The Bride's Best Friend: 10 Tips for Keeping a Wedding Journal
As the old saying goes, a bride's memory is like a goldfish's - fleeting, forgetful and in dire need of a little help to keep things on track! Whilst you can find a great deal of useful wedding planning advice online, it’s still easy to become overwhelmed. So what better way to keep track of all the details and mishaps that come with planning the big day than a trusty wedding notebook?
It’s why, now that it’s March and spring is in the air – traditionally marking the start of the wedding season – we thought we’d take a look at the wonders of keeping a wedding journal. Because, if you are getting married and want to be organised, it's high time to grab your own personalised wedding planner book and start scribbling away.
Here are our top ten tips to help you get started, so you can keep your sanity in check:
- Notebooks and Stationery Essentials - Get the Right Tools for the Job
There are so many options out there when it comes to wedding journals, notebooks, and planners, so it's important to find one that suits your style and needs.
Look for something that's durable. In short, if you’re seeking notebook ideas we suggest seeking one that has a hard cover and premier paper, with plenty of space for notes and lists. If you can find a wedding planner book that ticks all these boxes, plus you can also customise it, even better!
Whether you pick an B5 journal, A5 dotted journal, or A5 lined notebook, is entirely your choice. Just make sure you love whatever you choose!
Next we suggest picking a couple of stationery essentials, such as a reliable fine-tipped black pen. A micron pigma pen or a Sakura gelly roll are ideal for writing notes.
- Keep Your Wedding Planner Journal Organised
Once you've got your personalised wedding planner, the next step is to organise it. We recommend dividing it into sections based on different aspects of your wedding planning, such as the guest list, venue details, and retailer contacts. This will make it much easier to find what you're looking for when you need it.
For lovers of bullet journal books, a dot grid wedding planner journal is a great way to keep track of all the details of your wedding planning. You can also make it a bit more creative and visually appealing.
To start your creative juices flowing, here are three bullet journal spread suggestions that brides can recreate in their wedding journal. They’re extremely helpful for keeping on top of all the dreaded ‘wedmin’:
Create a wedding timeline. We suggest using a two-page spread to map out the timeline of your wedding planning. Include milestones such as choosing a venue, booking your chosen retail partners, sending out invitations and RSVP deadline etc.
Photo: @cynthiaplans
Keep a retail partner master contact list. Create a spread for all your supplier contacts. Include columns for each name, business, email, telephone number and the services they're providing. In this way you will have a go-to master list of contacts, at your fingertips.
Create a ceremony plan: Use a spread to map out the order of your wedding ceremony. Don’t’ forget to include sections for the processional, vows, readings, and recessional.
- Take Notes and Pictures of Everything
As you go through the wedding planning process, make sure to take detailed notes of everything. Jot down names of tradespeople you meet, wedding dresses you love, prices of everything, and any special requests you have.
And don't forget to take pictures of anything that catches your eye, whether it's a beautiful bouquet or a unique wedding cake design. After all this is your wedding note book – a record of your special day – which will be fun to review in years to come.
Another tip is to find space in your notebook for your wedding day memories: Dedicate a few pages in your wedding journal to your big day. Include photos, notes, and any special moments that you want to remember forever.
- Keep Track of Your Budget
Weddings can be expensive, so it's important to keep a close eye on every element of your spending.
Use your customisable journal to keep track of all your expenses: from the big-ticket items like your wedding dress, the venue, catering and photographer, to the smaller details like table decorations and favours. Make sure to update your budget regularly so you can stay on track.
Photo: @organisedhustler
We suggest creating a budget tracker spread to keep on top of all your wedding expenses. Use different colour-coded columns for each expense category, such as the wedding dress, stationery, venue, catering, flowers, and décor etc.
- The Ultimate Wedding Organiser - Use Your Journal as a Checklist
Wedding to do lists and checklists are essential for any bride-to-be. Use your wedding planner organiser to create a list of all the tasks you need to complete before the big day. This can include everything from booking your venue to sending out thank you cards after the wedding.
To keep track of all the tasks you need to complete each week, create a weekly to-do list. This way you’ll never forget a scheduled dress fitting, a meeting with your caterers, when to send out your ‘save the dates or wedding invitations!
Another useful checklist to make is a ‘packing list’ for your big day. Include items like your dress, shoes, jewellery, and any emergency items you might need, such as a sewing kit or stain remover. This will ensure there are no last minute, on-the-day disasters!
- Get Creative – Make Your Wedding Notebook Planner Your Own
Wedding planning can be stressful, so it's important to find ways to make it fun and enjoyable.
A journal with dots provides the perfect canvas for anyone with a creative bent. You can decorate it with a wide range of cute bitz – from stickers and mt washi tape and add colour with a Tombow brush pen or two!
You can even sketch out dress designs or create inspiration boards with pictures of dresses, décor, flowers, stationery and cakes, to help you visualise your dream wedding.
- Involve Your Partner
Remember, wedding planning is a team effort, so make sure to involve your partner in the process. Encourage them to share their ideas and opinions and use your wedding planner book to keep track of everything. This will help ensure that your wedding truly reflects both of your personalities and tastes.
The following two areas can be a little contentious and, as such, are where equal input from both partners is important:
The guest list! This can sometimes prove to be somewhat of a thorny issue! Why not dedicate a few pages to your guest list, including columns for each person's name, contact information, RSVP status, and any special needs or requests.
Photo: @k_silversmith
Then there’s the seating plan. Again, who sits next to who can be the cause of some tension! Why not use a spread to create a seating chart for your reception. Draw out the layout of your reception venue and add in tables and chairs to create a visual representation of where everyone will sit. The two of you can have fun moving names around the tables, until you find the perfect seating arrangement.
- Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
It's easy to get caught up in the details when planning a wedding, but try not to sweat the small stuff.
Why not use your wedding notebook planner to keep everything in perspective. Remember to focus on the big picture – marrying the love of your life - rather than the tiny details.
- Keep Your Journal with You at All Times
You know that inspiration can strike at any time, so make sure to keep your wedding planner journal with you at all times. Whether you're at work, out running errands, or just hanging out with friends, you never know when you'll come across something that could be perfect for your wedding.
Keep a few pages blank in your journal, for noting these moments down, before you forget them!
- Remember to Enjoy the Process
Our final tip? Wedding planning can be very stressful, but it's also an exciting and special time in your life. Use your wedding bullet journal books to record all the magical moments, from trying on dresses to tasting wedding cake. And most importantly, don't forget to enjoy the process and the journey to your big day.
As you can see, a wedding planner organiser – be it an a5 journal or a b5 notebook - is an essential tool for any bride-to-be. By following our top 10 tips, you can create a personalised wedding planner that helps you stay organised, creative, and sane throughout the whole wedding planning journey. Plus, you’ll have a beautiful keepsake to look back on in the years to come. So grab your best wedding planner book, get writing, and enjoy the whole journey to your big day!