The document discusses how to use technology to better plan a wedding. It recommends designating a tech-savvy project coordinator who will use project management tools like Do or Asana to assign tasks and track progress. A social media tool like Convo will be used to share updates. Individual tasks like selecting a venue, food, and photographer can utilize social media reviews. The coordinator will manage RSVPs and a logistics manager will track vehicles to the venue using GPS. The event may be live streamed for those unable to attend. While technology cannot replace in-person tasks, it can help relieve pressure during planning.

1. How to use technology to plan your wedding
Presented By:
Muhammad Rohail
Muhammad Qasim

2. Using tools & technologies to
better manage a wedding
We know for a fact that when a process goes
digital, it gets better. Take, for example,
paperless offices and electronic banking,
etcetera. So why should we shy away from
using this vital time and energy-conserving
medium to help ease our wedding
preparations?

4. There are many similarities between planning a wedding
and managing a project, so it makes perfect sense that
we employ the tools that project managers commonly
use. First things first, let us first designate a dedicated
project coordinator. It’s also important that this project
coordinator be tech-savvy, because they will be using a
lot of different tools to accomplish their tasks.

5. Step 1
Project Management
Tool

6. The first thing the project coordinator will need is a
project management tool; I recommend something like
the app Do (by Salesforce) or Asana, whichever is easier
to get a hang of. Once the coordinator has familiarised
themselves with the project management app, they will
identify all the people who will be helping with wedding
preparations (managers), and will jot down how each
manager can be contacted, including what devices they
use, like a smartphone, ‘dumb’ phone, or perhaps
something in between (like Symbian)

9. The first thing the project coordinator will need is a
project management tool; I recommend something like
the app Do (by Salesforce) or Asana, whichever is easier
to get a hang of. Once the coordinator has familiarised
themselves with the project management app, they will
identify all the people who will be helping with wedding
preparations (managers), and will jot down how each
manager can be contacted, including what devices they
use, like a smartphone, ‘dumb’ phone, or perhaps
something in between (like Symbian)

10. Step 2
Social tool

11. Once this list has been prepared, all managers must be
brought on the same page. This will take place on a
social business tool like Convo, the same results can be
achieved with Facebook or Google Plus, but dedicated
tools are always better. The purpose of the social tool will
be to share daily progress and task updates with
everyone, and this will tell the project coordinator if
things are going as planned

12. Once this list has been prepared, all
managers must be brought on the same
page. This will take place on a social
business tool like Convo, the same
results can be achieved with Facebook
or Google Plus, but dedicated tools are
always better. The purpose of the social
tool will be to share daily progress and
task updates with everyone, and this
will tell the project coordinator if things
are going as planned

13. Step 3
Selecting a venue

14. Now for individual tasks. There will be one person in
charge of selecting a venue (location manager). This
used to be a long arduous task involving going to each
venue, haggling over costs and finally getting started;
but since the advent of social media, we have a much
easier approach. Just go to the venue’s social media page
and read what the users are saying, browse their albums
to see how the place looks. If you think this opinion is
biased, check out some online forums for what people
have to say and perhaps even get some inside
information based on others’ experiences. This will
reduce the grunt work significantly.

16. Now for individual tasks. There will be one person in
charge of selecting a venue (location manager). This
used to be a long arduous task involving going to each
venue, haggling over costs and finally getting started;
but since the advent of social media, we have a much
easier approach. Just go to the venue’s social media page
and read what the users are saying, browse their albums
to see how the place looks. If you think this opinion is
biased, check out some online forums for what people
have to say and perhaps even get some inside
information based on others’ experiences. This will
reduce the grunt work significantly.

17. Step 4
Food selection

18. Once the venue has been identified, it’s time for food
selection. Since digital odour emitters are not fully
functional and digital taste emitters don’t yet exist (both
apply the same logic of converting taste/smell into bits
of code), you will eventually have to evaluate the food
personally, there is no way to digitise this. You can check
the same message boards/social media pages to get
people’s opinion of their experience with different
caterers, though.

19. Step 5
The invitation

20. Now, the invitation. This step is straightforward, you can have
one designed by a professional graphic designer, if you do not
know one, I recommend finding one using services like
Odesk or Elance (select someone with a portfolio). This
design can be printed and also shared on the Facebook page.
Also, social media can cover a lot of things, such as
identifying and evaluating clothes and decoration, this will
be pretty much the same as selecting the venue; the same
goes for the salon/parlour and selecting a photographer.
Once all of that is done, we return to the project coordinator
who will manage a list of everyone who responded ‘yes’ to the
invitation.

21. Now, the invitation. This step is straightforward, you can have
one designed by a professional graphic designer, if you do not
know one, I recommend finding one using services like
Odesk or Elance (select someone with a portfolio). This
design can be printed and also shared on the Facebook page.
Also, social media can cover a lot of things, such as
identifying and evaluating clothes and decoration, this will
be pretty much the same as selecting the venue; the same
goes for the salon/parlour and selecting a photographer.
Once all of that is done, we return to the project coordinator
who will manage a list of everyone who responded ‘yes’ to the
invitation.

22. Step 6
Tracking the Vehicles

23. The logistics manager will decide how the wedding will
reach the venue and in what pairing everyone will go. We
recommend that the manager assign one individual with
a GPS-enabled device in each vehicle so they know if
anyone goes off track.

24. Step 7
Live streaming

25. Once the wedding is underway, you might want to
consider streaming the event live for family and friends
who are unable to attend, but still want to be part of the
whole thing. Depending on the facilities provided by the
venue, you can cover the entire thing via CCTV (also
identified using social media) or you can do it via a
webcam.

26. Technology will not improve the process 100 per cent,
but it will definitely relieve the pressure, and no amount
of technology can replace a good coordinator. Seriously,
do give them a (real) gift!