In this day and age, professionals are lucky if they have enough time to take a lunch break (admit it -- we've all staved off hunger pangs with disappointing office snacks at some point).
The lack of hours in the day poses a serious problem for those working folks afflicted by a thing called love, who are ready to tie the knot. Planning a wedding is an overwhelming task with far more moving parts and stakeholders than the average conference call.
Solution? Ease every step in the process by injecting some much-needed tech along the way. From staying fit (you should be comfortable enough to dance in that dress or tux!) to selecting a venue, these apps and devices will help the process of getting hitched go off without a hitch.
Look good in that dress or tux
1. Fitocracy
Trim down for your walk down the aisle with Fitocracy. This app makes it easy to stay on top of being active; in fact, it turns physical fitness into a game. Track all your physical activities leading up to the wedding -- from Saturday jogs to dancing up a storm during your bachelorette party, activities rack points to help you “level up.”
If striving for your personal best isn't enough to keep you active, there's nothing like a community of well-wishers to light that fire under your (soon-to-be-fit) butt. A little friendly competition goes a long way when it comes to motivation, and with Fitocracy, you can compete against other users (dubbed "Fitocrats"). If you want to go the extra mile, become a "Hero" for about $5 a month and gain privileges, including the ability to challenge anyone on-site to a one-on-one “duel.” From vying for the most distance swam to boasting the heaviest barbell deadlift, the options for proving your fitness prowess are plentiful.
2. Jawbone Up
Weddings are stressful as is -- fitting into your best on the big day shouldn't be another thing to worry about. Enter Jawbone's Up and Up24. This wearable wristband tracks your stats for you, namely how you sleep, move and eat. Synced to apps, it's easy to keep all of this data on hand … literally. With the Up app's digestible data display, you might even uncover physiological patterns and recommendations for better sleep habits. Plus, the constant physical reminder of the device itself may stop you from reaching for that extra slice.
Sync your planning
3. Evernote
Stay organized across devices and individuals with Evernote. Share your notes with others -- you and your spouse-to-be can update the same list. Better yet, assign to-do items to your significant other by color-coding. They can check off items as completed, so you won't have to ask them a thousand times to ensure they've called the caterer back.
If you're extra ambitious, you can create different notes for each stage of planning: from things you need to take care of months ahead of time to errands you can't forget to run the day before. While you're at it, get rid of paper clutter -- your coffee table deserves better. Scan catering menus, important receipts and the business cards of prospective vendors.
4. WeddingWire
WeddingWire, an online resource for tying the knot, has a suite of mobile apps for everything leading up to the “I do's.” Use the WedTeam app to find vendors, say yes to the dress with the WedStyle app, check things off your list with a handy task organizer and curate photos and event details with the WedSocial app.
5. Cozi
Never miss an appointment again (and simultaneously avoid the wrath of your spouse-to-be). Cozi is a shared calendar app with alert options galore. The betrothed can also share to-do lists to make sure nothing falls between the cracks.
6. Mint
In order to avoid overspending, turn to Mint's budget-tracking wizardry. Hoping to allocate a certain amount to food to afford your dream venue? Mint will break it down for you in an easy, visual way. Manage your purchasing habits, even trigger alerts so you know how much you have left in the budget at all times. Mint will help you realize that no, you don't need that vodka ice luge for your reception.
7. Appy Couple
Looking to consolidate all the info about your big day into one gorgeous package? Consider Appy Couple, an app and website combination that makes it easy to set up your own customized wedding app/site. There's a $35 one-time fee, and then you'll have everything you need to create a personalized digital space, plus a handy RSVP service for guests. All of the info about your big day can live in the app, including event timelines, venue details, gift registries and even shareable blurbs about VIP guests. Guests can add photos via the app, complete with filter and effect options.
Developed by Gilt founder Kevin Ryan and several other former Gilt Groupe-ies, Zola is a (quite gorgeous) digital solution for curating a registry. The newly-released, photo-heavy mobile extension to the site has a Tinder-like feature -- swipe right to add an item to your registry or left to pass it up. See something you covet on the go? Use the app to scan barcodes. You can also add cash/honeymoon funds to your wishlist or enable guests to pool funds for big-ticket gifts, like the Vitamix blender you've been craving.
Make the big day run smoothly
With the portable Mini Jambox speaker, enjoy music wherever your wedding preparation process takes you. Pump tunes while you're en route to the venue, tap your feet as your hair is curled, dance out those jitters as you're getting ready to make your first appearance. The Mini Jambox is mini indeed -- it only weighs 9 oz. -- so you can tuck it away once you're ready to kick off the ceremony.
10. GoPro
The GoPro camera's versatility makes it easy to capture your own wedding from some unique angles. Take this bride's genius placement of the cam -- in her bouquet. Not into filming your own big day? Pass the camera duties off to a best man or maid of honor, and task them to film the reception. Now you really can't take back those embarrassing dance moves.
11. LiveLens
Have friends or family that simply can't physically make it to the wedding? LiveLens' live-streaming capabilities make it easy for them to watch your event from wherever they might be … as it happens. Your would-be guests have the option to tune in from various devices (LiveLens is an app), and they can even comment and "like" the video as it unfolds. There's no video limit length … you can capture the whole shebang.
Get the party started
12. Spotify
If a DJ isn't in the budget, consider using Spotify. With a little pre-planned playlist curation, simply connect your device of choice to speakers on the big day to get the tunes pumping. If selecting your own songs seems like a chore, consider crowdsourcing from friends and family ahead of time -- Spotify users can send each other and collaborate on playlists. Make sure to opt for ad-free Spotify premium ($9.99 a month), and your playlists won't be reliant on Wi-Fi.
13. Instaprint
These days, it's inevitable that attendees will Instagram your wedding. Because in the land of Internet, if there weren't pictures, it didn't happen … right? With Instaprint, you can print your guests' photos on the spot, as they're taken. These rentable devices will even impart branding onto the prints, so if you've created your own wedding logo, add it as a watermark.
Make these photos a source of entertainment -- use Instaprint's projection feature to stream a live feed of your guests' images to any screen or projector. This includes likes and comments, so remember to be nice.
Now, enjoy that honeymoon!
14. Tylt Energi
This three-in-one gadget is a day-to-day charger, a travel charger and a lightweight battery pack. Basically, it's everything you'll need to keep your devices juiced up on the go.
15. City Maps 2Go
Celebrating your first days of matrimony in a city abroad? Use City Maps 2Go to know your whereabouts without racking up data/roaming charges. Download maps ahead of time to view them offline. Determine your location and search for attractions, restaurants, hotels, so on and so forth. Add favorites and get recommendations from fellow travelers … all of this without a connection. There's a basic free version that allows you access to five destinations of your choice and an unlimited destination pro version for $2.99.
16. Fast Talk by Lonely Planet
Wedding planning chaos left you without time to learn the language? Lonely Planet's phrasebook can help you get by. The free app comes with your choice of French, German, Italian, Latin American Spanish or European Spanish. For the globetrotting couple, you can purchase all five for $4.99. Search phrases by category (ex: eating and drinking, airport and transportation), hear native pronunciation and save phrases for easy reference. Many of these features are accessible offline, so you can avoid an unwanted phone bill souvenir.