Wedding Resources
Perusing the Web for wedding resources the first time can make you dizzy there are so many! In order to make managing the Web a bit easier, this resource page is meant to give you a clear and concise overview of what the Web has to offer in the way of wedding planning.
General Sites
A few Web sites offer a variety of services (usually free with registration) regarding budgeting, planning, etiquette, advice, and more. Here are some of the most popular. Keep in mind that it might take you a few days to check out the various sites so that you can get a feel for which best suits the way you like to organize things.
- The Knot -- This is certainly one of the best wedding Web sites around if you want something that is clear, comprehensive, thorough, and easy to use. Plus, it's a nice looking site with great features and tools. You can track your budget, see what you need to be doing on a weekly basis, search for gowns, vendors, and more and have the information conveniently saved in your online "notebook". You can even create a free "wedding Web page" which your friends and family can view to find out more about your engagement and the wedding event. If you had to choose only one site to depend on, The Knot would be an excellent starting point.
- TheWeddingChannel.com -- You can't go wrong with this site. It allows you to plan, create a wedding Web page, manage your guest list, create a registry, research your honeymoon, and more. You can even browse wedding dresses, accessories, and other fashion and beauty items, and then with a few clicks, find out where your favorites are sold. If you need something basic, but with all the essentials, then this is the place to visit.
- Brides.com -- If you have ever read the magazines, Modern Bride, Brides, or Elegant Bride, then you should have a good idea of what this site has to offer. Its primary goal is to keep you up to date on fashion, beauty, and style, but it is also useful for learning about budgeting and planning. As far as an online wedding planning Web site, it's not the easiest to use, but it does break down your tasks by actual dates, which make it very easy to schedule tasks. Most other websites simply tell you to do something 9 months prior, 3 weeks in advance, etc. It is also original in that it breaks down what you need to do by topic as well as chronologically.
- Bridal Guide -- This is similar to the above mentioned Web sites, and it is also based on the popular magazine, Bridal Guide. You'll get helpful information regarding tradition and etiquette, fashion and beauty, and a comprehensive planning section with advice on the ceremony to budget and much more. This site also has advice about relationships and destination weddings. A very good resource if you don't want to pay for the magazine even though there are no interactive planning features as you'll find on other sites.
- Bliss Weddings -- Want to have a blissful wedding? Use one of the many checklists and worksheets on this site to plan and prepare for your big day. In fact, if you are strapped for cash and can't hire a wedding planner, you can download the PDF planner which tells you everything you need to know for free. You can also use their nifty floral generator to scout out the best flowers to either match your wedding's color scheme, those that grow locally where you are having your wedding, or which are in season when you plan to marry.
- Wedding Solutions -- This site allows you to plan, find vendors, shop, and learn. There is also a free registry and honeymoon registry. You can create a wedding Web page too. You may also benefit from the message board called "My Wedding Journal".
- The Ultimate Wedding -- There is a vast quantity of information here, literally hundreds of articles on all sorts of topics that you might encounter when planning a wedding. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting place, but a way to supplement another site that helps you plan and organize. It is especially suitable for figuring out the details: wording invites, choosing your wedding music from start to finish, and writing vows.
- Martha Stewart Weddings -- She certainly seem to know how to handle everything, doesn't she? Well, if you love her gardening, cooking, or crafts, then this is certainly a great site to check out. You'll notice the focus is on decorating, dressing, eating, and crafting the wedding, so if you tend to prefer do it yourself projects, this is the site for you. There is also an eight-page printable PDF planning workbook, which is an excellent way to plan if you prefer to write things down rather than use a computer. Go here if you want some extra advice for planning a classy wedding.
- USA Bride -- This is quite similar to what the Ultimate Wedding offers; lots of articles and advice from planning to fashion and more. However, it's not the site for getting organized. Use this as an extra resource for tips, tricks, and other FAQs that might arise throughout the planning process.
- About.com -- About.com truly seems to know a good deal about many a thing and weddings are no exception. This is a great resource for getting started, organizing, and more. It certainly covers the basics and then some. Unfortunately, there are no interactive planning tools.
