I’ve tried it all. From timeline tools to CRMs and even fancy layout programs, I’ve given several different productivity tools a chance over the years. However, I’ve concluded that I truly only need 3 to get my work done as a wedding planner.
A lot of wedding planners who are just getting started are nervous about investing in software or subscriptions because they haven’t made money yet. I get it! That being said, these 3 must-have wedding planning tools are going to make you feel organized from the start and make your client onboarding process so much easier.
Rock Paper Coin (CRM)
What’s a CRM? A CRM is a customer relationship management tool. It’s a fancy way of saying it’s a program for all things proposals, contracts and invoices. This was probably the first type of tool I implemented in my business because you can’t have a paying client without a professional contract and invoicing system!
The reason I love Rock Paper Coin is because you get complimentary white-glove onboarding which means the RPC team will take the headache out of that task by helping to set up your new RPC account and merge over any files, documents, or invoices. It’s a true lifesaver!
I have seriously gotten paid so much fast by using this tool. Clients are able to electronically sign contracts and pay with a credit card right then and there. The other cool thing is that Rock Paper Coin will automatically remind your clients about upcoming payments so you don’t have to!
By the way, if you want to try it for FREE for a year, the Rock Paper Coin team gave me a super special code for y’all. Try it here!
AislePlanner
Next up is the tool that I spend most of my planning time using. All of our couples get their very own customized AislePlanner dashboard whether they hired us for Full Service Planning or Wedding management. Our entire team can access each client’s dashboard which comes in really handy when we need extra help with certain things and can pull more team members on a certain project.
AislePlanner can seem a little overwhelming at first but once you spend time getting it set up and creating templates (this is key!), you will be happy you have this tool in your back pocket. I’ve started doing some YouTube tutorials about AislePlanner that you can check out as well. Oh and it’s not just for weddings! I’ve used this planning tool for my corporate clients as well and it’s a really great way to keep everyone on track.
So what does it actually do? Well each dashboard gets access to several tabs such as: timeline, checklist, design, layout and even notes. We’ve gone in and created templates for different venues as well as each one of our wedding planning packages. That way, when a client hires us for Full Service Planning at a wedding we’ve worked at before, we can pre-load their dashboard with layouts, customized checklists and even important notes or house rules that that specific venue has.
Wanna give it a spin? You can try AislePlanner for free here!
Canva
Last but not least, this little tool is going to up your design game like crazy! I went from creating very basic moodboards to full on 3D sketches of my clients’ wedding designs. The secret? The Background Remover tool. In order to get access to this tool you do have to upgrade to Canva Pro but you will not regret it!!
If you want to see what I’m walking about, you need to watch my quick tutorial on how to use this magical tool!
Canva is also what we use for our client brochures because we can customize them instantly and they present so well. You can add in all of your branding and logos and make all sorts of designs that you can use for social media, your website or your clients.
So unless something else comes up on the market that can incorporate all of these tools into one magical wedding planning platform, this is going to be my go-to strategy from here on out!