Everyday Lists for a Bride to Be

Without a doubt your head will be spinning for months and on the day it can go either way! I’m sure you have heard of those super organised brides… maybe you are even a little bit envious? What I want to tell you is that you can be that way too with just a few simple lists! Now don’t get me wrong this will take some time but in the long run you are going to be thankful. There are a multitude of fancy apps and wedding planner books but what we recommend is 4 separate lists. The only catch is to keep on top they must be running lists… as in updated regularly.

Our recommendation is using a Google Doc… we like that it is editable and you can even choose to give access to others such as your partner, maid of honour, wedding planner and so on.

1. Guest List

Now I am not going to tell you this is easy. This is possibly one of the toughest wedding planning tasks as a couple you will face. I recommend getting into this straight away and draft an initial guest list. This is the time you look at culling the list which is horrible and we recommend a glass of wine and be prepared for a few arguments! However, once it is agreed on you can then start looking at venues that can cater for your number and also allocate the necessary amount in your budget.  

2. To-Do

Trust me when I say that this list will get bigger before it gets smaller! I personally like a good old fashioned notebook/planner which you can pop easily in your bag but the more techy savy bride may opt for a google docs or wedding website such as The Knot. This list is different than your timeline as the timeline keeps you on track of what you need to add to your to-do list…. Trust me wedding planning is an art!

3. Day-of list

So this list should look like a runsheet of the day and also noting the jobs you have delegated to others. This will streamline the whole day and ensure you have enough time for morning prep, getting to the venue, ceremony, speeches etc. This list will be very useful to your wedding coordinator and bridal party. If you are staying at the venue the night before you have to remember to bring everything you need… think a suitcase worth of stuff! You don’t want forgetting something big and then panicking when you realise you are missing a shoe and 1 hour from home!

4. Gifts received

This will be so useful when it comes to writing thank you cards as you have a reference point and write a more personalised card as you can mention the gift. It is important that on the day you have your maid of honour or best man keeping track of presents and even though it’s not the most exciting thing to do make sure you update your list once you start opening your presents in the days after your big day.

Great Find

If you are keen to get a planner book for your handbag we have heard fantastic reviews of the Ivory Tribe “Bride Business” Planner which promises you the perfect piece of calm when things seem chaotic! 

So I know that it can all be a whirlwind at times but taking the time to create these lists will certainly alleviate stress in the build-up. We would love to hear any suggestions so please comment below. We will work on a timeline and budget blog next now that we have lists out of the way!

Samantha x