- Wedding Locations -- Beverly Clark's Wedding Locations is a site with an interactive planner and budgeter as well as many other planning tools for making lists and worksheets. There are also some guides thrown into the mix. The real draw to this site is how it helps you plan a destination wedding. Pick a country or world location and it gives you a series of places that can provide you with wedding services.
- Organic Weddings -- Your complete resource for how to have an organic wedding from start to finish.
- Indiebride.com -- A great resource for those who want to do it all themselves.
- Lifetime TV Weddings -- They have some useful and inspiring articles mostly related to style and fashion.
- Town and Country -- While they don't offer interactive tools, they do offer plenty of articles related to planning and fashion.
- DIY Bride -- That's right, you can have a wedding and not spend an arm and leg. That is if you do it yourself. This blog helps you make your own favors, dress a cake, compile a bountiful bouquet, and more.
- Wedding Bee -- If you live in New York City, or the tri-state area, you might take advantage of this blog dedicated to the bride-to-be. It includes everything from tips on where to find designer trunk shows to fun favors and more.
- Mod Girl -- For the hip bride-to-be, this site offers some fun tips and tidbits of advice.
- Just Engaged -- Congratulations you're engaged! Now what? You can get help from the many wedding vendors on this site.
For the Groom and Guys
Unique Wedding Links for Planning
Find planners, decorations, and more at the following locations. Each one has a designer touch to give your wedding a personalized and posh touch.
Wedding Web Sites
The following sites are designed specifically for creating personalized wedding Web pages where you can include a variety of information about you and your spouse, the engagement, and the wedding. It is the perfect place to list the itinerary for a destination wedding, the directions to get the the reception hall, or to post photos. Typically, sites offer a free package as well as packages you must pay for. Consider which level of involvement your guests will have with this page and how much you yourself will really use all of the features before paying extra money for such a site. If you only need the basics, a general wedding planning site, like those mentioned above will be perfectly suitable for your needs.
Blogs
Find out what bloggers are talking about when it comes to weddings. Get ideas, find resources, and share stories.
Budgeting Tips and Tricks
The following sites are listed alphabetically
- About.com -- A printable financial planning worksheet to track your wedding expenses that is organized in easy to read categories.
- Infostuff.com -- A short article about how to break down your budget by percentages, plus some tips on how to save cash here and there.
- iVillage -- Several articles about budgeting for a wedding.
- Wedding Bells -- This features a budgeter converter in which you enter what type of wedding you plan to have (simple, traditional, or extravagant) and the number of guests that you want. It then breaks down costs by category giving a good estimate of what the average cost of a wedding is with the criteria you submit. You can add additional items that you plan to buy to get a more reasonable idea of what you'll spend.
Resources for Interfaith Marriages
Wedding Gowns
If you are buying a custom wedding dress, or if you want to buy from a reputable vendor you won't just be able to search for a dress on a search engine, unfortunately. You'll actually have to look through the dresses available on a particular site to see what they offer. An easy way to get an idea of what you are looking for is to use a tool like they have at theknot.com where after registering you can browse several makers dresses and immediately see where the closet vendor location is in your area. Below you'll see some of the most popular wedding dress makers categorized according to their average cost. Another useful Web site that you might be interested in is DressFinder.com. You can find nearly every dress maker on the Web and click directly to their site.
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| Budget Priced | Mid-Range | Luxury |
- If you are searching for bridesmaid's dresses, a fun site to look at is Bridesmaid.com. It lets you browse styles in every color by makers such as Dessy, Alfred Sung, and Dessy. Even if you aren't buying from these specific makers, just perusing through the different dresses can give you an idea of which you really like and what kind of style they'll add to your wedding.
- Bridal magazines are so fun, yet if you have a free moment on your computer, you might as well check out your favorite mags online. For example, In Style Wedding is online and full of popular articles about fashion, style, and shopping. Find everything from runway hits to beautiful ideas for updos and of course, the latest in wedding shopping (i.e. invites, decorations, rings).
- Can't afford a gown? Get one to use for free with the Fairytale Dreams Program.
Miscellaneous Wedding Web Sites
