The internet has gifted us with many, many websites devoted to wedding inspiration, wedding blogs, down to DIY videos. I’m going to help cut through the clutter and give you my top 15 wedding apps and online tools to get through planning a little easier. (Trust me, I wish I had SEVERAL of these while planning years ago).
While technology at weddings can turn ultra frustrating (if I see one more aisle shot ruined by an iPad!), there are definitely some advantages to using our devices when it comes to wedding planning, and the big day itself. Most of you reading this post will be doing so on a phone or tablet, so why not use this remarkable device to handle some of the heavy lifting? Let’s get started!
This may seem fairly obvious, but I did run into a couple of people this week who say they don’t even have a Pinterest account! So just in case, anyone planning a wedding doesn’t use this invaluable resource, create an account and let your imagination run wild! Pinterest is unsurprisingly the number one resource for wedding inspiration. You can set up your pinboards, and invite bridal party or family members, your planner, or anyone else for that matter, to collaborate with you! Having boards helps keeps things organized and all in one place. It’s almost one of the most used wedding apps out there, so download it to your phone!
Seating Apps
Two highly-rated wedding apps to help with the stress of making a seating plan are All Seated and Top Table Planner.
All Seated is used by couples, event planners, and venues alike to create seating charts with ease. It allows total flexibility and collaboration with your venue. This is a huge benefit as it prevents a lot of back and forth. If you have a large guest list, unusual venue layout, or if you’re using a mix of table styles, this app will be a lifesaver!
Top Table Planner is really great for people like me because I’m all visual, and I love drag and drop options. It’s easy to use, and you can rearrange ’til your heart’s content. The only downside is the full version is a bit pricy at $20. You can always use the free version to plan it out, you just can’t save it.
La Fête
This app has been touted as a “planner in your pocket” and was created by Bespoke event planners La Fête. If you haven’t already checked out their Instagram, even just for inspiration, you SHOULD. The app they created is fully comprehensive and it packs a lot of punch! When I say fully comprehensive, I mean it helps with calculating budgets, mood boards, planning your playlist, and setting up your monthly to-do lists. It’s a one-stop-shop to keep stress down and your planning on time!
Trello
This app is one of the most recommended wedding apps when it comes to wedding planning. You may say, “Isn’t this for businesses?” Yes, it is very helpful in the corporate world, but it’s also GREAT for wedding planning! It helps you create a list of what you need to buy, book, plan, or make, then divide the tasks between whomever (you and your spouse-to-be, a bridesmaid or groomsman etc) and prioritize them week by week. Moving everything do the “done” list is therapeutic!
Spotify
This could be for any streaming service of your choice, but Spotify is a very popular service nowadays. It’s easy to create playlists not just for the reception, but for getting ready, cocktail hour, and/or light music over dinner. Feel free to collaborate with your other half, bridesmaid, groomsman, your wedding DJ and more to dance the night away!
Back when Tim and I got married, we weren’t aware of Spotify or other streaming services offering the creation of playlists. Therefore we created a playlist (after scouring the internet) and downloaded the songs to an iPod. A great friend of ours set it up over the speakers of the reception venue. It seems dated, but it worked just fine! Use what you feel works best for you!
Google Drive
This is a great place to store all of your spreadsheets, signed contacts, and forms in one place! Some spreadsheets you might want to make are guest addresses and dietary requirements.
Bridebook
Guys. Out of all of the wedding apps I’ve mentioned, this one is out of control. I wish I had this app when I was getting married! It combines your budget planner, to-do list timeline, and vendor search in all in one handy tool.
The most amazing feature is that you can type in your total budget and it will divvy it up among all the different aspects of your wedding based on the average costs in your area. How. Freaking. Helpful. IS THAT?! Of course you can then edit it depending on the parts of your wedding you want to prioritize – and it’s so user-friendly!
Wedding Websites
Many of you have probably been sent, or seen, a link to a wedding website. These are so helpful for having links straight to registries, providing information (like parking), a backstory for the couple, and more. It’s wonderful because it’s truly customizable and as a guest, it’s easy to find out just about anything you need all in one place. Some of the most popular places a couple can make a wedding website are on The Knot, Riley & Grey, Zank You, Minted and AppyCouple.
Gift Registries
These are such a blessing, right? No matter what kind of registry, having your friends and family give you a jumpstart into your new home/honeymoon/life is amazing. They add a bit of class to sending and receiving cash gifts. Tim and I personally forewent a traditional registry and created an online honeymoon fund. (We also placed a jar at the reception, which anyone can do even if they have a traditional registry).
A good wedding registry site makes it easy for you to choose gifts in person or online, it tracks what’s been purchased, keeps details for thank you notes organized, and allows for your gifts to be delivered all in one day – instead of receiving many gifts at different times leading up to the wedding.
Here are some of the most popular places to go spend some time, and dream up your new life together: Bed Bath & Beyond, MyRegistry.com, The Wedding Shop, Crate and Barrel, Simple Registry, and Macy’s.
There are many honeymoon fund websites. Be careful to read the fine print, because some sites charge fees for handling your money!
Postable
I wish this was around when I got married too! A friend of mine has been using it for her wedding, and it makes like so much easier! All you have to do is email a link from Postable to all of your guests. They click through, and fill in their details. That’s it! It also exports an excel sheet to make life easy-peasy. (A good to place to store this would be in your Google Drive, as mentioned above 😉 ).
Wedpics
While you’re surely going to receive wonderful images from your photographer, being able to see your day from your guest’s eyes is so fun! There are a few wedding apps out there with similar descriptions, but this one has one leg up! You’re now able to not just add photos but videos too! Direct your guests to download the app, and they can add photos even on the day! You will see everything from everyone, all in one place.
Etsy
I, myself, used Etsy while wedding planning. There are so many beautiful handmade items (as if you didn’t already know) on this site. I bought my garters here, and loved the lady I worked with allowed full customization of coloring, pearls, and rhinestones.
You can also find personalized favors, bridal party gifts, and even wedding dresses! The items are limitless, so if you’re not sure where to look for that special something – try Etsy.
Appy Couple
Of all of the wedding apps, this one seems to also be topping the charts with raving reviews. It’s a comprehensive app that allows you to create your wedding website, collect RSVPs, manage your timeline, collect photos and more. One of the coolest features is your guests can even book their travel through the app! Now, with all that said, it’s not free. This app is a bit pricy at $49, and if you want to go all out they now offer a luxury version for $149.
Pantone Studio
Finding your wedding color palette can be intimidating. The color masters at Pantone created this app to guide you through the color matching process. You can test out color pallets, and even extract color matches from photos on your phone. Once you’ve found at least one color you love, it offers complementary colors to create your full palette design!
Wedding LookBook by The Knot
Here again, this is something I wish was around when I was wedding planning! As a visual person, this would have been PERFECT for me. If you haven’t found that perfect dress yet, I highly suggest you at least take a gander here.
You can browse every style dress from ballgown to mermaid. Once you find something you love, Wedding LookBook connects you to salons that carry dresses and designers that you’ve set your eye on. How amazing is that!?
You can also bookmark dresses—and even engagement rings and bands—as you shop, so you can come back to look at your favorites later. You can also browse accessories and speak to shops directly to set up appointments. What a lifesaver!
I hope you found this post helpful, and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out! Happy planning!
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