Weddings, even the simple ones, are rarely ever simple to plan. Unless you decide to run down to your local courthouse to have a civil ceremony you will face a mountain of decisions. Even when you try to make things simple, the list of things that you need to do seems to grow in a blink of the eye. Sometimes just getting started is the hardest thing to do. Where to start is usually one of the first decisions that come to mind.

Getting organized will make things easier on you. Go to your local office supply or discount store. Buy a three ring binder, at least a 1 ½" binder. Pick a color that will not blend into your surroundings, because trust me you will put it down at least once, and not find it for some time. I lost mine once for almost a month. While you are there get notebook paper and plenty of dividers with pockets.

I suggest using these divisions:

Ceremony

Location details

Decoration ideas

Misc. details

Supplies

Reception

Location details

Decoration ideas

Seating charts

Supplies

Fees

Vendor Info

Wedding dress & accessories

Bridesmaids/flower girl

Groom/groomsmen/ring bearer

Music Play list

Food

Invitations

Guest List

Marriage License/ Wedding Minister or Justice of the Peace

Wedding Cake

Budget

You do not have to place the sections in this order this was just what randomly came to mind. I would use at least this many sections because it makes it easier to quickly find any information you might need. You can always add more sections if needed.

Start gathering ideas this will help you get a feel for what you want you wedding to be. Keep an open mind. If you have a wide variety of ideas, it will be easier for you to find things that will fit your budget. The internet is a great place to start. There are plenty of wedding web sites to help you out. Many offer online planning tools, which can be very helpful. I suggest one that has a budget calculator. You can place the amount you have to spend and the program will calculate how much you can spend on every item of you wedding. The Knot's web site has a good one that will let you edit what you a spending you budget on, for example if you do not plan to pay for a photographer then you can remove it from your budget. It also allows you to put in the actual amount spent so you can adjust your budget accordingly. I like this because if save or spend more than you budgeted for you can adjust the budget.

Using dividers with pockets allows you to place the pictures you collect in one place so you can go back and view everything easily. It also allows you to keep quotes, brochures, receipts, and contracts in a place that is easy to find.

Collecting ideas helps you to find out what you like about other weddings and helps you decide how you would like your wedding to be. Keep in mind whether you would like a formal wedding, or a more informal event, when gathering your ideas. Keeping this in mind will help you narrow down your choices. Making choices is one of the toughest parts of wedding planning. I cannot remember how many times I have changed my mind over even the simplest decisions.

Just finding one area that you know exactly what you want will help you to make other decisions. For me starting with the colors really helped me. I knew I wanted pink for my main color and soon decided to accent it with chocolate brown. That is the hardest part finding a place to start and sticking to at least one decision.

You can also use the different planning websites to find the information you need to know about when to book your vendors, send out invitations, buy your dress, and so forth. I found this information very helpful. I would also look for different checklists that you can print and keep in your planner. This way you know what you have done and it helps you to feel you are making a dent in your project.

Getting started is always the hardest part. Once you get organized, you can start finding the information you need. There is an abundant amount of information on the internet to help you with this process. With the information, I have provided you can begin the basics of you wedding day planning. I wish you good luck, and congratulations on your wedding day.