Weddingbee Blog

So I left for Boston, armed with my engagement ring and the comfort that my bridesmaids knew how much I loved them. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do much wedding planning for the next three months, since I was so far away from the city where I would hire all of our vendors. (Clearly, this was before I discovered Weddingbee.) I allowed myself to brainstorm, but I forbade myself from “actively planning” until I returned to Atlanta in 2010. When I got a coupon to Borders in the mail, I decided that I needed something to guide me in my brainstorming.

I sat in the wedding-planning aisle four nearly an hour (not exaggerating, just embarrassed) trying to choose the perfect wedding-planning guide. Well folks, the truth is there isn’t one. I finally decided on Emily Post’s.

Source: Emily Post

I like it, but it wasn’t as helpful as I had hoped. I think a lot of brides could find it helpful, but it just wasn’t what I needed. I needed more of a guide than a workbook. Workbooks are necessary, too, which is why I am a spreadsheet-aholic. But as far as guides go, I have gotten a lot more out of the following:

Source: Bridal Aislusions

This book is exactly what a bride like me needs. It’s helpful for those who are on a budget, as well as for those who need to be reminded that the wedding industry is just that…an industry. It’s easy to get all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when looking at all things sparkly, but most of us can’t afford to do that! I found that this book provided some honest insight and incredibly useful tips.

Source: The Knot

I don’t use The Knot for much these days, though I know many brides who swear by it. The one tool I still use on The Knot is their “Wedding Checklist” feature. I find it incredibly thorough. I’ve examined lots of wedding websites’ to-do lists, and I’ve found that The Knot’s timeline tends to bias planning ahead rather than scheduling things for the last minute, which is a great match for me. Also, as a typical type-A girl, I love me some to-do lists. That little check mark in that little box symbolizes success and accomplishment to me more than anything else in the world. This book is chock-full of to-do lists, with plenty of room to jot down notes along the way.

Regardless of what books you choose for your planning process, I definitely recommend writing in pencil! It’s amazing how many times your plans can change…a lesson I’m still learning.