Last updated June 2024
Wedding-Planning Resources
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that once you’re engaged, everyone will offer their (unsolicited) opinions about your nuptials. From the date of your ceremony to the menu to the guest list, you’ll get an earful. Not to mention all the pressure online to make your event stand out, particularly from vendors and websites clamoring to sell you on their vision (and services).
To help you cut through the noise and fight the brain-melting stress—hey, maybe eloping IS the right idea—here are our favorite wedding-related resources.
Getting Started
Still building your Pinterest board? Carats & Cake is great place to find inspiration. You can sort by location and look at photos uploaded by newlyweds to find vendors whose work you like, especially helpful if you’re planning from afar. Love that bouquet? Click to connect with the florist who created it. Did that venue take your breath away? Click to see more photos of events that took place there. Another benefit: C&C helps you access small-town and under-the-radar vendors you might not discover elsewhere.
Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, Wedding Wire and The Knot have a wealth of planning resources, from budgeting tools and checklists to ratings of venues and vendors. Wedding Wire also has a forum where couples can ask questions and get support from others plotting their big days.
At Checkbook, you’ll find independent reviews of wedding consultants, bridal shops, florists, photographers, caterers, jewelry stores, and tailors and sewing shops—without any ads or marketing hype.
Getting Organized
Now that you’ve hashed out the details, put it in one place on your own wedding website. They’re a must in the digital age, and a great tool for sharing all the relevant info with your guests.
The Knot has easy-to-use website-building tools, but we also like Zola. The company started as a registry app and now encompasses everything weddings. Zola allows couples to build custom websites centralizing all the important details: wedding-related events, transportation, lodging, your registry, and FAQs. You can even have guests submit RSVPs, food allergies, or song requests through the site. Plus, Zola’s mobile app is easy to navigate and keeps users connected to a community of other engaged couples.
Zola offers stationery options that match your site, but we also recommend looking at Minted’s suite of designs. Bonus: They’ll print your guests’ names and addresses on the envelopes for you.
Other Details
The big day approaches, and you and your beloved have your wedding best. If your wedding party still needs outfitting, try the bridesmaid dresses and pantsuits at Azazie and Birdy Grey, which come in a rainbow of colors and start at around $99. For rentals, here are a few popular sites.
For groomsmen and ushers, weigh the benefits of renting versus buying your suit outright. Wedding season does come around every year, and a nicely tailored navy or black suit can be handy for work or other more formal events. Costs to buy a suit or tux range from $200 to more than $2,000, depending on the fabric, designer, and where you shop; rentals range from $100 to $250. If you do rent, sites like Generation Tux will even let you add on a dress shirt, belt, tie, and shoes.
Unless you’re having a completely unplugged event, your guests will likely be glued to their smartphones. Consider creating an online storage drive to collect photos and videos—maybe someone will catch something your photographer or videographer missed! There are plenty of apps, and wedding-planning site Joy includes this feature, but Google Drive or Google Photos work just as well. Share a link with your guests in advance on your website or leave a QR code on a small sign with instructions at your venue.