Yay! You’re engaged and can’t wait to start meeting with cake artists and trying on dresses. Super fun!
Today’s question: do you need to go find the biggest and prettiest wedding planning binder on the shelves?
I remember planning my own wedding. I was torn between buying an expensive planner because I felt like I should and making my own little notebook to keep me from getting so overwhelmed.
If you love to be organized and love pretty paper things as much as I do, then go for it! It’s really handy to have a “home base” for all of your wedding planning details.
Most of those wedding planning binders are full of helpful information. It can definitely help give you a place to start. There are so many little details to think about, and the planners can help keep you on track!
It’s hard not to get overwhelmed by the depths of their detail, though! They want to be very thorough in their lists and sometimes go a little overboard on what they tell you is important.
While we actually have a lot of fun fielding questions that brides read from their binders during our initial coffee day (I mean, who doesn’t enjoy talking about what they love!), we can see the stress on our sweet bride’s face as she’s going through questions that she really doesn’t even totally understand herself. She’s just asking about our lenses and what brand of lighting gear we use because the binder listed it in the “200 questions you must ask your photographer” section.
Are the big planning binders an absolute must-have? Nope!
Are they helpful? Yes, if you take their information with a grain of salt so you don’t get overwhelmed!
If you’re a bride who really needs some help getting started and wants something to walk you through the process, then the big fancy planner is for you!
If you already know what you want and don’t need the extra clutter at this really busy time in your life, a simpler planner is the way to go.
If you’d rather spend your wedding budget on something more important to you than the big planner, you can create a simpler binder or notebook that’s tailored to what you think is important. You can even download a few simple pages from Pinterest or a wedding planning site. (Just don’t forget not to get overwhelmed by ALL the details they put in there!)
Keep blank pages for notes and reminders. Include some folders to save samples and business cards. Use it to write down your own questions about things that are important to you. Ask your vendors what is important for you to know. Your vendors know their craft well and should be able to help you walk through decisions you need to make.
We love the ginormous wedding planning binders, but don’t let them overwhelm you! Use it as a handy guide to give you things to think about, but don’t be afraid to pick and choose what you think is important.
Happy wedding planning! :)
*hugs*
Amber
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I loved my binder and the 9384273247982 questions to ask your photographer :) including the most important one: do your photographers want dinner lol.
I also made my own excel sheet and ripped out a bunch of things from my binder, but it did have things I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.
I love this! And the question about photographers eating dinner! :) Thanks for sharing your own experience with the wedding binder! It’s true that it helps you think of things you might not have thought about otherwise. :)