Whether you’re a wedding expert or you don’t know where to even begin, this list is for you. There are a tremendous number of free and affordable wedding planning tools available to couples, but no one usually knows they exist, so they go unused!
Well, not today: in this blog post, I’ll tell you the best places to get wedding planning tools you’ll want to implement ASAP to save yourself some serious stress.
From wedding planner books to spreadsheets that’ll make life oh-so-easy, you’ll have the best resources at your fingertips. I’ll share the best wedding budget spreadsheets, planning tools, digital save the dates, apps, websites, and wedding planning books to set your sights high on happily ever after.
Let’s get started!
In this article, we’ll cover:
• Wedding Planning Books and Binders
• Wedding Budget Spreadsheets
• Guest List Manager
• Wedding Website
• Digital Save the Dates
• AI Wedding Planning Tool
First, let’s tackle books. They’ll come in handy from day one.
1. Wedding Planning Book, $26+
When you’re just starting to plan, a book can be very helpful to keep you organized and on-task.
If you keep regular notes, like a journal, you’ll be able to look back on ideas, vendor names, color palettes, and other things that you find — without losing track of where you saw it.
This is THE HOLY GRAIL of wedding planner books. I’ve purchased several others before, but after using this it’s the only one I buy for our bridal clients. :)
It even has a countdown calendar, which is a nice feature. It’s not too heavy, but large enough to hold all the essentials.
It has over 130 pages of pointers, budgeting tips, space for notes, bullet point checklists for 12-month planning, and more. It’s a great gift to yourself (or an engaged friend!)
► You can find out more or get yours here on Amazon.
Another popular wedding planning book that is exceptional for couples is “My Wedding Planner“. It includes calendar pages, timelines, checklists, wedding mood boards, budget trackers, and so much more. It’s on Etsy and quite popular. Read reviews here.
And last but not least, if you want a completely digital option for your iPad, try this digital wedding planner by GoodGirlFree. It’s very affordable – I think it’s on sale around $1 for the template.
And while I’m on the topic of jotting things down, I’ve found having a pen or two that are always attached to the book makes sense. You don’t want to be scrambling for a pen while on a consult with your wedding coordinator, or discussing cake flavors with your baker. These fun pens are great for wedding planning and bring a little joy to our office over here at Emmaline Bride. :)
Organization? Check! Fun pens? Check!
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Let’s talk budget. You’re going to be hearing a LOT about budget from now until the big day, so you may as well tackle it ASAP.
2. Wedding Budget Spreadsheet, $16.99
When you know your budget, you’re able to start making decisions about your wedding, from the venue you can realistically afford to how many guests you can invite to it.
You’ll also know how much money you want to spend, how much you need to have, and how to save for the things that really matter.
One of the best tools for wedding planning I’ve found is a simple spreadsheet.
A spreadsheet keeps you from straying too far from your budget or overspending in areas you really need to cut back in. And a spreadsheet also keeps your facts and figures nearby, so you can access it at anytime with ease.
Wedding spreadsheets have come a looooong way from their early days, which were boring and difficult. But today, you’re in luck: custom, intuitive wedding spreadsheets are easier than ever to find and you’ll quickly become a spreadsheet wizard (even if you’re a total beginner, promise!)
I’ve covered the wild world of wedding budget spreadsheets at-length, but this one is my top pick. It’s under $20 and it’s available by CareerCreative on Etsy. It’s immensely comprehensive; it is one of the greatest wedding planning tools because it is so easy to use.
It will not only help you plan out your budget, but it will help you stick to it by keeping track of your records in a helpful pie chart and revealing your remaining balance at all times.
It also includes helpful extras, like wedding checklists and to-do lists. See more about it here and decide if it’s a good fit for you.
Additional helpful links and tools for wedding budgets:
• Emmaline Bride Budget Planner Breakdown [FREE!]: It shows you the EXACT breakdown of each area of your wedding, how much it costs, and why.
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Alright, you have organization down pat. Now you have your budget all ironed out. Next up? It’s time to tackle guest list.
3. Guest List Manager, FREE
You can now decide how many wedding guests you’re able to invite, thanks to that helpful budget spreadsheet you have. Great!
But wait… do you have EVERY GUEST’S address? Full name? Are you spelling it correctly?
Take out the guesswork with one of the best kept secrets in wedding planning: the guest list manager by Minted.
With it, you can send out emails to your guests in a beautiful, digital fashion that asks them to respond with their mailing address. By doing so, it compiles all of your guests into a helpful manager, which you can access at anytime.
In addition, if you decide to purchase save the dates or invitations from their collection, the guests’ addresses you’ve collected [and added on your own] will be automatically printed onto envelopes, free of charge, and beautifully done, saving money on calligraphy.
Click “Request Addresses” below to see how it works.
This planning tool will help you when compiling RSVPs, too, since you won’t have to keep going back to a list of wedding guests. It’s all beautifully compiled and delightfully organized, pulling in the information you need anytime you need it.
As a HUGE bonus, you’ll have the guest list manager ready-to-go when it’s time to send thank you cards after the wedding.
► Setup your free account here.
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While you’re there, you’ll be able to create one of my favorite wedding planning tools: a wedding website!
4. Wedding Planning Website, FREE
Now that your wedding guest list is created (awesome), you’ll want to be ahead of the ball and get a wedding website set up.
This way, when you send out save the date cards and invitations, you can include a QR code on the back and guests can easily visit your wedding website.
In addition, many couples are forgoing the traditional RSVP card and envelope through the mail, opting instead for digital RSVPs.
This can be done via your (free) wedding website. You won’t have to wait around for RSVPs to come in and you can request non-responders to let you know instantly.
Many features are available in the free version, so no need to upgrade if you don’t want to. But for a small $15 fee, you’re able to upgrade to an easy-to-remember URL, with your name, so that’s a huge plus when putting the URL on your cards.
Otherwise, you’ll have the benefits of password protection, gallery, customizable pages, and more — all complimentary. So nice!
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► Make your FREE wedding website now.
Now, let’s talk the big day itself: you don’t want to run into any glitches on the timing. Make sure you have a wedding timeline in place: it’s priceless to have!
5. Free Digital Save the Dates
Wedding save the dates are nice to have, but they’re not always in everyone’s budget. You can get free digital save the dates from Zola. They’re sent digitally to your guests so you don’t need to order paper, postage, envelopes, etc.
► Get yours free here.
6. AI Wedding Planner, FREE to start
If you’d rather talk your plans through than fill in a binder, try WedGenie, an AI wedding planner you plan with by chatting. Tell it your date, budget and guest count, and it builds a month-by-month checklist and a budget that tracks your real quotes as they come in.
It also finds local vendors for you, and every vendor comes with its source, so you can check it yourself. (No made-up names!)
And the fun part: it makes AI engagement photos from your own pictures, lets you try on wedding dresses virtually, and turns your photos into a save-the-date video.
It’s free to start, with no account needed for your first conversation, and Pro is $14.99 a month if you want to keep going. Its free speech, vow and hashtag tools are handy, too.
And there you have it! Now you’re on your way to stress free planning.
I hope it helps!
xo
Emma
