No matter what any well-meaning optimist tries to tell you, planning your wedding is going to be a lot of work. Regardless if you're having a smaller, more intimate affair with a few friends and family, or a grand gala with 400 people, one thing remains the same; any wedding will have many details that need attended to in order stay on schedule. Organization is the very best way of having a successful, beautiful wedding that everyone will remember for years to come.

The first thing that must be done is to set a reasonable budget. Learn who is paying for what, and if you two are footing the whole bill like many couples, a budget will tell you exactly what you must save during your engagement to have the wedding you want. Write down a list of all the things you anticipate needing and their estimated costs. You'll then know what you have to save per month, or if parents or family are helping out, you'll know how much further ahead you'll be.

A helpful idea for keeping track of all your wedding expenses is to create a spreadsheet. If you don't have access to a computer you can simply make your own with paper and a ruler. On the left side of your sheet list all the expenses for the wedding. Next should be three columns labeled "Total Cost", "Amount Paid" and then "Balance or Amount Due". This layout will allow you to see at a glance what you have or haven't yet paid.

Every wedding is different of course, but the following is a list of the usual costs you may need to budget for and add to your spreadsheet.

Wedding transportation such as limousines, the photographer and videographer, the bridal gown, tuxedo rental for the groom, the invitations and postage, wedding favors, flowers, the cake, food, the reception site, the ceremony fees as well as gifts for the bridal party.

These are the most common expenses of a wedding, however you can always add or subtract from the list based on your particular needs.

Another essential item for the organized bride is the three-ring binder or other type of folder. Keep your binder in a safe place and use it only for wedding planning. Remember to take it with you when visiting vendors so that you can easily store all of your quotes and contracts. A binder or folder is also great for keeping receipts or menus in one place for easy reference.

An organizer with pockets is also handy for storing pages from bridal magazines or ideas printed from the internet. If you see the perfect bouquet on a pamphlet at a bridal show you can always show it to your own florist when you meet to discuss ideas. Sometimes it's much easier to get your message across with a clear picture rather than simply explaining it and risking the chance of a misunderstanding.