Mar 1, 2007

Get Married with Excel

Excel makes easy work of creating, estimating and tracking costs for one of the most important events in your life. Create a simple set of worksheets to track everything. The first worksheet lists all of the expenses, estimated costs, then the actual cost. The second worksheet could list the research, for example: the bands, foods you may serve or different types of flowers. Other sheets could lists the poses for the photographer, invitation lists or events during the reception.

Worksheet #1

Column A = List each category, B = Estimated Cost, C = Actual Cost. Total both cost columns.

  • Categories could be:
  • Centerpieces
  • Clothing – dress, shoes, veil
  • Decorations – streamers
  • Florists
  • Foods
  • Gifts for brides maids and groomsmen
  • Halls
  • Honeymoon – hotel, plane fare
  • Invitations
  • Music – band or disk jockey
  • Other – items that do not need a mane category
  • Pictures
  • Transportation – rent limo

Worksheet #2

Column A = List each category, then enter who, what, when, where and how.

Example: Hall List

  • Contact person and phone number
  • Name of hall
  • Hours of your usage
  • What time you can get into the hall to decorate
  • Location
  • How many people does it hold
  • How much will it cost and the amount of the deposit

(Start each worksheet around row 6 or 7 to leave space for a heading and graphics. This is your record, so make it pretty.)

A basic Excel workbook will make planning your wedding much easier. A few columns, simple calculations and a little typing will bring everything together.