How to use Planly Say Yes

Your planner lives privately in your own Google Drive, so the first step is making your personal copy.

1. Open the PDF from your Etsy purchase (Etsy → You → Purchases and reviews → Download files).
2. Click the “Make my copy” button. If you're asked, sign in to your Google account.
3. Google shows a “Copy document” screen. Click the blue “Make a copy” button.
4. Your copy opens. Rename it if you like (click the title in the top-left), e.g. “Our Wedding Plan”.

The light cells at the top of SETUP feed every other tab: the countdown, the checklist due dates and the budget plan.

1. Open the SETUP tab.
2. In the light cells C6 to C13, enter Partner 1, Partner 2, Wedding date, Ceremony venue, Reception venue, City, Total budget and Guest count goal.
3. Pick your Currency in C14 ($, £, €, CA$, A$, NZ$, R, ₹, ¥, kr, CHF or zł). Every money heading in the planner then shows your symbol, e.g. “Total budget (£)”.
4. Check the DASHBOARD title: it now reads “The wedding of” followed by your names.
5. Read the short tip in B16 before moving on.

The lists further down SETUP fill the dropdowns on the other tabs. The defaults work well, so change only what you need.

1. Budget categories: 13 categories are filled in with a % of budget for each. Change the names or percentages to suit your wedding, and keep the total at 100%.
2. Meal options: list the meals your caterer offers (for example Chicken, Fish, Vegetarian, Kids).
3. Guest groups: list the groups you'll sort guests into, such as Family, Friends or Work.
4. Guest of: this list builds itself from your two names plus “Both”.
5. Vendor categories: the types of vendors you'll hire, such as Photographer, Florist or DJ.

BUDGET starts with 20 common wedding items already listed. Add estimates now and fill in real numbers as you book.

1. For each row, pick a Category from the dropdown and check the Item name. Delete or rename items you don't need.
2. Enter an Estimated cost for each item.
3. As you book, type the Actual cost. When you pay something, add it to Paid. Left to pay works itself out.
4. Add a Due date for any balance still owed and use Notes for details.
5. Check the summary cards at the top and the By category table: Planned, Estimated, Actual and Difference. A category over its plan turns pink.

VENDORS keeps every photographer, florist, caterer and band in one list, from first contact to paid in full.

1. Pick a Category and enter the Vendor name, Contact, Phone, Email and Website.
2. Enter the Total cost and the Deposit. Tick Deposit paid once it's paid.
3. Balance works itself out. Add the Balance due date.
4. Tick Contract signed when you have it in writing.
5. Set the Status as you go: Researching, Contacted, Booked or Paid in full.

Planly Say Yes · Vendor tracker

PAYMENTS lists every deposit and balance so nothing is paid late.

1. For each payment, enter What it's for and pick the Vendor from the dropdown (it reads your VENDORS tab).
2. Enter the Amount and the Due date.
3. When you pay, tick Paid and add the Paid on date and Method.
4. Status fills in by itself: Paid, Overdue, Due soon (within 14 days) or Upcoming.

The guest list holds 150 guests and keeps invites, RSVPs, meals and tables in one place.

1. Enter each Guest name and their Party / household so you can keep families together.
2. Pick Guest of (whose side) and a Group, and add a Phone or email.
3. Tick Invite sent when the invitation goes out.
4. When replies come in, set RSVP to Attending, Declined or Awaiting.
5. If a guest brings someone, tick Plus-one and add the Plus-one name.
6. Choose a Meal and Plus-one meal, and add any Dietary notes.
7. Use the last three checkboxes to track Save the date sent, Address collected and Returned mail.
8. To the right of the table, the By household summary shows each household's Guests (plus-ones counted), Attending and Replied (e.g. “2 of 3”). A household turns green once everyone has replied.

You assign tables on GUEST LIST and SEATING does the counting.

1. On SEATING, name your tables (up to 30) and set the number of Seats at each.
2. Go back to GUEST LIST and type a table in each guest's Table column.
3. Back on SEATING, Seated counts each table's guests, including plus-ones, and skips anyone who declined.
4. Seats left shows where there's room, and Who's sitting here lists the names at each table.
5. Check the Still need a table list to find attending guests without a seat.
6. Open SEATING PLAN to see a printable card for every table: the table name, “x of y seats taken” and up to 12 seated names (guests and named plus-ones, declined guests left out).

Planly Say Yes · Seating chart

About 55 tasks are already written for you, grouped by phase from 12+ months out to after the wedding.

1. Look at the Phase column and the phase table on the right: each phase has a number of days before the wedding.
2. Due date fills in by itself from your wedding date minus the days for that phase. Type over a date if you want a different one.
3. Add a name in Who so everyone knows their jobs.
4. Tick Done when a task is finished and use Notes for details.
5. Watch the cards at the top: Tasks, Done, Progress and Overdue.

Two tabs keep the day itself running on time.

1. DAY-OF: a sample day is filled in to get you started. Change the Time, What's happening, Where and Who for each moment, and add Notes.
2. In the Vendor contact sheet to the right, pick a vendor from the dropdown (it reads VENDORS). Category, Contact and Phone fill in; type the Arrives time and any Notes.
3. WEDDING PARTY: add each person's Name, Role, Phone and Email.
4. Add their Outfit / size, tick Outfit ordered and enter the Fitting date.
5. Use Duties & notes for what each person is in charge of on the day.

The dashboard pulls everything together. There's nothing to type here.

1. The cards show Days to go, Budget remaining, Paid so far, Guests attending, Tasks done and Next payment.
2. The budget donut splits your total budget into paid, still to pay and not yet planned.
3. Spending by category compares planned and actual for each budget category.
4. Payments shows how much is paid and how much is still due.
5. The RSVP progress bar shows how many replies are in.

Planly Say Yes · Wedding dashboard