Brides-to-be, listen up because I’m about to reveal some serious insider information. While other soon-to-be-married ladies are emptying their bank accounts and pulling their hair out, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear and throwing your head back with satisfied laughter. I’m here to introduce the most coveted secrets for making wedding planning a walk through the park. With this knowledge, you’ll avoid bridezilla mode and actually enjoy wedding planning.
Sure, you can visit those go-to, popular wedding sites for gorgeous, inspirational photos, but what about functional sites that actively help in the planning process? These ultra-useful websites may not be all over Pinterest, but they’re all over your budget, keeping it in check. Some of these sites purely assist in keeping costs down by tracking your progress, while others are resources to find low-cost options, including dresses, decorations, and invitations. You will be shocked at how much further you can stretch your budget thanks to these incredible sites.
1. Postable.com – Your hand will thank you for finding this awesome site, and if you were planning on hiring a calligrapher, your wallet will thank you. Collect all of your guests’ addresses in a genius way (they fill them in!), and then watch the envelopes address themselves. With endless fonts to choose from, your invitations will still look exactly as you pictured them.
2. AllFreeDIYWeddings.com – DIY brides and non-DIY brides alike will adore this frugal approach to wedding planning. The volume of DIY ideas ensures that you will find just what you are looking for. If you’re not DIY-ing your wedding, the site still offers invaluable advice and key insights from experts.
3. PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com – Wear the dress of your dreams without paying the price tag of nightmares. This uber-convenient site allows ex-brides to make money by selling their old dresses and allows new brides to save money with reasonably priced designer gowns. The site also sells accessories and bridesmaids dresses, turning your hunt into a simple search. *You can even set an alert if you’re looking for a specific dress!*
4. Wedding-Recycle.com – Here’s the real money saver. This site offers absolutely everything you can think of from decor to boutonnieres. What makes it really unique (and awesome!) is that you can sort the listings by color, so your wedding color scheme is safe for the keeping. Once your big day is over, log back on to sell your items!
5. IDoCam.com – Save some serious dough by allowing guests to be your videographers. IDoCam will send you high-definition cameras to get up close and personal on your big day, and then they’ll edit the footage for you. Additionally, the raw footage will be viewable online for family and friends, whereas a professional videographer would only provide you with one copy. You’re sure to get more intimate, fun, and personal moments on film when your friends and family are operating the camera.
6. Newlywish.com – Forget creating a registry at three different stores for cookware you don’t actually want. This site provides convenience and some seriously cool gifts. Besides the typical kitchenware and houseware items, Newlywish also allows you to add “experience” gifts to your registry like cooking classes, concerts, and dance classes. In addition, you can set up honeymoon funds, accounts for a gym membership, and more actually useful gifts. Get what you really want with this totally clever concept.
If you don’t take Mother Nature into consideration as you’re planning your wedding, she can end up being the worst possible kind of wedding crasher. Make sure you have a contingency plan for inclement weather including an indoor venue with ample heating. Keep in mind some guests may not be able to attend due to inclement weather. In that case, using an app such as Ustream allows you to stream your wedding live online so family and friends can still watch the ceremony.
