Wedding Planning 101: The Wedding Binder, Part II

In the last blog post, we started talking about the wedding binder.  We mentioned some of the supplies that you will need to create your own, and even started to break the binder down by sections.  Here, we continue to do so, touching on the budget, guest list, seating arrangements, and bridal party information.

The Budget Section While we would all enjoy an endless supply of capital, few will ever enjoy that experience.  So, for the rest of us, there is a definite need to budget.  This section shouldn’t just include the total budget, but should provide a breakdown of how much you can allot for each purchase.  For instance, you might have $1200 budgeted for your dress, and $1000 for the DJ.  Breaking down your budget before you start spending will help you stay on target and avoid the heartache of realizing that you ran out of funds before you were done planning.  As you spend, keep track on a separate document, so you know where you stand.

Guest List Even before the invitations are chosen, it is a good idea to have the list of guests that you intend to invite.  The number of people will dictate the amount of space that you need for the wedding, and will be needed when hiring a caterer, tables, chairs, party favors, etc.  Plus, having that list in a concrete format can help prevent battles later on.  Work out these details early, so you can enjoy the rest of the process.

Bridal Party Contact List Once you have selected the men and women who will stand up with you and your spouse-to-be, you should make a list of their names, phones numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses.  This can serve as a quick reference whenever you need to ask their input, ask a favor, or make special arrangements.

Table Diagram The dreaded seating arrangement is something that many brides-to-be shudder about, however it doesn’t have to be overly stressful, and you should keep a copy of the chart in your binder, so alterations can be made if a guest suddenly has to cancel, or someone asks to bring a date that you weren’t planning on.