The kind of organizing I am good at is not separating T-shirts from socks, but making lists. I like to find details, write them down, and then check them off when they get done. I like knowing what exactly needs to be done. This is my approach to wedding planning. So far.

The first thing I did when I got engaged was visit sites like The Knot and Brides.com for ideas of things I would like to see at my wedding. I looked at gowns, bridesmaid dresses, flowers, decoration ideas, and so much more! Then, I created this handy-dandy desktop folder to save my favorites.

I also poured through magazines looking for inspiration, helpful articles, color schemes, etc.

I also frequent the library, checking out the wedding planning books, budget-saver books, list books, and anything else they have that looks helpful!

Dave enjoys spoiling me (which is pretty awesome, because I enjoy being spoiled!), and when I told him that I was going to go out and buy a wedding planning notebook, he came along and offered to buy it for me! I ended up not getting a notebook, after all, because I realized that paying $30 for a bunch of information I had access to free of charge via the internet and the library was silly. So, I settled on this expanding file, and some pretty paper to print important information on.

Here’s the pretty paper, with at month-by-month checklist of approximately what needs to be done by when. Checklists are very exciting, because I always feel like I’ve accomplished something when I can check it off.

My “wedding radar” is always on the alert for information that I should save for later. I have vendor brochures, stationary sketches, hair and nail tips, DIY decoration ideas, and who knows what all else in that all-inclusive folder. At least everything has a place, or I’d never find anything in that huge pile of papers.

Now I’m just hoping that “organized” equals “low stress.”