Magazines, Oh My

Although the internet will be your primary resource when planning your wedding, you will not be able to resist the lure of those glossy pages calling out to you from the magazine rack.  So, step one when you get engaged: buy as many wedding magazines as possible.  Of course, the seasonal Martha Stewart Weddings is everyone’s favorite (with good reason), but grab ‘em all.  You’ll want to see everything that’s out there.

Once you’ve got your stack, get yourself a nice cup of tea, a glass of wine, or a shot of whiskey and tear out, dog-ear, and/or bookmark everything you like.  Regardless of what it is: a color, a dress, a flower, a ribbon - each of these will be the pieces of the puzzle you’ll use to create the overall vision of your wedding.

Kathryn writes one of my favorite blogs, Snippet & Ink, and leads the way in creating absolutely gorgeous wedding inspiration boards. Visit her site for a daily dose of pretty and combinations of colors and styles that you never thought would “work”.

And, while you’re at it, make sure to create one yourself. Take those images you’ve pulled from magazines and the web and mix and match palettes and themes to see how they all work together. Once you decide on what you want to go with, your board will help you focus and see the big picture.

DIY Resources

If you’re hiring a wedding planner, you probably won’t care much about gathering the girls together two nights before the wedding to make tissue paper pomanders.  But everyone can pull some inspiration from the creativity that couples are now infusing into their weddings.  And, by doing it yourself, you not only save a bundle of cash, but you’re really adding a lovely personal touch to your day.  Whether it’s re-creating images you’ve seen online or in magazines, or coming up with your own ideas, these sites will help make your visions a reality:

• Paper Source http://www.paper-source.com {The ultimate spot for DIY invites.}
  
• Paper Mart http://www.papermart.com {Here you’ll find just the right box or bag for favors}
  
• For Your Party http://www.foryourparty.com/ {Loads of goodies you can have personalized}
  
• Martha Stewart Crafts http://www.marthastewartcrafts.com/ {It’s Martha.  ’Nuff said.} 
  
• Joann Fabrics http://www.joann.com {The online store of the retail chain sells everything from paper to soap making supplies to ribbons.}

Great Bridal Blogs

Get ready to become addicted to these lovely blogs.  (Trust me – my wedding is long over with, and these are still part of my daily blog reads.)

• Style Me Pretty http://www.stylemepretty.com/
• Snippet & Ink http://snippetandink.blogspot.com/
• Something Old Something New http://kenziekate.blogspot.com/
• Etsy Wedding http://etsywedding.blogspot.com/
• Perfect Bound http://perfectbound.blogspot.com/
• Weddings: Simple and Modern http://simplymodernweddings.wordpress.com/
• Wedding Chicks http://weddingchicks.squarespace.com/blog/

Favor Faves

Helpful Communities

No matter what your dilemma may be, someone else has dealt with it, too.  Online communities are invaluable resources for just about everything to do with wedding planning.   Some of the best are below:

• The forum at Indie Bride http://kvetch.indiebride.com/
• Any of the Knot communities http://community.theknot.com
  
• The message boards at Martha Stewart Weddings http://forums.marthastewart.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ms-weddings&nav=start