Wrangling those Post-Wedding Show Emails

Just Back from a Wedding Show? Here’s Your Guide to Keeping Your Inbox from Exploding! 📬

Hey there, newly engaged couples! If you just wrapped up a weekend filled with wedding show fun, you’re probably on cloud nine—but also might be staring down a mountain of emails from all those amazing vendors you met! It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement, but soon, the emails start piling up. Before you know it, it feels like your inbox has taken on a life of its own! And while wedding planning is exciting, a chaotic inbox is anything but.

So, to keep your email under control, I’ve put together a fun, easy guide on how to keep things organized, streamline your messages, and make sure you don’t miss a single thing!

Tips for Couples on Staying Organized after attending Wedding Shows

Step 1: Create a Dedicated Wedding-Only Email Address

A wedding-only email address might sound like overkill, but trust me, it’s a game-changer! Think of it as your wedding planning command center. With a dedicated email just for wedding communication, you won’t have to dig through all your other messages to find that one florist’s proposal or worry about missing an important update from your photographer (me, maybe?! 😉).

Creating a wedding-only email address will also:

– Keep personal and wedding planning life separate: No more sorting through work emails or personal messages while you’re in wedding-planning mode.
– Simplify communication with your vendor team: You can track responses and view conversations without mixing in unrelated stuff.
– Create a keepsake for your wedding journey: Later, you can look back at all those emails and relive the journey (or maybe even laugh at how stressed you were at times!).

Pro Tip: Use something easy to remember and clear for vendors, like “YourNameWedding2025@gmail.com.” This makes it simple for your vendor team to recognize and prioritize your emails!

Step 2: Use Gmail Labels and Filters to Organize Your Inbox

Once you’ve got your wedding email up and running, it’s time to organize it so that nothing slips through the cracks! Using labels and filters in Gmail (or whatever email platform you prefer) helps separate your inbox into easy-to-find categories based on vendors, topics, or priorities. Let’s dive into how to set these up in Gmail!

How to Create Labels in Gmail:

1. Open Gmail and scroll down to the left sidebar.
2. Click “More,” then select “Create new label.”
3. Name the label based on vendor type, such as “Photographers,” “Venues,” “Florists,” or even “Contracts.”
4. Hit “Create,” and voila! Your label is ready. Repeat this for each vendor category or however you want to organize your inbox.

Setting Up Filters in Gmail:

This is where the magic happens! By setting up filters, you can tell Gmail to automatically label incoming emails based on keywords (like a vendor’s name or email address) or other criteria. Here’s how to get started:

1. Search for a Vendor Email or Keyword:
– Go to the Gmail search bar and type in keywords related to a vendor, like “Venue,” or even a specific vendor’s name.

2. Create a Filter:
– Once you’ve entered your keyword, click the gray filter icon on the right side of the search bar. A new pop-up will let you specify more details if you’d like.
– Choose “Create filter” at the bottom right.

3. Assign a Label to Your Filter:
– Check “Apply the label” and select the right label from the dropdown.
– Click “Create filter” again, and Gmail will now automatically label any emails matching your criteria!

With this setup, all emails from “XYZ Venue” will go directly to the “Venues” label, meaning you can easily find them without sifting through hundreds of other messages. Now, when you’re ready to check in with a vendor, you can go directly to their folder and avoid any inbox hunting.

Step 3: Prioritize & Unsubscribe (It’s Okay to Say Goodbye!)

Not every vendor at the wedding show will be a perfect match for you—and that’s totally okay! At first, you might be tempted to keep every email just in case, but that’s a recipe for clutter. It’s important to focus on those vendors that truly excite you and filter out the rest.

Here’s how to keep things in check:

Unsubscribe from newsletters or mailing lists that aren’t aligned with your style, budget, or wedding vision. It’s better to focus on vendors you genuinely see yourself working with.
Mark important emails from your “fave” vendors so they’re easier to find. In Gmail, click the little star next to important emails so you can quickly filter for these later.

By clearing out the noise, you’ll streamline your inbox and make sure your attention stays on the vendors and details that matter most to you!

Step 4: Set Boundaries with “Email Time” (Don’t Let Planning Take Over!)

Wedding planning can quickly start taking over every aspect of your life if you’re not careful! Between work, social life, and family, you need boundaries—especially with your email. A great way to prevent wedding planning from feeling overwhelming is to set aside specific times to check and respond to your emails.

Consider blocking out 15–30 minutes each day (or maybe a few times a week) as dedicated “wedding email time.” Here’s what you can do during this time:

Review any new emails and respond to ones needing quick answers.
Sort messages into their correct labels or folders.
Add any important dates or consultations to your calendar (this is a huge help for staying organized!).

With this approach, you’ll keep on top of wedding planning without letting it eat into every spare moment. Plus, it’ll help you avoid the endless notification stress that comes with checking emails constantly!

Step 5: Follow Up Promptly with Your Faves

One of the biggest takeaways from wedding shows is finding vendors that give you all the right vibes—and they’re often in high demand. So if you’ve got a “dream team” vendor you really clicked with, don’t let the moment pass! Reach out, let them know you’re interested, and schedule a consultation or follow-up call.

Here’s why it’s important to follow up quickly:

Secure their availability before they book up with other couples.
Clarify any lingering questions you might have about their services, package options, or pricing.
Build a relationship with them by showing your interest and excitement. Vendors love working with enthusiastic couples!

Make sure to use that dedicated email time (from Step 4) to catch up with your top vendors, and don’t be afraid to ask any burning questions. The faster you build that relationship, the better chances you have of nailing down your dream wedding team!

Keep Wedding Planning Fun (Not Stressful!)

Planning your wedding should be an exciting time filled with joy, laughter, and anticipation—not frustration over missed emails or an endless inbox. With a few simple organizational tricks, you’ll keep things running smoothly and can stay focused on what truly matters: celebrating love and making memories with the people who mean the most to you.

If you’ve attended a wedding show recently, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of info and emails coming your way. But by creating a dedicated wedding email, setting up labels and filters, prioritizing important messages, setting email boundaries, and following up with your favorite vendors, you’ll be able to handle everything like a pro!

And don’t forget wedding planning is a journey. Don’t stress if things feel chaotic at times. Just breathe, remember why you’re doing this, and let the magic unfold as it should.