1- Choose Your Venue and Make Plans Early On

Shorter engagement periods don’t give you the luxury of time, so as soon as you have that ring on your finger, it’s time to start searching for the ceremony and reception venues. If you live in a large metroplex, you may have a harder time securing your dream venue in time, so be sure to keep your options or time frame a little open.

2- Create a Budget

You should never start the planning process without first assessing how much both of you make, and how much you’re willing to spend on the wedding. As always, you should create a little extra room in your budget for unexpected costs and fees.

3- Hire a Wedding Planner

Short on time, but you don’t want to stress about the details or quality? Hire a wedding pro, and let him or her do the dirty work for you! A seasoned pro will know the right vendors to obtain services from, how to get the most for your money, and inform you on important things you might have overlooked.

4- Get the Engagement Photos

Many couples like to send an engagement or wedding announcement to their local newspaper. Some also like to include a photo with their save-the-date cards they send out. Schedule an appointment with a professional photographer as soon as you can, and you’ll have the photos when you need them!

The Wedding Book: The Big Book for Your Big Day by Mindy Weiss and Lisbeth Levine ($19.95 at Amazon)

If you’ve stayed on top of high-profile celebrity weddings from the past few years, Mindy Weiss is a name you know. She’s a legendary party coordinator and wedding planner who’s worked with Katy Perry, Kate Beckinsale, Heidi Klum, Gwen Stefani, and many more. Now you can get her expert advice for way less with her comprehensive wedding book. In it, she gives tips on budgets, wedding contracts, destination weddings, and much more. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to create a celeb-inspired wedding, this is the book you will want!

The Knot Book of Wedding Lists by Carley Roney $10.39 at The Knot

You will save time with this handy book of lists including timeline guides, checklists for contracts, ceremony lists, bridesmaids lists, and much more.  Thanks to the book’s small size, you can take it along with you for your all-important meetings with vendors.

Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration $26.40 at Amazon

If you’re looking for even more fabulous wedding ideas and reception hints, this book is for you. Colin Cowie is a renowned style expert who has made a name for himself by creating some of the most stylish events all over the world. This guide is full of ideas to help you decide on attire, food, flowers, decor, and so much more. The real treat of this book? The beautiful colored photographs!

Pinterest

Okay, Pinterest isn’t exactly a wedding app per se, but I think that most brides will find it beneficial, as it will allow them take pictures and to showcase them on a virtual pinboard. It’s a great way to save and organize your ideas, but it’s also a community that lets you share your finds with others and discover new ones. Pinterest lets you create boards for weddings, food, home, fashion, travel, and more. This app is free.

Vera Wang Weddings

If you dream of wearing a Vera Wang wedding gown, or you’re just looking for a little bridal style inspiration, this is the app for you! Browse through a large selection of beautiful gowns, watch videos from the runway, and find the nearest Vera Wang boutique or flagship shop. This app is free.

iDo Planner

Bring a virtual wedding planner wherever you go. The iDo Planner app has handy features like a calendar, a twelve-month checklist, tip page, note page, and more. And at just $2.99 for a download, it’s cheaper than most hard-cover planners.

Gift Registry 360 Scan & Add

If you’re out shopping somewhere and see an item that you would love to get as a wedding gift, The Knot’s convenient Gift Registry 360 Scan & Add app is a great solution. This amazing tool will let you scan and add almost any item you want or edit your registry as needed – anytime and anywhere. The best thing of all? This app is free!

1- Figure Out What Everyone Can Contribute

Before you start anything, you need to create a budget first. Make several lists, one of how much you’re willing to spend per item, and another for what you really want. Have your fiancé create similar lists, and then you can compare them. Discuss how much you are willing to spend, and have your parents discuss their financial plans for the wedding with you. Be sure to address any gaps to ensure that you can come up with a solution.

2- Be Prepared to Negotiate

There is no such thing as a free ride, and sometimes you may have to compromise with your parents if you want their financial assistance. If your mother agrees to pay for your wedding gown, then it’s only fair that she has a say in the gown you choose. Make sure that there is an understanding of expectations to cut confusion and to avoid hurt feelings.

3- Consider the Traditional Route

To make it easier on everyone involved, you might decide that it’s best to go the traditional route, where the bride’s family pays for the entire reception, and the groom’s family pays for the honeymoon. Alternatively, you and your fiancé could pay for most of the wedding, and then have your parents pay for the smaller things like officiant fees, flowers, and wedding favors.

1- Do you have the time (and patience) to plan a wedding?

Many engaged couples choose a professional wedding planner, because they’re just too busy with important things like work or family. Others opt for a wedding planner, because they don’t have the patience with dealing with vendors and companies; however if you prefer to be involved with every detail of the wedding, you might be better off planning it yourself.

2- Are you planning a destination wedding or a hometown wedding?

If you’re getting married in a town or city that you’re not familiar with, or you haven’t lived there in a long time, you should hire a local wedding consultant who can keep you in the loop about everything you need to know. She (or he) will let you in on things like where to find the best vendors, as well as how to save extra money while planning.

3- Are you on a strict budget?

If you and you’re fiancé are on a tight wedding budget, you might want to skip hiring a wedding consultant and purchase a professional planner book instead. A wedding planner book or journal is a large notebook that contains folders, lists, time lines, budget forms, and more. Most wedding planner notebooks retail for less than $20.00 – a steal!

