Get Organized!

Black Bird DayPlanner by doublehappiness

It's the start of a new year, and this offbeat bride's resolution:  
 

 Get Organized!!

Planning a wedding is an incredibly exciting and sometimes completely overwhelming undertaking. No matter how large or small, formal or informal, offbeat or traditional, your wedding, there will be more than a handful of decisions to make along the way - not mention numbers to keep track of, appointments to keep, and people to coordinate.

If other offbeat (read "creative and inspired") brides out there are anything like me, they are masters of scheming, and dreaming, and bookmarking, and "to-do"ing, and sketching and scribbling, and "favoriting" all over the place!

So....

Resolution for the new year: get all those names, and numbers, and ideas in one place!

Bonus: With a little help from other creative people, like the shop owners at Etsy.com, organization doesn't have to be boring. In fact, your wedding planner, should be the first thing you purchase or create for your wedding that radiates the oh-so-in-love personality you hope to capture on the big day.

~ * ~

PickMePaperDesigns

Custom Wedding Planner Binder by Pick Me Paper Designs

By far the most comprehensive planner out there - custom-designed to match your wedding colors and motifs; chock-full of check-lists, logs, and organizers; includes pockets for vendor materials and weekly and monthly calendars as well as available customized add-ins.

Custom Weekly Planner and Notebook Set, Handwoven with Satin Ribbons

by PriaVanda 

Great for a bride who wants one place for dates and "to-do" lists and another carry-everywhere notebook for jotting down ideas. Available in all colors!!

Oilcloth 3-ring binders by rbtbags on Etsy

Or for the true DIY-er, there are loads of wedding planning printables available on the web to help you get organized in any beautiful book or binder that you choose!

Working With Custom Vendors

Bridal Season is heating up and now is the time to start contacting vendors for your custom pieces! I have put together a few tips to help you get exactly what you have envisioned for your big day.

When you contact a vendor about making a custom piece or set make sure you mention the important stuff up front.

• Your wedding date is of course important but also letting the vendor know about any hair trials or other "need by" dates.
• Let the designer know if you are considering a bigger set and not just one item. Some vendors, like myself, will give a discount for bigger sets!
• Your budget. I know, I know - you feel like giving someone a budget is like letting someone rip you off (what if they were going to say way less!?) I felt the same way when I was planning my wedding. But here is the thing, if you let me know how much you want to spend I can find materials and sources to make the best piece possible for that amount of money. I may even throw in something extra because i know it will make your wallet happy!
• Pictures, Ideas & Inspiration. Nothing will help a vendor give you a quote faster than pictures of what you are looking for. Your idea of medium may be way different than mine - but a picture of what you think is medium will help me to know exactly what you expect. Pictures are the key to success. Send pictures of your dress, your shoes, something you like, your hair, whatever. Every picture helps.
  

Other things to consider:

Color Obsessed: Go to Home Depot and grab some free paint color swatches that match your theme - ask your designer for their mailing address and send them off!

Pressed for Time: Let the designer know up front if you are super stressed out. Even if your wedding is 8 months away - if you mentally need something done soon, please let us know!

Not happy with the final product?
Talk to your vendor! If a comb, a fit, a size, a whatever, is not working for you, just let the designer know. They will most likely be happy to try and fix it for you. Even if your wedding is 3 days from now - your designer can talk you through a simple fix that you or a loved one can do at home. If you don't let us know, we cant fix it.

Good Luck and Congratulations!

Thrilled to be a new member....

I found this team on Etsy.com, when one of your kind members added my shoes to a treasury and I was blown away and absolutely charmed.Not a minute after I wanted to be part of this wonderful group of designers, artists and people like me who understand the "Offbeat Bride".

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63415118/midnight-venus-peacock-feather

I look forward to meeting Glenda (from Midnight Boudoir ) in person, as she will be coming down in January to Florida to visit family.  I admire her store and I can't wait to wear one of her exotic hair pieces...I guess we both love Peacocks!