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Depending on how big and extravagant you want your wedding to be, the wedding planning process can range from being somewhat manageable to nightmarishly complicated. Wherever you fall on the complicated-manageable scale, having at least some theoretical know-how to start with is always a bonus.
No single book can cover everything there’s to know and consider about weddings and their planning, but many come very close.
In the list below we’ve found the top 8 wedding planning books that can help you plan and organize the wedding of your dreams.
1- The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer
When compiling a wedding planning book list, starting with The Knot’s Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer is a no-brainer. Written by Carley Rodney, this extensive wedding planner includes almost everything you might need during the whole process. Of course, as it’s carrying the Knot’s name and brand, this wedding planner & organizer also comes at quite a hefty price, several times that of others on this list. However, as is evident by its reviews, most people find it to be worth it as do we as well.
In it you’ll find:
- A wide array of worksheets, checklists, and a calendar.
- A comprehensive etiquette advice section.
- An extensive FAQ section where you’ll find the answer to almost every question you might have.
“I bought this thinking it could just help me get the basic planning done. Honestly it is so packed full of information my mind was blown! It lists things to do I probably would not have even thought about until the last minute. Hands down an essential item needed to keep any bride sane and organized without them having to build a planner themselves.”
2- The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner and Organizer
A much more budget-friendly book for budget-savvy wedding planning is this gem by Jessica Bishop. Available both as a paperback and as an even more affordable e-book, Bishop’s Wedding Planner and Organizer includes hundreds of practical tips, as well as a lot of write-in resources and tools that can be of great help to any soon-to-be-married couple.
In it you’ll find:
- Checklists and worksheets.
- Economical engagement tips and budget-saving advice.
- Lists of venues, vendors, and other experts.
- DIY décor tips.
“Best planner for a budget conscious bride and groom. This book leaves room for creativity and gives the option for either DIY or buying for each thing on your check list. It is very informative and lets you know what you’re getting into but doesn’t just throw you in the deep end. Everything in this book is customizable and personal and I feel ready to plan a wedding in my budget now! Great book! Highly recommend!”
3- The Wedding Planner Checklist: A portable guide to organizing your dream wedding
This Wedding Planner Checklist is a surprisingly extensive guide to wedding organizing. It comes in a small pocket size and includes a lot of write-in tools, making it a fantastic diary-type planner that you can take with you wherever you go. It’s not the most complete planner guide out there but it still includes quite a lot of vital information and goes very well with other, more theory-oriented planners.
In it you’ll find:
- A great deal of fill-in lists, charts, guided note-taking sections.
- Lightweight and comfortable to carry around thanks to its 5-3/4” wide x 8-1/4′ dimensions.
- Back cover includes pocket compartments for business cards, receipts, notes, etc.
“This has been so great to have! I ordered this planner a few weeks after I got engaged just to have something to follow along with the planning process. The huge books seemed too much for me and had pages that I would never use and information I would never read. This compact version can fit in your purse but also has all the pages to write out what you talk to the catering/ bakery/ florist etc. about. I love this planner!”
4- The Wedding Planner and Organizer
Mindy Weiss’ Wedding Planner & Organizer is one of those complete planning and organization guides that we’d recommend everyone has when planning their wedding. It’s available in both a ring-bound paperback and a more expensive hardcover that makes for an excellent gift. It’s budget-friendly and the wide range of tips, guides, and insight that it can give you is bound to save you incalculable time and resources during the wedding planning process.
In it you’ll find:
- A lot of Big Picture sections about the wedding’s budget, location, and contacts.
- Tons of tips and advice on the details surrounding every wedding – the rentals, the menus and flowers, the music, videography and photography, and more.
- A lot of write-in spreadsheets, checklists, schedules, and more.
“I liked this product as it helped me think about aspects of the wedding that I hadn’t thought about. A helpful cue. Also, I liked the A4 size as a lot of information from suppliers was also provided in A4 size so I could place the information in the ring binder also to keep everything in the one folder.”
