As soon as January 2012 hit, I knew there was no better time to start using a planner. I didn’t opt for just any planner…I went with one my dear friend Tatiana vocally touted for its functionality, organization, and design. It was colorful and personalized on the outside, and looked well thought out on the inside — tabs for each month, “goals” and “to do” lists for each week, each day divided into “morning”, “afternoon”, and “night”, more than enough stickers to color code every aspect of your life, lined and blank note pages, a folder, and so much more! Needless to say, I was thrilled. This organized girl got her wish that she never asked for! Thanks to a mom named Erin Condren who needed more from a planner to keep track of her’s and each individual in her family’s lives.

Oh shoot, our wedding is just over 3 months away and I haven’t planned a damn thing.

me

For more than half the year, my Life Planner kept track of my scattered plans of professional conferences, interviews, date nights, babysitting, baby shower details, etc. It wasn’t until the end of August, shortly after my baby niece Brooke was born, that I realized, “Oh shoot, our wedding is just over 3 months away and I haven’t planned a damn thing.” All of a sudden each day was filled with important email correspondence details with wedding vendors based on when contact was made morning, afternoon, or night. Future dates and times were delineated with color coded stickers for photo shoots, ceremony conferences, remaining balance vendor payments, spa treatments, and more details that simply make my head spin. Nothing, not even my beloved Post Its, could handle the amount of information I needed to make sure 12/12/12 happens smoothly with all necessary details attended to. And to think we have been taking the easy way out by avoiding an actual, traditional reception! No seating arrangements, no reception program, just good times with good people eating good food and drinking good drinks. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how jam packed my planner would be if I had to plan otherwise! Point being, if not for my Life Planner, I would be a hot mess of a bride-to-be. Thankfully, I have a good handle of when things are and should be happening. I know it can seem a little old-fashioned, but calendaring in my planner, and not on my phone or computer, has made everything more official and more in plain view that wedding planning doesn’t bug me quite as much. Rather, I’m finally excited.. giddy even.