So the bliss of getting engaged is starting to fade, and the realization that you’ve got a wedding to plan is starting to hit you…hard. While you want to throw a killer party, focusing on the complexities of wedding planning isn’t falling high on your to-do list. Not to worry. We’ve got you covered.
Even if you’re not a planner, or just lack that Pinterest-obsessed gene, you can still have a fabulous, Instagram-worthy wedding if you so wish. In an age when the majority of us are tethered to technology, let your smartphone be your guide. We’ve pulled together a list of our favorite wedding vendors to help you get the best of everything in just a few clicks. Discover some great on-demand delivery services, apps, and websites to use in order to remain efficient — and maybe even sane.
If you’re planning to hunt for a venue, pick one that hosts weddings regularly — it's more likely to have a built-in caterer, rentals, and planner already on staff. That way, decision-making is narrowed down. Start your search on sites like Wedding Spot, an easy-to-navigate digital haven that sorts venues by price and amenities, or WeddingWire, which lets you search through thousands of vendors on its free app. Or, if you and your partner are total procrastinators, take a cue from Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard and book a trip to City Hall.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Dress-shopping can sometimes be a pain, but it doesn’t have to turn ugly. Avoid the family feud and order a few options online from a retailer like Shopbop or BHLDN. The former carries brands like Reem Acra and Badgley Mischka. You’ll escape the uneasy feeling of putting on the “bridal” face for a hovering bridal-shop assistant, plus you won’t feel rushed by any stringent appointment timelines. You can also use a mobile boutique that’ll come to you, like San Francisco’s pop-up Alt Brides or the U.K.’s Bella Bridal Boutique.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Forgot to book your wedding-day makeup trial, or just don’t have the time to get glam on a random Tuesday night? Technology to the rescue! Book a session with an on-demand makeup service like GlamSquad, StyleBee, or beGlammed that will pair you with local makeup experts who can be at your venue within minutes. With just the click of a button, you’ll have a team fawning over every inch of your face and the expert advice of local professionals, without doing much more than a simple search from your smartphone.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Want cold, hard cash? Avoid making appointments at expensive brick-and-mortar retailers and ringing up random household goods. Apps like Honeyfund and NewlyWish bundle up your request for cash in a clean and beautiful package, indulging the guests with a platform that lets them believe they’re actually paying for a couple’s massage on a beach or that throw pillow you’ve been eyeing from West Elm. In reality, they’re simply depositing cash in your bank account. That way, everyone wins.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Avoid the price tag of a florist — and the phone or email tag — by picking your favorite flowers from the local grocery or farmers' market the morning before. Or, if you’re not too picky, call in the professionals to handle your flowers using ultra-chic delivery services like Farmgirl Flowers, BloomThat, or The Bouqs Co., all of which offer same-day delivery for most of the nation. The same goes for your dessert: Avoid the cake-tasting hoopla and order on-demand desserts from Doughbies (now delivering nationwide) or Dough & Co.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Think the wedding is over after the last guest leaves? Think again. After all the confetti is swept up and the cake is consumed, you’ve still got a major task to accomplish: thank-you notes. But crafting up sweet and personalized snail mail takes time, a luxury many of us don't have. Enlist professional artists to create unique thank-you notes so you can avoid hand cramps. Punkpost allows you to order straight from its app (it’s like sending a text message), or let a bot named Bond create an electronic signature that’s entirely original. If you’re feeling up for it and want to tackle this task yourself (without using too much brain power), use this simple template that takes the guesswork out of saying “thanks.”
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
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