5 Wedding Binder Hacks For Stress-Free Planning

The very day after my now-husband proposed, we headed to our university’s library and set up camp for the day, a Pinterest “date”. We were (I was…) so eager to jump into planning for our wedding day. The unlimited supply of pins offered a multitude of options for us, which served as a great jumping off point. But as it turns out, endless options weren’t quite as freeing as they were crippling. In order to be decisive, we needed some organization.

Here are 5 wedding binder hacks to keep your planning on track!

1. A Few Inspiration Pictures

After you’ve filled 28 Pinterest boards with cakes, dresses, and decor; try to make one more board with “top pick” selections from each. Print just one of each facet that best represents the vibe you are after. Slip these into the front of your binder for quick reference. Compiling a small collection of images will help you keep your vision on track without overwhelm.

2. Page Protectors

Speaking of those inspiration pictures… grab a pack of those little plastic page protector pouches for sliding images and documents into. If you have sections for each type of vendor, you might consider sliding your inspiration photo in the front of the tab and collecting business cards or vendor sample photos behind it. Then, once you’ve selected your vendors, pop each one’s contract in its own slip. Because they’re thin, this will help to prevent you from collecting too much excess paper and will make it easier to locate items like vendor cards and venue pamphlets.

3. Meeting Summary Sheet

No two vendors are alike. It’s likely that pricing package organization will vary from vendor to vendor. I found it difficult to decipher notes taken down on loose leaf during a vendor meeting because it made it difficult to compare apples to oranges. Compile a “cheat sheet” for your meetings with potential vendors with spots to jot down things like price and what’s included, stipulations regarding timeline, etc. Include a checklist of what’s most important to you, a misc. notes spot, and a spot for concerns or questions. When time to choose, you can compare apples to apples and make a simpler decision!

4. Calendar Pages

There are tons of suggested timeline checklists readily available across the web. Pick one or combine several that suit your needs and take them one step further. Print monthly calendar sheets and insert the monthly to-dos. Having specified deadlines helps to break up the tasks at hand into more manageable chunks than a whole month’s list at once.

5. Wedding Email

This one doesn’t specifically pertain to the binder, but while we’re talking about planning, it’s worth mentioning. Create a new email account to be used specifically for wedding-related correspondences. You’ll inevitably be filling out several online forms to vendors, which will consequently fill up your inbox. With a wedding address, it’s much easier to locate pertinent wedding information when you need it in, than fishing through your personal email. Print important emails, especially ones outlining special agreements between you and vendors, and put them in your binder for reference.