Details, details

Posted by Marielle in Weddings.

Venue: check!

Yesterday we laid down the non-refundable deposit on our wedding venue. A watermarked slip of paper passed from account holder to vendor officially dictates that on September 13, 2009, I will be marrying my beau at a restored colonial farmhouse in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

This moment is a big landmark. The two most important details of my wedding (besides the groom, of course) are secured. I should be celebrating: Finally, the ball is rolling! But now comes the hard part, sorting out the minutia and making decisions that seem small to me, but are apparently life or death to our $70-billion-a-year-wedding industry.

It’s not that I haven’t given thought to things like whether I prefer a DJ or band, or what song I want to walk down the aisle to — I’ve been stalking invitation Web sites and considering possible wedding colors for more than a year. But, as they say, the devil is in the details. To help me out (and you, dear reader), here are five Web sites I couldn’t plan without:

The I Do Foundation. As a young couple starting out, we really can’t afford to shirk all our wedding gifts in favor of charity, but The I Do Foundation is one of the few sites we’ve found that will let us be charitable and keep the engraved toaster from Aunt Mildred. Register through this site and up to 10% of every purchase by wedding guests will go directly to your favorite charity.

DIY Bride. In times of unmotivated planning, popping over to DIY Bride (or buying the book, which I love) will both inspire and empower you. Nothing like browsing the archives to get your creative juices flowing. Besides which, the practical advice from a bride who’s been there will help keep you grounded when it counts.

Offbeat Bride. There’s nothing better than seeing what other people have tried, which is how sites the The Knot flourish. I promise Offbeat Bride won’t disappoint, with its tales of polyamorous paegan and Steampunk-themed ceremonies. Bonus: Ariel’s offbeat advice is sure to relieve your kitschiest fears.

Etsy Weddings. I know, Etsy is ooold news. Maybe so — but that won’t stop me from doing my holiday shopping there this month and it sure as heck won’t keep me away from their fabulous wedding section. If you get bored of browsing the shops (though I don’t know how you possibly could), check out the Storque for wedding articles and videos galore!

Indie Fixx. Sign up for this newsletter. Do it right now. I have found out about countless vendors and gotten ideas I never would have found if it weren’t for Indie Fixx. Normally, this site isn’t specifically wedding-oriented, but I did find the summer wedding guide to be extra helpful.

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