Firefox Web browser: I am absolutely addicted to the tabs feature which allows you to have multiple web pages open in one window. You can quickly switch back and forth for comparing vendors, themes, etc. The best part about it is that if you eyes get weary, you can exit out of the program and save all of your tabs so that they will appear again when you reopen the browser. Another great feature is that you can bookmark pages (make them "favorites" as it is known for other browsers), add tags (search terms that will help you find the pages later), and a bookmark and history search feature that makes it easier to find the web pages you have visited. I only started using the tags a couple of weeks into my research and wish that I had made better use of this sooner! I am not certain about features for the other browsers but I am definitely sold on this one.
Keynote (like PowerPoint but for Mac): This is a great program to click and drag (or copy and paste) web images onto a page and organize them into a collage. You can have an unlimited amount of slides. I have created multiple files with slides reserved for different topics like a file for bridal gowns, another for reception themes, another for wedding party etc. The great thing is that you can export the file as a PDF allowing you to e-mail it to friends, family, and your wedding party. It is also a fairly good program to use if you don't have Adobe InDesign and you want to compile a save-the-date and/or invites and other cool things.
Adobe InDesign & Illustrator: My other heavy addictions––InDesign can be used as a great collage maker as well. This is one of the most flexible programs for designing almost anything you can imagine in terms of invites, save-the-dates, ceremony programs––anything your heart can dream up. This program Illustrator works great with InDesign and creates great graphics to use in your InDesign creations. You can export your Illustrator creations as regular jpegs, png, gif, etc files so that the graphics can be e-mailed, uploaded to the web, or used in other programs.
Google: Although Google, in my opinion, not as brilliant in search results as it was five years ago, it is still my primary search engine. The key to getting great search results is to try a variety to search terms to get the best results. For example I have been looking for affordable Philadelphia photographers. One of my first searches was "Philadelphia Photographers" which yielded the higher-cost photographers and very few websites I was actually interested in. I thought to do another search for students at area schools so I searched for "Philadelphia art institute + photojournalism." When you can maximize your creativity in which search terms you can research, you will maximize your results (or eliminate the unhelpful words). Another cool Google feature is the images search where you can search for images based upon color, which is great when you are seeking out items to match your color scheme.
Wedding Sites (like Brides.com, Theknot.com, DavidsBridals.com etc): These sites are not only great for getting ideas, but they also have their own bookmark features where you can the save your inspiring findings without having to save them to a separate collage. I love this feature because it only takes a matter of logging in and clicking a simple link to save an image.
Etsy: This site is great for getting inspiration, finding supplies (particularly if you have a small scale DIY project), buying handmade/homemade/natural products, and getting great deals on jewelry, clothing, and your other wedding necessities. You can also find DIY templates and kits as well. The great part is that many of the artists and crafters ofter custom ordering, fulfilling your hearts desires. Sometimes I end up spending hours on this website alone, drooling over the possibilities.
Blogs: Whether you get attached to particular blogs or you start one of your own, both are useful and sometimes give you a much needed break from all the planning stuff. Starting your own blog makes it easier to upload pictures and share them with your friends and family (without having to send HUGE files).
Reading blogs is great for inspiration and finding brides who have the same struggles and frustrations you do. I have found blogs like:
- www.weddingbee.com
- www.apracticalwedding.com
- http://idoweddings.wordpress.com
- www.thebrokeassbride.com
Numbers (like Excel for Mac): This is a great program for compiling your guest lists, seating charts, and budget––and they great part about it is that you can include everything in one file on separate worksheets so that you don't go insane trying to track different file names. I have also used it to save different versions of our guest lists and seating charts within one file so that we have a running history of everything.
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