If you already knew you needed a Wedding Planner Book pre-2020, chances are it's become your best wedding planning tool. If you weren't yet a convert (but now you're desperate for one!), let me help you find the absolute best wedding planner to suit your needs. Invaluable in keeping you on track (or, heaven forbid, having to change your plans), having a wedding planner book will save you precious wedding budget dollars, save you of time, and probably also save your sanity as you approach the Big Day feeling confident and organised.
First, in order of my favourites, the best wedding planners for your 2020/2021 wedding (and if you're still wondering if you need one after checking out these, scroll down for some wedding planner book info and advice).
Our top pick for the best wedding planner - the little white book
Some say you can't plan your 'Big Day' without the little white book, and devotees of this chic, handbag sized wedding planner book sing its praises.
The reviews speak for themselves: says Katie "I'm obsessed!!! Spent the day scrap booking ? thank you so much! I love it - it's such great quality too. Can't wait to get further into wedding planning!!" and Ninia "The little white book is an amazing keepsake. I felt it really helped me enjoy the planning process by giving me a place to record important details as well as my thoughts and feelings. I've always kept diaries and love the fact that I essentially have a diary for the whole wedding planning process to look back on and appreciate for the rest if my life."
The little white book is made by a fellow wedding blogger, and wedding planning expert, Megan of She Said Yes. The natural progression of a wedding blog devoted to useful planning tips, the little white book is in our view the best wedding planner book. We love that it's not only a planner, but also includes a daily journal. It can be used as your diary/agenda for as much or as little as you wish to include - and is perfect for scrapbooking, with plenty of blank pages. It's also "perfect bound" - a win for those who love to journal.
You can use paperlove for 10% off either at www.shesaidyes.co.nz or at the Australian little white book store - www.littlewhitebooks.com.au
All that's missing from this wedding planner book is personalisation - which brings us to...
The best personalised wedding planner book
In a word... stunning! This vintage floral design, personalised wedding planner is a beauty.
The layout is quite typical of most wedding planners (lots of pictures online) and there doesn't seem to be anything amiss. I do wish it was "perfect bound" rather than spiral bound, as it can be a bit awkward to write in spiral binding.
Tea says "I just received my wedding planner book and it looks just like the picture! I haven't started writing in it but I have taken a look inside and it has a great layout and reminders of all the things you have to think of for your big day <3"
The best wedding planning binder
A beautiful place to house all your magazine pages, vendor agreements and invoices, this linen wedding planning binder by Claire Magnolia is a great engagement gift.
Jordan says "Looks even more beautiful in person!"
NOTE: this wedding binder does not contain a template or pre-printed pages (as shown in some images).
The best simple wedding planner notebook
If you're looking for something more like a notebook than a fully-fledged wedding planner book, this Big Day Wedding Planner Book is a chic and cheap choice (and can be personalised). A nice personalised addition to a bridal gift box, or for someone who does most of her wedding planning online but needs a cute space to make notes.
Reagan says "This notebook was the perfect addition to my friends engagement gift box. Love the customization! And the colors are gorgeous :)"
The Best Wedding Planner Books of 2020
What's in a wedding planner book (and why do you need one)?
Most wedding planner books will come with separate sections on each element of wedding planning, along with a timeline and checklists to go through on the way. Many come with helpful wedding planning advice to help you get started with wedding planning too, and in each section you can fill in vendor information, quotes, notes and ideas to discuss each time you meet.
There's so much to remember, especially in the final countdown to the Big Day, and having to physically tick off each step of wedding planning is guaranteed to save you from forgetting something important.
If you're planning a wedding in 2020, chances are some of your best-laid plans have been thrown into disarray. With many couples having to completely reschedule their weddings, having all your plans in one tidy place is invaluable!
Creating a keepsake of this once in a lifetime journey
Marriage is for a lifetime, but will you be able to remember all the special parts of wedding planning in years to come? We love a wedding planner book that doubles as a beautiful keepsake, with space for journal entries; reflections on your proposal; memories to use in your wedding speeches and vows, and even a honeymoon journal. You can easily share your budget and vendor pages with friends, and one day pass it onto your children.
How do you brainstorm your wedding planning?
We love Pinterest as much (okay, probably more than) the next girl, but we also dig a scrapbook! There's something about creating a physical mood board that makes things feel even more real! Photos taken from a little white book review on Facebook.
What about planning a wedding online or on an app?
Though Paper + Lace is an online platform, I still can't go past putting pen to paper for the important stuff, and just as most couples still opt for the look and feel of physical wedding invitations, for me, an app or wedding website's just never going to cut it. However, if you're strictly savvy, I recommend The Knot app combined with the electronic wedding planning pack.
How are your budgeting skills?
The best wedding planner books, including the little white book and the floral personalised wedding planner above include comprehensive sections on your wedding budget, where you can input how much you've estimated, then been quoted, so that you can continue to work on your wedding budget as you go through each of your vendor bookings. She Said Yes also sells a wedding budget template, if you prefer to use excel for your financials. You can also use the code paperlove to save 10% on that.
Who's helping you with wedding planning?
It can be really useful to have all your thoughts in one place, and even if you're working with a professional wedding planner or day of coordinator, having your own ideas in a tidy little book can make communication with them much easier.
If friends or an MC is helping you on the day, you can easily photocopy the vendor contacts and day-of run through pages in the little white book or vintage wedding planner to share.
