Loading...

The Best Wedding Planning Tools for a Stress-Free Engagement

June 28, 2018 | riley

Image by Maria Bryzhko Photography. See more of this real wedding here

Your engagement should be a joyful time, not a stressful one. And our job at Junebug is to help keep the stress at bay and make planning a breeze. From wedding planning logistics like your vendors, budget, and guest list to design and decor to packing for your honeymoon, we’ve accumulated quite a few wedding planning tools along the way. We’re gathering all of these resources in one place so you can bookmark this page and visit throughout your wedding planning journey.

Wedding Planning Tools

Engagement

8 Tips For Nailing Your Engagement Photos

Now that you’re engaged, it’s time to plan your engagement photos! We know that this can feel overwhelming and nerve-wracking if you’re not used to being in front of the camera. Don’t fret, because these eight tips will help you feel comfortable so you can rock your shoot.

7 Engagement Photo Mistakes To Avoid

If you’re not a model or a photographer then there are most likely some mistakes you may not know about that many people make during their engagement sessions. This includes picking too many locations, not capturing sweet candid moments, and incorrect lighting. Having a good photographer can solve a lot of these problems, so keep scrolling and we’ll help you nail that too.

10 Outfit Ideas For Spring Engagement Photos

Shooting your engagement photos in the spring but not sure what to wear? From pastels to florals, we’ve put together 10 of our favorite outfits that photograph beautifully.

8 Outfit Ideas For Summer Engagement Photos

When it comes to taking your engagement photos in the summer, there’s only one thing that’s truly important–staying cool in the heat. But that doesn’t mean that you still can’t look stylish. Between summer dresses to linen button-ups, these outfits are to keep you looking (and feeling) cool.

Fall Engagement Outfit Inspiration

Layers, autumnal tones, and textures like satin and velvet–these are the looks we love for fall engagement photos. Get inspiration from seriously trendy couples who will make your outfit shopping a little easier.

Warm Winter Engagement Photo Outfit Ideas

Although staying warm is key for winter engagement photos, if you’re willing to risk the cold temps, you’ll be rewarded with magical photos. What’s more magical than portraits with your significant other in the heart of a winter snowstorm? Just be sure to bundle up!

Image by Erin and Geoffrey Photography. See more of this real wedding here

Logistics

12-Month Wedding Planning Timeline

A wedding planning timeline is one of the most useful tools you can have to keep you on track and stress-free in the months leading up to your big day. This 12-month timeline includes everything your planning process could possibly include, from creating your mood board to sending your final headcount to the caterer. Prefer a literal checklist? Don’t worry – we’ve got one of those too!

Wedding Budget Tool

Before diving into just about any aspect of wedding planning, it’s important to sit down and have a real conversation about your budget. That talk can be a tough one, so we’ve come up with this handy wedding budget tool to help you decide where to put your money and how much you can (and want to) spend on your day. In addition to the budget tool, check out our tips for determining a wedding budget that’s best for you and your partner. Our wedding planners also had some great tips!

Guest List Spreadsheet

Hand in hand with setting a budget comes creating your guest list. Every guest ultimate has a dollar sign attached to them, so you’ve got to align your wedding size with your budget size early in the process. Use our spreadsheet and these tips to help you narrow down your guest list to ensure that you’ve got the people you love most in attendance as you tie the knot. If you’re having a big wedding, but want it to feel personal, our guide on crafting an intimate wedding with a large guest list may be useful.

Wedding Vendor Directory

In case you hadn’t heard, our vendor directory is carefully curated to represent wedding professionals from all over the world. Looking for a wedding planner to help bring your vision to life or a photographer or videographer to capture it? We’re here to help with the most talented and trustworthy vendors–wherever it is you’re saying “I do!”

Not sure if you need a professional photographer? We think you do–and you can find out why here. And we feel the same about videographers, too.

Reception Seating Chart Guide

Seating charts are hard enough without having to guess how many people you can seat at each table! Let this reception seating chart guide help you visualize who should sit where depending on your table size. While you’re at it, get inspired by these 60 wedding seating chart ideas.

Wedding Website

Your wedding website is the easiest way to let your guests know all the details of your wedding weekend including what to wear, when to arrive, and what to expect. Use this wedding website checklist to ensure your wedding website is the one-stop resource your guests need to find answers to all their questions (so they don’t have to get in touch with you for every little thing!).

