Your Ultimate Guide to Wedding Planning: Apps, Hacks and A Whole Lotta Gyan!

Planning a wedding involves endless details, deadlines, family drama, and far too often enough stress to make you want to just elope. We bring to you the ultimate wedding planning guide which will help you plan your wedding like a complete pro!

The Wedding Salad★ 4.9

Get an online planner You need to set up a system to keep track of the big picture and all the little details. If you don’t want to hire a wedding planner, download one! The WedMeGood App will help you plan every stage of your wedding. What a digital planner does is that you have all the information collated at the tips of your fingers- on your phone! Have or Make a checklist You may start to feel like you have so much to do and no time to do it. Push away that overwhelming feeling by setting priorities for the tasks on your to-do list. The WMG app has a killer checklist that can get you through months of wedding planning. Budgeting No matter what your wedding budget may be, here’s a rough idea of how much is typically spent in each category. Keep in mind that the numbers are not hard and fast. Some couples may, for example, choose to spend more on photography and less on flowers. It’s up to you!

• Wedding, Décor & Food: 50%
• Honeymoon: 15%
• Photography and videography: 5%
• Wedding Clothes: 12%
• Engagement rings and wedding bands: 6%
• Invitations: 2%

Miscellaneous: 10% DIY Decor Understanding DIY is key to keeping your budget from blowing like a balloon! You can do a small function’s décor with your friends but if you have a 500-people wedding, décor for that should be done by professional. Key is to know what to DIY and what to not!

Mahima Bhatia Photography★ 4.9

  Vendors They are the golden ticket to your wedding planning. Shortlist vendors, get references, do an online background search, set up meetings and then finalize. The vendor list at WMG has a reviews feature that can help you in making the right choice. Choose according to budget and type and culture. Even dates! Don't Be Shy When you're chatting with your wedding vendors, always ask them if there's anything extra you can add on to your planned package for a discount. You never know what added bonus they'll be willing to toss in. Erase the emotion While buying your wedding outfit or choosing the venue, you might get a little emotional as this is the biggest day of your life. Pulling the emotion out of the event and remaining level-headed as you shop will help you stay within the bounds of both budget and practicality.

Going Bananas Photography★ 5

Exercise regularly and keep to a healthy diet Even a 30-minute walk several times a week can be enough to keep you feeling energetic, if you are not working out. To prevent fatigue, take a multivitamin every day, especially if you’re skipping meals. Bring healthy snacks—almonds, a banana—along with you when you go shopping or to work. Talk To Your Married Friends The best people to talk to about what they did right and what they wish they did differently are those who recently got married. Shot-list Make a shot list for your photographer. Even if you aren’t doing formal, posed photos, you know there are some moments you’d be sad about not getting a picture with. Write it down and check it off.

Pic by Varun Suresh 

Read the fine print Always, always read all the terms and conditions of all contracts carefully. If the party's hopping, those extra 45 minutes may whiz by, but you'll probably pay dearly in overtime costs for everyone from the photographer to the venue manager. So read, negotiate and then sign. Always have backups Ok, now that you’ve got everything in one place, there are probably some things for which you should have backup plans. What if you have an outdoor function and it starts to pour? What if your shoes suddenly start giving you blisters? Have backups for all the important stuff that you can’t just do without. Bigger Doesn't Mean Better You might feel pressure to throw a gigantic wedding with a lot of people and a budget you can't afford. A bigger wedding is not a better wedding, especially if you want to have a more intimate vibe.

Varun Suresh

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Remember to pick your battles when something makes you upset. If it's a problem with a vendor or even a last-minute wedding day challenge, remind yourself that it's important to let the little things go throughout the process. Small Tips & Advices from WMG

1. Proofread all your invites. Make two other friends do it too!
2. Decide in advance what you’re going to eat on your wedding day and the days before. And choose healthy stuff that you know won’t upset a nervous stomach.
3. Ask for help. You can’t plan a wedding alone. Ask for friends and family to pitch in, they will be more than happy.
4. Ask your baker how to cut that first slice of cake. They often place dowels and plates in and between layers so that it doesn’t slip or fall over; it’s better to cut around those, yes?
5. Take a foodie-friend with you for all food-tastings. They have a better judgement of food. Take someone who is not overtly critical.
6. Put all your wedding money in one separate account, so you can easily track additions and withdrawals without getting it confused with the rest of your day-to-day funds.
7. Pay for as many of your expenses as possible on a credit card that gives you benefits like mileage, rewards, or cash back
8. Invite only people who are regularly in touch with you. No need to invite the whole office – just couple of close friends and your boss is enough.
9. If there’ll be kids in attendance, give them a favor that will keep them entertained.
10. Remember, how much ever you try – something might go not as planned. Let go and enjoy your moment!