Details Tech: Planning 2.0
The Web, software and apps are among the helpful tools for keeping track of wedding plans and connecting with guests.
1. Blogs
Creating a wedding blog allows you to keep your guests informed by posting dates, times and addresses instantly. Guests to your blog (and presumably your wedding) can reply to your posts and give feedback. Make this a positive thing by getting guests’ opinions and advice for such things as menu items, song selections and more. Free blogs can be created easily at blogger.com, wordpress.com or on most personal Websites.
2. Apps
Paid: Wedding Wire lets you access your weddingwire.com account, where you can search vendors, connect with other brides and more. Brides Dressing Room by Nearbynow Inc. lets you browse gowns and BM dresses, then tracks them down at the nearest store.
Free: iWedding Deluxe by Serendipity App Co. is a wedding planner in the palm of your hand. Bride Guide by Ania & Olivia Events LLC was created by professional wedding planners and lets you count down your wedding, keep track of your budget and more. With iBridalGown: Wedding Dress Shopping Assistant by Daveworld Inc. you can store and organize dress information, along with photos of gowns taken with your iPhone, while shopping for a gown.
3. Save-the-dates
E-mailing your save-the-dates can be both cost-effective and Earth-friendly. Save-the-date e-cards can be found online at hallmark.com, americangreetings.com and ourweddingday.com, and they’re free! Another paperless option is to send DVD save-the-dates. Visually Remember (visuallyremember.com, 321.252.8311), located in Sanford, offers invitation/announcement video services, which can be sent out as save-the-dates.
4. Software
Most programs allow you to keep track of your budget, vendors, timelines, invitations, contacts, RSVPs and more. iDo Wedding Couple Edition ($37.95) offers a free 30-day trial, available for download. Tabula Rasa Couple Edition ($29.95) has event design and seating software, allowing you to create 3-D, to-scale seating layouts of the big day. Both of these programs can be purchased at elmsoftware.com. Marziplanner ($49.95, marziplanner.com) also lets you keep track of all of your wedding details, from the budget to seating and floor plans to stationery and gifts. A “risk-free” seven-day trial is available. My Style Wedding ($24.98, mystylewedding.com) includes 3-D wedding scenes, wedding animations and instruction videos.
5. Websites
Web pages offer more than blogs when it comes to customization and features. Many sites let you share your registries, choose from hundreds of customizable layouts and control privacy. Pages can be free when you sign up with a website, like weddingchannel.com, or paid, such as ewedding.com and weddingtracker.com. Some sites offer free trials or the option to have a free or premium account.
