Post # 1
Member
2587 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: October 2014 - UK
So, with my wedding 2 years off, and basically my weekends until Christmas booked up solid, there’s nothing my FH and I can really do in the way of planning until after Christmas. But this is making me antsy, I want to be organised and prepare things and Get Stuff Done.
So I’m making spreadsheets. One for an approx guest list, then costs for possible venues on the other tabs based on those numbers, one for dresses I like the look of online and stockists within thre local areas – my home, my Mum’s home, and my FH’s parents’ home – so I know what I’m looking for and can be prepared in shops. And one with approximate overall costs to work out a rough budget based on quotes from around the web.
Is anyone else a spreadsheeter? What methods did you use to plan? Any hints and tips for someone right at the start, with no real experience at all?
Post # 3
Member
529 posts
Busy bee
@chronicwhimsy: I’m also doing a spreadsheet for the guest list and the budget. My spreadsheet on the budget has helped me a lot. On it I have how much I owe and how much I have spent. It’s vety helpful.
Post # 4
Member
3765 posts
Honey bee
My Fiance is the spreadsheet king, and we have one for guest list, budget vs actual costs, and one that calculates how much booze we need based on guest count. I love him.
Post # 5
Member
993 posts
Busy bee
I get you! I’m a project manager, so I started spreadsheeting and scheduling my wedding like it was a construction project. Same principles…
Just be careful because reality and spreadsheets do not always coincide. I feel like I wasted some of my time. I understand feeling the need to get on it though! Its great to have pictures of dresses you like, and decor, colours etc. I would work on this. Sometimes you can’t find what you want so its a bit disappointing. As far as budget – until you actually start booking and talking to vendors you don’t have a ton to work with. I think its great, and fun, but just a word of warning that I didn’t look at my spreadsheets and completely re-did everything a couple weeks into shopping and booking things.
What you might do is make a list of everything you need broken down to the tiny details, then start planning the order to do things in and how you’re going to attack once you get going.
Have fun!
Post # 6
Member
2267 posts
Buzzing bee
Can’t say I’ve started this stuff yet. I still need to worry about moving out and becoming independent (Besides we’ve got 2 years)
However, I’m posting here so I can follow along. I LOVE spreadsheets. It’s how I kept track of my individual grades and total GPA in college. How I keep track of my to-do lists, and generally how I keep track of LIFE.
Go you fellow spreadsheet kween!
Also, I’d love some ideas on how you’re organizing the spreadsheets. I get the guestlist one but I don’t even know how to decide on a budget. I’ve never done anything like that before.
Sooo.. I’ll be lurking through here trying to figure that out!
Post # 7
Member
2587 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: October 2014 - UK
@Chrysoberyl: Well, my parents will be helping us out a lot, and I’ve not exactly had the ‘budget’ talk with them yet, but having some idea of what things roughly cost so I’m not blown out of the water when I start getting quotes is going to help I think. Because I have a habit of pulling unflattering faces when I hear big numbers I’m not expecting! But FH and I are already moved in together, since we stayed in our University city, so at least I’ve got that stress out of the way.
@bella128: That’s super helpful, thanks! I’ll keep that in mind! I just found this really useful website for flower pricing which is based in the UK (http://www.myweddingflowerideas.co.uk/wedding_flower/how_much_will_my_wedding_flowers_cost.html), which is a bit of a godsend, so I’m using that to break down each bit of floristry bit by bit – I’ve got individual entries for Bridesmaids, Buttonholes and Church decs (I’m hoping to do the reception decs myself, using mainly pumpkins and candles, which will hopefully save money), and my Aunt’s said she would like to buy my bouquet for me, which was a lovely surprise! (thinking back to her daughter’s wedding, I think mine will be considerably cheaper as well!)
Post # 8
Member
139 posts
Blushing bee
I downloaded several spreadsheets from Google weddings and am also using an Access database. Google Weddings has a great feature where you can make an email form for people you plan to invite and when they fill it out the information goes right into your spreadsheet. I love it. They also have great budgeting templates.
The caution of course is to find one tool you like, whether it’s an iPhone or androidAndroid app, database or spreadsheet workbook and use it exclusively so your data isn’t spread out all over the place. Lots of wedding websites have cloud planning tools as well which is great because both you and your Fiance can access them and you don’t have to worry about losing the data if your device crashes.
Post # 9
Member
10451 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@chronicwhimsy: ooooh I had so many spreadsheets when I started! I freaking love Excel.
Post # 10
Member
1375 posts
Bumble bee
I had a master google doc spreadsheet to manage guests, gifts, responses, etc. I had separate columns for:
Guest # (we gave each household a number to track their response in case of illegible responses)
Guest names
Address
Shower invite y/n
Party total
Names as they appeard on response card (for escort card purposes)
Rehearsal dinner total
Wedding gift (which I bolded once the thank you was sent)
Post # 11
Member
1030 posts
Bumble bee
Oh my god I’m the spreadsheet QUEEN! I am just commenting now so I can come back to this tomorrow when i’m on my computer. I have LOTS of tips! Woo!
Post # 12
Member
2587 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: October 2014 - UK
Haha, I had a bit of a spreadsheet fail just after posting this – went to leave work and accidentally closed my newest one without saving it! Am busy re-constructing it now at home. What a good thing I don’t have anything like hobbies, a social life or a fiance to get in the way of my spreadsheeting good times…
Post # 13
Member
11231 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@futuremrsfitz18: YES.
I have two set up in Google Docs (accessible from anywhere, even my phone, and it autosaves): one for a guestlist, one for cost.
Guestlist:
Name(s)
Address
Invite # (will be written on the RSVP card)
# Invited
# RSVP
Gift (for thank you cards)
Then I have a column that adds up the total number invited, total number RSVP, and the total number of kids invited/kids RSVP.
My cost sheet isn’t very involved. I have a column for each expense, the total cost, how much has been paid, and then how much is left. Subtotal column is for the running total, and then the total is how much Fiance and I are paying. I also have a breakdown of the payment schedule for the reception venue.