Image by MC Weddings. See more of this real wedding here

Design and Decor

Ultimate Wedding Decor Checklist

One of the most easily overwhelming aspects of wedding planning is decorating your day. Weddings include so many moving parts and little details. To help you decorate every inch of your day, we’ve put together a decor checklist that will save you some unwanted breakdowns. Whether you’re decorating a church, a bar/restaurant, a micro wedding, or an elopement–we’ve got you covered. One of our favorite places to look? Amazon!

Reception Table Styling Checklist

Beyond decorating the wedding, your reception tables can be a major source of stress if you’re unsure what goes where or which items to use. Fear not, as we’ve taken a deep dive with our reception table styling checklist to help you leave no table uncovered. Don’t forget your reception bar either!

If you’re on a budget, fear not. We’ve got 9 tips for decorating your reception on a budget. And of course, you can still make your night feel cozy with a small price tag. Check out how here!

Wedding Floral Checklist

Fretting over your wedding flowers? Pick and choose where to use them with our wedding floral checklist! If you’re looking for further floral inspiration, check out these 27 floral installations that will blow your mind. If you prefer a more natural look with greenery or pampas grass,  you may like some of these creative floral alternatives instead.

Wedding Signs

Wedding signs may seem like an unnecessary detail, but they can actually be a huge help in giving your guests the info they need to avoid asking you where they need to be on your wedding day. Give your guests all the info they need in style by checking off all the signage in this wedding sign round up.

Image by Oh Lovely Wedding. See more of this real wedding here

After the Wedding

Post-Wedding Checklist

Even though you’ve tied the knot, there are still a few things left to do after your wedding. Don’t let post-wedding stress ruin your newlywed bliss, though. Check off these post-wedding checklist to-dos sooner rather than later to get on with enjoying what the wedding was all about–the marriage.

Honeymoon Packing Checklist

Last, but certainly not least, is your honeymoon! Make packing a breeze whether you’re headed to the snow or the beach with our honeymoon packing checklist. Haven’t picked a destination for your upcoming honeymoon? No worries, we’ve rounded up some seriously romantic honeymoon destinations. We’ve also gathered our favorite Airbnb honeymoon homes and creative honeymoon ideas that don’t require travel.

We hope these wedding planning tools make your planning easier! If you’re looking for even more resources, check out our step-by-step roadmap!

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings

This Couple Filled Brandywine Manor House with Evergreen Details for Their New Year’s Day Wedding

June 28, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

After just five short months of planning, Carlyn and Dylan transformed Brandywine Manor House into the winter wedding wonderland of their dreams! To integrate their love of nature and make their ceremony feel as if they were outdoors, the couple used evergreen trees as the backdrop for their ceremony inside the venue’s rustic barn. They also brought in  Flowers by Jena Paige to create winter-inspired red and white floral bouquets and simple greenery table runners to add subtle pops of color. We can’t get enough of the handmade details, especially the National Park table numbers and custom seating chart map, as well as the winter-specific details, such as the blanket wraps and s’mores bar, which truly made this a cozy affair to remember. EarthMark Photography did a brilliant job of capturing every dreamy and romantic moment of Carlyn and Dylan’s wedding!

The Couple:

Carlyn and Dylan

The Wedding:

Brandywine Manor House, Honey Brook, Pennsylvania

Throughout our wedding planning process, we wanted everything to be true to who we are as individuals and together as a couple. We were grateful to have so many amazing vendors who made this possible. We both felt incredibly honored to have family and friends fly in from all over the country. Nothing was better than being in a room with so many people who have been integral parts of our lives!

We fell in love with Brandywine Manor House the first time we walked through the doors. Dylan and I knew we wanted a natural space that felt homey and comfortable and we wanted our guests to feel the same. Once we saw the use of natural wood and fireplaces we were sold. It felt so cozy on the day-of and the venue was so beautiful that we used minimal decorations to accent space.

Dylan and I have a love of the outdoors and wanted to feel like we were around nature despite having an indoor winter wedding, We chose to have evergreens as our alter background, which made us feel like we were getting married in the woods plus it smelled amazing. We also decided to write our vows together, each promising each other the same things in front of our family and friends.

We have a goal to visit as many national parks as possible and wanted to incorporate this into our reception. To do so, we numbered our tables with National park postcards and displayed the table seatings on a giant wooden map of the US, which my aunt created. She also made our welcome sign! Dylan stained and assembled our cake/cupcake display as well as our wooden coaster wedding favors for a personalized touch.

