I are getting married the same day! Congrats!

Nicole Hannigan said...

This is absolutely amazing. I am the least organized person on the planet and I tried a wedding planner from Michael's but it is more of a book than a planner. I'm heading out to Staples as soon as I post this comment! Thank you for sharing & making a bride's life easier!! :)

Bailey said...

A new follower! Thanks for this. I am starting to plan my own and this is great help.

Kristen Huff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristen Huff said...

This is amazing! I am definitely stealing this idea and starting my own wedding planning book! When I click on the "vendor contact list" in both places it comes up as "bridal party contact list". I was wondering if you have a link to the vendor contact list. Thanks for sharing!!

Emily @ Raines and Shines said...

Wow this is very helpful. I am newly engaged and am going to love this! thanks girl.

jo said...

Do you even realize how awesome this post is!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

amit said...

Nice Photos and Blogs I Like It

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Cassie said...

Same as Kristin, do you have the link for the vendor list??

Marin Blair said...

The vendor list can be found here:

http://www.realsimple.com/static/pdfs/vendor_contact.pdf

:)

Brianne said...

thank you! i am totally doing this today- i have been looking around for an actually useful planner, then decided I should just make my own and you have some amazing ideas (and things I would have forgotten!) thankssss.

Amber said...

I have 4 months to plan my wedding on New Years eve 2012. This was perfect because I definitely believe in lists for events. It just keeps me sane. Anyways I followed your post and bought the items I needed, about $36. Once I get it going I will post, only friends and family read my blog ofchocolateandmangos, and they will love it. I am 55 so our wedding will be intimate but meaningful with a kick ass dinner. Thanks

kennady said...

It is good to spend more hours for your wedding. Plan your wedding slowly and steadily. The planning people have to make use of the wedding app and their tools. The well planned wedding will make easy for the wedding planning people.

ddarnell training said...

Be sure you make out a list of family.. Ie: brides side: MOB: sandy, FOB: john, sister of bride: Angela and spouse: Michael , offspring: June and Matthew. MOG: Teresa, FOG: Mitch, grooms siblings: blah, blah..

And give this list to photographers. This list made our lives (and our photographers!!) so much easier, and ensured that we got photos of all family. (even when one of my cousins and her hubby went MIA)

Only photo we missed out on, a photo of us with my parents AND his parents.

Haleigh said...

199 days till my wedding! And I'm going to totally make this binder! Can't wait!

Katelyn Lockhart said...

Katherine! Thank you so much for posting this. I have had so much trouble finding a planner that best suited me and thought making one would be useless until I came across your post. I have my own blog that I just started for my wedding planning process and just blogged about this post!

Stephanie said...

Great list. Your ring is beautiful, if you don't mind me asking where is it from? Or if it's custom could you let me know it's absolutely gorgeous!

adventuresofaprincess said...

This list is fantastic, as are all the links with it! I consider myself to be engaged to be engaged, but still, I appreciate this more than you know! Thanks again!!

Emily Elizabeth said...

oh migosh... this is so intimidating. my boyfriend keeps asking me when I want to get married so I'm sure after we graduate college this spring, I will have about 6 months to plan a wedding. This is so intimidating but will be so helpful, especially if I start getting it ready now. BAH! Thank you for being so helpful. I used to be in the floral industry and worked on weddings and big parties and let me tell you, brides who had their ducks all in a row were much more fun to work with than brides who didn't have opinions on anything and didn't keep anything organized. Again thank you!

Katherine said...

I go to pinterest to find some tips for wedding binders and your pops up first, how perfect! I'll need your help :)

Allison Luttermoser said...

I JUST bought all of these items a few days ago at staples but didn't know where to begin. THANK YOU!!!!!!

soccerchica26 said...

Thank you SO much for posting the Russel + Hazel link!! That template is exactly what I was looking for!!!!

Katherine Borden said...

So funny! I was browsing through Pinterest and came across this- I just bought the exact same products to use as my wedding planning notebook!!! Great minds think alike :)

Eliza Sanchez said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Barbara Collins said...

That's great idea!! I'd love to try to make Wedding Planning Notebook, I love this post,thanks for sharing here.Wedding planner in Houston

Jillian Johnson said...

Thanks for sharing! I'm helping plan my sister's wedding and at first I didn't realize just how much work it takes to plan a wedding! So I went ahead about put together a planner and divided it by what has to be done and then on each wrote who's involved. For example, one of my jobs is to send out the invitations and lucky I found cheap wedding invitations online that I know everyone will love.

Hailey Andersen said...

Here's a suggestion for your transportation list....instead or in addition to the limo, consider getting a Party Bus Rental. Hope this helps. Great lists! Thanks for sharing!

Zeeshan Hanzillah said...

Can i use it for plastic business cards as it inspires me a lot..

Jessy said...

This is absolutely amazing. I am the least organized person on the planet and I tried a wedding planner from Jessy's but it is more of a book than a planner. I'm heading out to Staples as soon as I post this comment! Thank you for sharing & making a bride's life easier!! :)

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How big of a binder do you suggest getting?

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