If you’re thinking you’re about ready to start planning your wedding, you’re probably starting to make lists, check out some websites and you might even feel as though you’ve got this whole wedding thing under control. But just wait. Planning a wedding means planning a massive party for all your closest friends and family which means sorting invitations, keeping track of RSVPs, tracking gifts and cards that come early, making sure everyone has selected a meal choice, coordinating with caterers, florists, tailors, decorators and, of course, every insane person in your family. While little can be done to reign in the over the top enthusiasm of your Crazy Aunt Beatrice, these six apps will help you stay organized, on top of things and coordinate with your future spouse or friends and family who have volunteered to help with the wedding plans.
1. Evernote
Strictly speaking, Evernote is not a wedding app. But it is an insanely easy way for people to coordinate with each other using notes, to do lists and even sharing pages and images right off the web in one easy to find and easy to access app. Best of all you can coordinate everything from the wedding to your new life with this and share everything you’re your spouse long after the wedding is over.
2. Cozi
Cozi does one thing and it does it well. Coordinate calendars and things you need to get done with your entire wedding party. Everyone can check in and the app offers a number of different alerts, alarms and reminders so no one will have an excuse for missing an important deadline. Once the wedding is over you can still use the free app and website to coordinate family events, plans, grocery lists and just about everything else.
3. Mint
Mint has made a name for itself as being the go to website and app for people who want to get a handle on their finances. Although primarily marketed as a general finance app, their budget feature is perfect for planning a wedding. It breaks your budget down into separate categories and shows you the vitals with graphics so simple you can know what’s happening at a glance. The app also features alerts that go off if you start to get low on the amount you’ve allocated, helping you avoid nasty surprises as costs begin to mount. Once the wedding is over, you’ll be so used to using the app it can easily help you plan a move or help with routine monthly budgeting.
4. Appy Couple
The Appy Couple app streamlines information about your special day into one, easy to understand website for all your guests. You can include the basics like directions to the venue, details on start times for the ceremony and reception as well as information you can make visible to only certain people. Coordinate your Bridal Shower / Stag Party, let people know about details on the rehearsal dinner and share the details on your honeymoon plans with friends and family. Best of all, guests can upload photos right to the app and, yes, there are plenty of filter options available.
5. MyRegistry
Most large stores now offer gift registries online or in their shops, but if you don’t want to hand friends and family links to a million different shops, check out the MyRegistry. This super simple app lets you add items from any store into one easy to manage and shareable master list. This will not only making sharing your registry easier, it will also give family and friends a broader range of items to choose from or to use as inspiration for a truly unique gift.
6. LGBT Specific Apps
By now you’ve noticed these apps don’t designate themselves as ‘straight’ or LGBT since, let’s be clear here, LGBT weddings are very similar to every other wedding – it’s about celebrating your love, your union and the future you’re about to begin. Having said that, there are some unique challenges to an LGBT wedding because of the ever evolving legal status these weddings – and their participants – have to deal with. The Gay Marriage Now app helps you keep on top of the latest developments in your home state or the state in which you’re planning your ceremony. Gay Wedding Confidential is another app that can help direct you to gay-friendly vendors, legal information for each state and help with all the usual errands that need to be done when planning a wedding.
Whether you’re straight, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, planning a wedding is never easy. It is, in a strange way, a great equalizer that way. These apps can help anyone stay organized as they plan their wedding and they also make it easier for people to reach out to family and friends for help. Having one common website or cloud app to share calendar, To Do lists, news and even information on LGBT friendly vendors and venues helps to reduce at least some of the guesswork and a great amount of the stress. More importantly, these apps can help give you the support and information you and your wedding party needs in order to pull off the most spectacular wedding ever – your own.
