People now get married in fewer numbers and later in life than previous generations. They also have different views and expectations of the institution. Besides, wedding costs are quite high.
The myriad things to remember and arrange make weddings complex events. Sometimes the stress of it all eclipses the enjoyment. However, technology can help you manage all the minute details without any glitches.
Helpful Apps and Websites
There are many apps and websites that can help make the various steps of wedding planning easy.
Finding inspiration
You can browse images for wedding ideas at Pinterest. Create an account there, set up pin boards and share them with others involved in the planning.
Being organized
Apps like Evernote allow you to keep all your much-needed information, tagged and categorized, in one place.
Stay on track by using apps, such as Wedding Happy or Our Wedding Planner. They function like to-do lists or digital notebooks.
The interactive wedding checklist on Brides.com helps monitor tasks, and the budget tracker on OurDreamWedding.com helps allocate your budget.
Choosing venues
Use specialized tools, such as Wedding Spot or The Knot’s venue search page, to find venues. Airbnb also offers wedding venues. Similarly, apps like Peerspace offer creative, less expensive wedding spaces.
Finalizing seat arrangements
Seating arrangements become easier if you use tools like AllSeated. They allow you to create 3D floor plans, convert contact lists to guest lists, etc.
Picking vendors
You can find vendors on websites, such as The Knot, WeddingWire, or MyWedding. Some websites cater to specific services–for example, LocalCatering and Gigsalad offer catering; SnapKnot and Photographer Central, photography; and GigMasters, bartending and music. More affordable options are available on sites like TaskRabbit.
Communicating with team members
Slack makes managing many people and communicating with them quite easy.
Planning Pod, an online event management software, helps keep everyone informed about every aspect of the wedding. Blossom, a project management tool, helps monitor event progress.
Doodle helps schedule meetings with input from everyone involved.
Designing wedding stationery
Create wedding stationery using tools like Canva and printing sites like VistaPrint. Paperless Post offers digital invitations.
Getting wedding clothes
You can buy new clothes from the many wedding boutiques or famous retailers online.
You can also buy used and sample sale wedding dresses at discounts from Nearly Newlywed or rent them via Rent the Runway. Tuxedos and suits for the groom and groomsmen are available for rent at Generation Tux and The Black Tux.
Union Station offers bridesmaids’ dresses.
Honeymoon planning
Wanderable helps create registries for honeymoons. It provides amazing options, such as curated recommendations and customized registry pages.
More Advanced Tools
If you are a professional wedding planner, some of the following technologies might help organize more personalized, unique and spectacular experiences.
Projection mapping: Projectors create 3D or 4D experiences by turning ordinary buildings into 3D interactive displays. This helps incorporate dynamic design elements into wedding venues.
5G: Its advent will affect all cloud-based apps, making them faster and more reliable. This will make your job easier and more efficient.
Branded multi-use apps: Use these for easier interactions with clients via phones before, during, and after the wedding.
Event diagramming: Event diagramming software helps map everything visually, saving time and providing clearer communication.
Wedding drones: Drone technology captures great wedding photos or videos, especially if the venue or weather make it difficult for regular photography.
Hidden cameras: Cameras hidden at strategic locations capture memorable moments, allowing you to present couples with wonderful footage of their weddings.
Robots to live-stream weddings: Robots live-streaming at weddings help those who are unable to participate to enjoy them from afar. This also saves money and frees up friends/relatives who usually take photos or videos.
Technology makes wedding planning easy and enjoyable. It also enhances the whole experience for the couples, their near and dear ones, and even the many different vendors.