THE WEDDING BINDER THAT WORKED FOR ME!

What is the first thing most engaged couples get for a gift or purchase for themselves? A wedding planning binder! I was pursuing the bookstore shortly after Wade proposed and found the perfect one.

It wasn’t your traditional wedding planning binder. It was actually not that cute and didn’t have any planning advice in it! It was a binder that was designed to keep planning fun. It focused on saving photos and memories to look back on when the shindig was over.

Now, I’m a total sucker for self-helpy things so if this isn’t your jam HEAR ME OUT. The binder did guide you through what to do next because it had you document certain aspects of the planning journey. It simply didn’t stress a timeline or the “do nots”. It truly focused on the incredibly neat side of being engaged- exploring what “meeting in the middle” means to you and your partner, bonding with your soon to be in-laws when dress shopping, digging every cake tasting appointment and more!

This was the binder that caught my eye and brought a whole new meaning to a “wedding binder.” There were plenty of resources such as Pinterest, Google or The Knot with checklists telling me the timeline and steps throughout the journey. I didn’t need another book to stress me out, I needed a book to keep me sane. If you want something that could become a display item as well as a keepsake the Over the Moon Wedding Book is another scrapbook-style wedding planning book that is fabulous!

When I was a wedding planner, too often I saw couples put too much pressure on themselves to plan the “perfect day.” As a venue owner/manager I cringe when a couple says, “we’re just ready to get this over with” at the final walk through. YOEO (you’re only engaged once) man!!! You’re joining two families. Your blending friend groups. Your inviting hundreds of people to an event where they will meet once. You are planning the party of your life.

When planning gets hard, just quit for the night. Take a few hours off and go on a date (here are some of Wade and my Kansas City favorites) without talking about wedding planning. Trust me wedding planning ain’t goin anywhere…you can pick it up tomorrow when you feel refreshed.

Happy planning from Hawthorne House!

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