The Ultimate Guide To Creating A Wedding Planner Book

Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming task, but creating a wedding planner book can help you stay organized and ensure that your big day goes off without a hitch. Here are the steps to create your own wedding planner book:

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Before you start, make sure you have all the necessary supplies. This includes a binder, divider tabs or folders, pens, and highlighters. Choose a binder that reflects your personality and style, and consider the size based on how much information you plan to include.

Step 2: Set Up Your Binder

Start by adding a cover page with a fun design, including the names of the couple and the wedding date. Use your dividers to create sections for important categories such as wedding party contact information, guest list, budget, venue, reception, attire, photographer, florist, and miscellaneous items like honeymoon plans and rehearsal dinner details. You can also add sub-dividers within each section for more detailed organization.

Step 3: Include Practical Tools

Add lined paper to each section for notes and include folders or clear sheet protectors to store important documents, contracts, and receipts. You can also include envelopes or zipper pouches for swatches, size charts, or fabric samples. Don't forget to add sticky notes to flag important pages or leave reminders for yourself.

Step 4: Fill in the Details

Start filling in your binder with essential information, such as a calendar, wedding planning checklist, and budget. Place the most important information at the front of the book for easy access. As you gather ideas and inspiration, use your binder to store them, and gradually make your binder more specific as you make decisions.

Step 5: Incorporate Digital Tools

Don't forget to integrate your digital tools, such as Pinterest boards and Excel spreadsheets, into your binder. You can periodically print out your digital content and add it to your binder, or create QR codes that link to your online resources for easy access.

Creating your own wedding planner book is a fun and practical way to stay organized during the wedding planning process. It will help you keep all your ideas, inspiration, and important information in one place, ensuring that your wedding day is everything you've dreamed of.

Choosing a binder and supplies

It's also important to be realistic about the size of the binder. If you're collecting brochures and magazines, you'll likely need a bigger binder to store all your planning materials. Thicker binders are usually more practical, with 1.5 inches being a good minimum size. Some people also prefer binders with rings attached to the back cover, as the papers at the back can get squished when the rings are attached to the spine.

Once you've chosen your binder, it's time to gather your supplies. You'll need divider tabs or folders, and pens and highlighters (the more colours, the better!). You might also want to get clear sheet covers to store important documents like contracts and pictures, and a clear zip pouch for storing swatches, business cards, and other small items. If you want to get extra creative, you can include envelopes or zipper pouches for carrying colour swatches, size charts, and fabric samples, and add sticky notes to flag important pages.

Setting up your binder

Now that you've gathered your supplies, it's time to start assembling your book. Start by adding a cover insert with a fun design that includes the names of the bride and groom. If you've already set a date, include that too.

Use your dividers to create sections for all the most important categories. A typical wedding planner binder has sections such as wedding party contact information, the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and vendors. You can also add sub-dividers within each section. For example, in the "reception" tab, you can have subsections for decorations, food, and cake. Under "vendors", create subsections for your photographer, florist, and DJ.

Add lined paper to each divided section so that you can make notes while you plan. Include a few folders or clear sheet protectors in each section, too. This gives you a place to store important documents for safekeeping.

Some brides find it easier to give the photographer, florist, and music/entertainment their own tabs. You can even create a section for every individual element, such as separate tabs for bridal party gifts and thank-you notes.

Add in final details and print out copies of things like the ceremony script. Remove anything that's no longer needed or that turns out to be irrelevant.

Now, it's time to start filling up your binder! Place the most important information at the front of the book, such as a calendar and a wedding planning checklist. Your budget should also go towards the front of the binder.

In the early stages, use your binder to store ideas and inspiration. As you get further into the planning process, your binder should become more specific. It's easy to overload your book with to-do lists and business cards, and that's okay, as long as you keep your binder neatly organised.

Adding important information

Now that your binder is organised, it’s time to start filling it up! Here are some tips on adding important information to your wedding planner book:

Place the most important information at the front of the book

Start with a calendar and a wedding planning checklist. Your budget should also go towards the front of the binder. Planning a wedding can be expensive, so keep a close eye on your budget throughout the process.