Processional – “More Than Words” (instrumental) by Extreme
First Dance – “I Like to be With Me When I’m With You” by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

The Wedding Team:

Photography – EarthMark Photography
Venue – Brandywine Manor House
Floral Design – Flowers by Jena Paige
Catering – Williamson Catering
Cake – Bella’s Desserts
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Something You Onsite

 

Congratulations to Carlyn and Dylan, and our biggest thanks to Junebug member EarthMark Photography for sharing this cozy winter wedding at Brandywine Manor House with us! Planning a winter wedding of your own? Let us help you find your perfect style with these 15 winter bridal looks!

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings

Southwestern Bohemian Fort Worth Wedding at The Post at River East

Scout and Michael gave southwestern vibes an artsy, bohemian twist in their wedding at The Post at River East. Using a combination of macrame details, subtle greenery, mismatched glass jars, and table numbers made from broken terra cotta pieces, they created an edgy and earthy feel that beautifully complemented the worn look of the historic outdoor venue. The couple also honored the bride’s Mexican heritage with a Mariachi band, a taco truck, and an impressive assortment of traditional sweets at the reception. Scout’s bridal look fully embraced the bohemian and southwestern vibes with a lace top from Sarah Seven, custom skirt created by her friend, Julianna Reese, a delicate floral crown that popped against her blue-green hair, and a fringe jacket that tied it all together. This wedding was a visually captivating representation of this couple’s artistic perspective, and the photography duo of Liesl Claire Photography and Matthew Allen Photography captured their vision perfectly.

The Couple:

Scout and Michael

The Wedding:

The Post at River East, Fort Worth, Texas

My main goal was to make sure the entire month leading up to the wedding and the wedding day itself were as unstressful as I could make them. I used to work in the wedding industry and heard countless horror stories of brides who didn’t fully get to enjoy their engagement time due to being stressed. I had the goal of having everything planned and ready to go a solid one month before the wedding date. I didn’t meet my deadline perfectly, but I got really close! Throughout my wedding planning season, I wanted to ensure the wedding date would be stress-free, laid back, and totally us. I think we nailed it!

I’m an artist and art teacher and Michael is a home remodeler, so we both had a lot of opinions and ideas for how the wedding should be styled. Our wedding vibe was picked to be a visual reflection of our two cultures coming together in this marriage with an artistic twist. I am Hispanic, and it was important to me to reflect my heritage in many ways during our ceremony and reception. We had a Mariachi band play right after the ceremony, which was a delight to everyone there!

I chose a non-traditional entrance down the aisle and it made me (and everyone else) cry. One thing I knew right after getting engaged was that I wanted my siblings to be my Bridal Party, but I still had close friends I wanted to be included in my day, as well. I ended up having a partial solo walk down the aisle and built my wedding bouquet using my friends on either side of the aisle to hand me the flowers as I walked down. Michael’s mother then tied off the flowers for me half-way down and both my parents escorted me down the remainder of the aisle — per Mexican tradition of both parents walking the bride down. It was such a touching experience to hug each of my closest friends as they handed me bits of greenery to build my bouquet! I loved having my friends so intimately included in the ceremony.

Fashion is something I thoroughly enjoy, and I knew my wedding day style had to reflect not only my personality and heritage but also be something I could rock on the dance floor! I tried on several dresses but ended up leaving the bridal boutique with only a top and the ambition to find the perfect skirt, which was easier said than done. After searching for months, I couldn’t find one I loved, so I asked my friend who is a costume designer to help create a skirt that fit all my needs. She killed it! For the reception, I traded in the full skirt for a shorter, more traditional Mexican-inspired skirt that my brother hand embroidered for me.

Sticking to our Southwest theme, we chose to have a food truck that served street tacos for our reception dinner. Guests loaded up on chips and salsa at our chip bar, enjoyed a stocked dessert bar featured Pan Dulce treats, and got to choose from several Aguas Frescas from our bar along with Michael’s favorite beers and cocktails!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Liesl Claire Photography
Second Shooter – Matthew Allen Photography
Day-Of Coordinator – The Southern Socialite
Venue – The Post at River East
Floral Design – Oso Pretty Things
Catering – Salsa Limon
Cake – Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery
DJ – DJ Sean P
Wedding Dress – Sarah Seven (top) and Julianna Reese (skirt)
Rentals – Sugar Creek Vintage Rentals

 

Congratulations and a special thanks to Scout and Michael for sharing their incredible wedding at The Post at River East with Junebug! Love the southwestern vibes the couple infused into their big day? Then you have to see this intimate southwestern desert wedding at Moab Under Canvas!

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings