The Ultimate Wedding Planning Binder Guide

Planning a wedding can be stressful, but creating a wedding planning binder can help you stay organised and ensure your big day goes off without a hitch. In this guide, we'll take you through the steps to create your own DIY wedding planning binder, from setting up your binder to adding printables and helpful tips. We'll also show you how to adapt your binder to suit your unique needs and how to involve your MOH or a trusted friend to help you on the day.

Organisation tools

To get started, you'll need a binder and some dividers. You can also use envelopes and zipper pouches to keep things like receipts, fabric swatches, a mini tape measure and a portable charger. Start by printing out a calendar and a checklist, and then set up your dividers and subsections. Add paper and plastic protectors to keep things neat and tidy.

There are also lots of printables available online, including helpful tips and checklists. You can also use sticky reminders to keep track of tasks. It's a good idea to work through the worksheets and checklists, adding in final details and printing out copies of things like the ceremony script. Remove anything that's not applicable anymore, and keep your binder up to date.

Finally, make sure your maid of honour or another trusted friend is aware of everything in the binder. That way, they can help keep things on track and ensure your wedding day goes smoothly.

Dividers and subsections

Start by setting up an overview of your binder. This will help you determine the main categories or dividers you need. For example, you might want to include sections for the ceremony, reception, guest list, budget, and vendors. Within each of these sections, you can create subsections to further organise your information.

For instance, under the "Ceremony" divider, you could have subsections for the script, music, decorations, and any special traditions or rituals you plan to include. In the "Reception" section, you might include subsections for the venue, catering, drinks, entertainment, and seating plan.

The "Guest List" section could be further divided into subsections for tracking RSVPs, organising transportation or accommodation for guests, and keeping a record of any gifts received. The "Budget" section might include subsections for different expense categories, such as venue hire, catering, decorations, and entertainment.

Finally, the "Vendors" divider could have subsections for different types of suppliers, such as caterers, florists, photographers, and entertainment providers. You can use this section to keep track of quotes, contracts, and other important information.

Worksheets and checklists

Wedding planning can be stressful, but creating a wedding planning binder can help you stay organised. Worksheets and checklists are a great way to keep track of your plans and ensure you don't forget anything important.

To get started, you can find free printable wedding planning binder cover sheets online in a variety of colours. You can then add whatever checklists and guides you like to create a comprehensive wedding planning binder.

Some useful worksheets and checklists to include in your binder are:

• Wedding photography checklist: A list of all the photos you want your photographer to capture on your big day.
• Wedding guest list worksheets: Pages to help you and your fiance work out your guest list and make final decisions.
• Guest seating guide: A guide to help you with your seating arrangements.
• Wedding orders log: A place to keep track of all the things you need to order, such as wedding invitations, save-the-dates, and favours.
• Wedding appointments log: A place to keep track of all your wedding-related appointments.
• Wedding song list: A list of songs to be played at the ceremony and reception to keep the party going.
• Wedding payment tracker: A detailed tracker to help you keep on top of your wedding payments.

In addition to these worksheets and checklists, you can also include sections for your budget, table plans, venue planning, and a to-do list. It's also a good idea to keep track of your suppliers and their contact information.

Creating an organisational system for your wedding planning binder can take time and patience, but it will be worth it to have everything you need easily accessible.

Printables and tips

Creating a wedding planning binder is a great way to keep all your ideas and plans in one place. It's also a good way to save money and customise your wedding planning. You can use printables to help you stay organised, such as a calendar, checklist, and dividers with subsections. You can also add paper and protectors, as well as print out helpful tips and use sticky reminders.

Another tip is to use envelopes and zipper pouches to keep your receipts, fabric swatches, a mini tape measure, and a portable charger. You can also start with a basic premade planner and adapt it to your needs. It's important to continually update your wedding planner with new vendor contacts. Creating an organisational system can take time and patience, but it's worth it to have everything you need exactly where and when you need it.

You can also work through worksheets and checklists, adding in final details and printing out copies of things like the ceremony script. Remove anything that's no longer needed or applicable, and keep adapting and adding to your binder as your plans progress. Make sure your maid of honour or another trusted friend is aware of everything in the binder, so they can help keep things running smoothly.

Receipts and swatches

One of the most important parts of your wedding planning binder is the section for receipts and swatches. This is where you'll keep track of all the money you're spending and the materials you're using for your big day.

To keep your receipts and swatches organised, it's a good idea to use envelopes or zipper pouches. That way, you can easily access them when you need to and they won't get lost among the other papers in your binder.

In terms of what to include, obviously, you'll want to keep all your receipts. But it's also a good idea to keep fabric swatches for things like table linens and bridesmaids' dresses. That way, you can easily match colours and textures, and make sure everything coordinates perfectly.

You might also want to keep a mini tape measure and a portable charger in this section, just in case you need them when you're out and about. Having everything you need in one place will make planning your wedding much easier and less stressful.

Frequently asked questions