Include a timeline and checklist

Stay on track with planning to meet your deadlines and promptly make all your appointments. A free printable calendar and checklist can help you stay organised.

Add sections for all the most important categories

A typical wedding planner binder has sections such as wedding party contact information, wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and reception. You can also add sub-dividers within each section, for example, in the “reception” tab, you can have subsections for decorations, food, and cake.

Include lined paper in each section

That way, you can make notes while you plan.

Incorporate envelopes or zipper pouches

These will come in handy for carrying colour swatches, size charts, and fabric samples.

Keep sticky notes on hand

That way, you can flag certain pages to leave reminders for yourself.

Add and remove pages as needed

Work through the checklists and worksheets, add in final details and print out copies of things like the ceremony script. Remove anything that turns out to be unnecessary or inapplicable.

Filling in your binder

Now that you have gathered your supplies and set up your binder, it's time to start filling it up! Here are some tips for filling in your wedding planner binder:

Step 1: Start with the Basics

Place the most important information at the front of your binder. This can include a calendar, a wedding planning checklist, and your budget. These sections will help you stay organized and on track throughout the planning process.

Step 2: Gather Inspiration

In the early stages of planning, use your binder to store ideas and inspiration. This can include magazine cut-outs, printouts from Pinterest or other websites, colour schemes, and fabric samples. You can also use this section to keep track of to-do lists and business cards from vendors you are considering.

Step 3: Get Organized

As you add new pages and information to your binder, make sure to put things in their designated sections. For example, when you are shopping for venues, keep all the information in the "Venue" section. Once you choose a location, remove the information for the venues you passed on to keep your binder streamlined and easy to navigate.

Step 4: Go Digital

Incorporate your digital inspirations and resources into your binder. You can periodically print out your spreadsheets (such as guest lists, budgets, etc.) and add them to your binder. If you make additions on paper, remember to copy them over to your digital spreadsheets. For Pinterest boards, you can choose some of your favourite pins and print them out, or create QR codes that link to your boards and print those out instead.

Step 5: Stay Practical

Include some practical items in your binder, such as envelopes or zipper pouches for carrying swatches, size charts, and fabric samples. Keep sticky notes on hand to flag certain pages or leave reminders for yourself. Don't forget to ask for help from your bridal party or friends if you need it!

Incorporating digital tools

In the digital age, there are many online tools to help you plan your wedding. You can use digital tools to collaborate with your wedding party, stay organised, and streamline the planning process.

Wedding Planning Software

There are many wedding planning software options available, such as WeddingWire, Carats & Cake, and The Knot's Wedding Planner. These platforms can help you with everything from finding a venue and vendors to creating a wedding website, registry, and guest list. Some software, like Social Tables, even offers 3D wedding design software to help you plan the layout of your venue and collaborate with caterers and vendors.

Online Tools

In addition to specialised wedding planning software, there are also many online tools that can be useful for wedding planning. Google Drive, for example, is great for staying organised and sharing documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and photos with your planning team. Google Docs is another free option for creating and sharing word documents and spreadsheets. Pinterest is perfect for gathering inspiration and ideas, and Spotify can help you create the perfect wedding playlist. If you need to hire professionals to help with set-up or other tasks, TaskRabbit connects you with electricians, designers, and other craftspeople.

Apps

There are also numerous apps available to help with wedding planning. WeddingHappy, for example, is a mobile wedding planner app that helps you stay on track with tasks and payments. Pantone Studio is great for colour coordination, and Mint is a useful budgeting tool. Trello is another task management app that lets you visualise workflows and keep track of what needs to be done.

Printing and Paper

If you prefer a physical wedding planner book, you can still incorporate digital tools by periodically printing out your spreadsheets, Pinterest boards, or other online inspirations and adding them to your binder. Alternatively, you can create QR codes that link to your digital content and add those to your binder. That way, you can quickly scan the code and access your online resources whenever you need them.

Frequently asked questions