“I just got a call from our caterer saying that we never submitted the final list of our menu choices, and we definitely did that! And I can’t find the printout where we made our choices! Now, we have to pay a late fee of $250!”

That fine print in wedding contracts can really smack it to you, with late fees ranging from $25 to over $300…more if you need to rush-order a dress or other big thing. Being organized is the best way to keep your budget under control and save your stress levels at the same time. With so many tasks to stay on top of, it’s quite common for some things to slip through the cracks.

That’s why I’m a fan of scanning all of those planning papers and contracts and putting them someplace safe, organized and easy to find. It might be a folder on your computer, or — in a much prettier way — an online Wedding template that lets you drop scanned documents, images, and other important details.

You might already have a great program on your computer, just waiting to help you out. Microsoft OneNote has a new Wedding Template where you and your groom can place all of these important papers, plus your inspirations, notes and budget tracker.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

The download of this template is free, and here is where you can post all of the Weddzilla blog inspirations you’re finding in addition to those papers from vendors who would charge a late fee.  Other papers to scan in as a way to save money: price lists from your cake vendor, your florist and others since many vendors don’t publish their prices online. When you get the paper printout or brochure, you scan it right into your template.

I love the Weddmark for capturing inspirations, but when it comes to those papers with all the details, your choices, and hand-written changes to the contracts, a free wedding planning template is going to be your budget’s savior!