Is it possible to create a fabulous wedding without a planner? Of course it is; you just need to become extra resourceful, and you need to learn to ask the right questions. Here’s how:

1- Write Out Your Vision 

Since the tender age of six, you’ve dreamed of having a large wedding at a garden, complete with red roses, silk tablecloths, and a large chocolate fountain where guests dip fresh strawberries. Get that vision written on paper, and take notes of all the details. The same applies if you see pictures of things or ideas you like in a magazine or catalog. Cut ideas out, and save them in a picture album.

2- Connect With Local Brides

Go online and seek out message boards or blogs for local brides to find out which services are worth your money. Feel free to join the forums, and to ask any questions you have. You could also create your own blog and link to other brides on the web to share experiences and tips. The Knot has a wonderful community for engaged women.

3- Get Organized

Getting organized is one of the most important things you can do, even if you hire a professional wedding consultant. Buy a box or a wedding book, and start saving lists, receipts, contracts, and whatever else you need. If you don’t already have a day planner, it’s probably a good idea to buy one now, so you can schedule and plan ahead. You can also use your planner to keep important addresses and phone numbers.

1 – Family Trouble

You and your fiancé are engaged. Your parents are thrilled, and everyone is happy. The only downside is that your parents are also the ones that are footing most, if not the entire bill.  Does that mean you’re obligated to say yes when your mother asks you to wear the same dress that she wore to her wedding, but you have another dress in mind? The best way you can handle this is to compromise. You could agree to wear her dress for the entire ceremony and for half the reception, if you can purchase your dream dress and wear it during the other half of the reception. Sometimes you need to give a little – in order to take a little.

2 – A Vendor Goes Defunct or Breaks the Contract

It’s just two weeks before the big day, and you’re calling all your vendors to check up on things, and to make sure that everything is going right. Once you call your DJ, you discover that their phone isn’t working, and you can’t get ahold of anyone from the company. Is it time to go find the contract and to contact a lawyer? Remember that before you sign any contract, you need to read through it, and you need to ask for your own copy.

3 – Fiancé Problems

The tough task of planning a wedding can bring out the worst in everyone, especially the two people that are getting hitched. Some brides have envisioned their dream wedding since they were in kindergarten, and once the ring is on her finger, the bride-to-be becomes stressed. On the other end of the spectrum, a groom can sometimes follow that same route and become a groomzilla, or he can become withdrawn. If you and your fiancé have noticed major relationship problems since the big question, maybe you should scale back on the planning and go for pre-marital counseling.

1- Research State Marriage License Rules and Apply

Make it legal by checking out the rules and application instructions. There are a few states that require blood tests or vaccinations, so be sure to check in advance. If you’ve previously been married, you may need to bring proof of divorce, or a death certificate if your previous spouse is deceased.

2- Change Your Surname

This isn’t mandatory, but if you want to legally change your last name, it is possible. You can start by contacting a lawyer who specializes in name changes, or you can contact your local city office. A new name means a new identification and social security cards.

3- Get a Joint Bank Account

If you don’t already have a shared bank account, make sure you get one at least six months before the wedding. You don’t have to throw all your money together, but you should have a bank account for when you receive monetary wedding gifts. It also makes it easier to pay shared bills like your mortgage.

4- Have a Serious Discussion About Finances

Money can easily break a relationship, so you know that it’s very important to discuss expenses and finances beforehand. You need to share everything that is finance-related, including how much you earn, how much your monthly expenses are, credit cards, investments, mortgages, loans, and alimony/child support (if applicable). Make sure that your fiancé is on the same page, and that you know where his or her finances stand.

Free Stationery Samples

Choosing the invitations and other forms of stationery is hard. This is why most specialty stationery shops are willing to offer free samples to those who ask. The purpose of these samples is to give you an idea of what’s out there, and how the samples will look in person. It’s really the only way to get an idea of what you want.

Free Makeovers and Beauty Products

If you’re already planning on doing your own makeup, but you don’t know where to begin, it’s time to head  to your local department store for a free makeover and free beauty samples. Some companies require you to make a small purchase before the makeover but most don’t; you can call in advance to find out the details.

Free Wedding Planner

There is no need to spend $20 to $40  on a wedding planner; you can use a free online planner. Wedding Wire is a fabulous little website that has all the planning tools you need, and it’s free! You can create a budget plan, a seating chart, a checklist, vendor list, and guest list. You can also create an inspiration page that holds all your ideas, and a wedding page that keeps your guests in the know about all things that involve your big day. Wedding Wire is one the best freebies a bride can utilize.

1- Decide Uses for Calligraphy

Unless you have the money to burn, and the desire to make sure that everything matches, you will probably want to limit your calligraphy to just stationery or table accessories. You might also consider applying the art to invitations and to the table numbers. It’s up to you on how you want the calligraphy to work with your wedding.

2- Consult a Professional Calligraphy Service

As with all wedding vendors and services, it’s a smart idea to research a few months in advance for a calligraphy service. Be sure to ask for samples of their previous work, and how much they charge. It also never hurts to ask if they offer a discount or coupon.

3- Learn to Write Calligraphy

If you have the time and interest, it might be a savvy investment to take calligraphy classes. Check your local community center or sign up for it online. Learning to write in calligraphy is a skill that might come in handy long after you get hitched. Perhaps you could start your own calligraphy service, or at the very least, make event invitations that will impress your friends!

4- Save Your Calligraphy

You can’t save the entire day in a time capsule, but you can save keepsakes like pictures, videos, and small items. You can safely store these items in a tightly sealed box, or better yet, you can frame them for use around your house.