5- A practical wedding planner – A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the Wedding You Want with the Budget You’ve Got (without Losing Your Mind in the Process)
This is a great middle-of-the-road option written by Meg Keene. Not only is it moderately priced with an even cheaper Kindle option but it also offers a great balance between lots of useful information and a practical step-by-step guide together with fill-in tools that can help you along the way. This planner hits the key problems of most couples – how to plan a wedding without losing our savings and without losing our minds.
In it you’ll find:
- Lots of fill-in spreadsheets and checklists for every step of the wedding planning process.
- A step-by-step guide that’s flexible enough to translate to anyone’s dream wedding, regardless of size and preferences.
- Plenty of tips and advice regarding all the details that come with planning a wedding – wedding décor, catering, rentals, and the venue itself, budget issues, social issues, and more.
“This book is full of useful, pragmatic ideas and advice. It’s brilliantly nonjudgmental, which was exactly what I needed. It also contains some ideas I hadn’t thought of, such as a list of traditional wedding things to go through with your partner and mark whether they’re important to you or not – it’s helped us to focus on the key bits and disregard the things that may matter to others, but not to us! Simple but effective and very laid back.”
6- DIY Wedding Planner – A Step-by-Step Binder to Organize Your Dream Day
Marketed as the “most complete DIY wedding planner, this one definitely comes close to being just that. It includes a lot of practical tools for you to use during the whole process, as well as almost all the guides, tips, and advice you’ll need along the way. There are even some surprise additions in it to further make the whole process even more pleasant.
In it you’ll find:
- A lot of timeline sheets, spreadsheets, guest lists and contact lists, budget checklists, and more.
- Lots of extra space for your own vision boards, sketches, layouts, etc.
- A monthly update calendar, a gorgeous gift box, and a lot of stickers.
- Money-back guarantee if you’re not happy with the planner.
“Beautiful wedding planner! I bought this for my friend as an engagement gift and she absolutely loved it. The details and accessories are lovely. She likes the tips and examples for invitations and all the information in the planner.”
7- Wedding Planner & Undated Bridal Planning Diary
This 132-page book is a great diary companion that will help get you through the whole wedding planning process. It includes almost everything you’d expect or even think of from a wedding planning guide and more. It’s also beautifully designed and is durable enough for you to comfortably take it with you one every meeting and appointment along the way.
In it you’ll find:
- A lot of guides, pointers, and tips for every step of the whole process – from planning your budget and the reception to managing all the minor details.
- The planner is specifically customized to American weddings and includes tips relevant to U.S couples.
- The organizer comes with a lot of fill-in sections and additions – a calendar, bullet point checklists, a wedding diary, a pocket for business cards, notes, and more.
- Money-back guarantee if you don’t want to use (and haven’t used) the planner after checking it out.
“I love this planner! It’s exactly what I need. I love that it has vision boards and pockets for extra things. It’s really a great planner and nicely put together! Definitely worth getting if you’re planning a wedding.”
8- Oh, Sh*t Just Got Real! Wedding Planner and Organizer
This aptly named and quite budget-friendly paperback wedding planner is last on our list but shouldn’t be last on yours. It’s more than a 100 pages long and it includes a lot of vital information for any engaged couple. Published by Dream Wedding Press, this little paperback can make an excellent companion during the long road to your wedding day or a great gift for a recently engaged couple.
In it you’ll find:
- Multiple great guides and tips for every stage of the wedding planning process.
- Even more practical tools such as fill-in spreadsheets, guest lists, checklists, table seater planner, vendor contact sheets, a calendar, and more.
Very organized! Lists everything I could have wanted and more!
As you can see, there’s no shortage of wedding guides and planning aides out there. Of course, couples can’t be expected to get every single one of them but we’d strongly recommend picking a combination of one bigger and more info-rich guide and one more practically-oriented pocket-sized option to take with you between meetings.
