| Getting married is an exciting time for the bride | | | | shop owner if she can refer a great photographer |
| and groom, family and friends. Then the wedding | | | | or if you know of a friend who recently got |
| planning starts. You now have to find the perfect | | | | married, ask her who she used during her |
| dress, the perfect place to have the wedding, | | | | wedding. Did she like them, was the outcome |
| make sure everyone you want to be at your | | | | everything she had hoped for, were they |
| wedding is there and then put on a happy face | | | | prompt? Ask questions, keep notes, and by all |
| when the people you DON'T want at the wedding | | | | means choose vendors whose personalities |
| show up. Not to mention the worry and stress | | | | compliment yours. You will be bride-zilla, you will be |
| money brings into the planning, trust me, there is | | | | stressed, you will need to be made to feel |
| a reason why people run off to Vegas. Three | | | | secure, so pick people who can handle it. |
| years ago, I started conducting workshops for | | | | Once you have your vendors narrowed down, |
| brides to help them organize their wedding, now | | | | place them into your contact management |
| I'm the one organizing my own wedding. | | | | system in your computer. I use Outlook so I |
| Organizing a wedding is completely different than | | | | have my vendors in my Outlook Contacts, I also |
| planning a wedding. If you want someone to plan | | | | included pictures inside the contact card. You have |
| your wedding, I highly recommend hiring a | | | | no idea how handy having a picture of my |
| wedding planner if nothing else for the Day Of, | | | | wedding cake was when I met with my florist. |
| but if you are like most brides you want to do it | | | | Since I chose to use my classification folders, I |
| yourself. Why shouldn't you? If you are organizing | | | | printed off the hard copy of the vendor contact |
| your wedding, there are 3 different aspects to | | | | card so I had it with me at all times. It will amaze |
| your wedding that you need to be prepared for: | | | | you how often a vendor will ask you for the |
| 1. Organizing Your Vendors | | | | contact information on another vendor. |
| 2. Organizing the Events | | | | It is also a very good idea to keep all of your |
| 3. Organizing the Legalities | | | | vendor information in one consistent place. |
| Each aspect is equally important, but they also | | | | Sometimes you won't talk to a vendor again until |
| come at different stages of the wedding planning | | | | 2 weeks prior to the wedding. I booked a |
| process. So, let's start at the very beginning! | | | | bagpiper back in June and yesterday was the first |
| Before getting into the nitty gritty, let's make | | | | time I spoke to him in 7 months, if I hadn't |
| sure you have the tools you need to organize | | | | printed off his contact card I don't know that I |
| your wedding. | | | | would have remembered his name to even |
| 1. Maid of Honor - She will be able to do a lot of | | | | search for him in my contacts! |
| the leg work for you. Think of her as your | | | | If you have decided to organize and plan the |
| personal assistant, if you will. | | | | wedding yourself, be sure and contact all of your |
| 2. Wedding Planner Tool - This one is all up to you | | | | vendors a month prior to the wedding to review |
| and your preference. I chose to use a 6-prong | | | | arrival times, logistics, timing of events and any |
| Classification folder to help me organize my | | | | other special considerations they may need to |
| wedding plans. My sections were broken down by; | | | | know. Follow up with them a week prior to the |
| Calendar pages I printed from Outlook, guest list, | | | | wedding to make sure everything is set for the |
| vendor contact information, To Do list, contracts, | | | | day of and be sure and get the cell phone |
| and an envelope that I stored all of my swatches | | | | numbers of those vendors coming to the |
| and samples. | | | | wedding. Just in case someone is late or you had |
| You can choose any system you feel most | | | | a last minute thought, you will be able to get a |
| comfortable with, just make sure it has a place | | | | hold of them without worrying. Which brings us to |
| for everything you need. For me the classification | | | | most important thing to remember on the day of |
| folder helped me organize the entire wedding | | | | your wedding, bring all of your vendor information |
| process, including my vendors. | | | | with you. No matter who needs to call whom, |
| Organizing your vendors is essential in having a | | | | you will have all of the details. |
| successful wedding ceremony and reception. Pick | | | | If you are having a wedding planner for the Day |
| the wrong vendors and you could end up at a | | | | Of, he or she will be the one contacting all of your |
| reception with no food, no photographer, or no | | | | vendors, coordinating times, and ensuring your |
| reception hall. These are all unfortunate | | | | wedding is everything you thought it would be! |
| occurrences and they do happen, but how do you | | | | Bottom line, if you have all of your ducks in a row |
| ensure they do not happen to you? Referrals. | | | | your day should go perfectly! The only thing you |
| Referrals. Referrals. | | | | have to worry about is if you have lipstick on |
| Referrals can save your sanity. If you already | | | | your teeth! |
| know where you are getting your dress, ask the | | | | |