Saying “I Do”: Wedding Apps for Lumia

I went to a wedding recently, and everything was picture-perfect. The cerulean lakeside venue. The his-and-hers reception cocktails. The hand-calligraphed place cards in gold ink.

It all seemed so elegant, so effortless. But I knew the nuptials took long months of daily planning, flurries of phone calls and emails, and no small amount of money and angst.

What if your Lumia or other smartphone could take some of that pressure off your shoulders? Well, it can. Whether you’re planning a wedding or other formal fete, check out these Windows Phone apps to streamline your strategy for the Big Day.

Evernote:Throw away that big three-ringed wedding planning binder. Instead, create a digital home for that ever-growing pile of invitation mock-ups, sample dinner menus, and demo reels of bands with Evernote. With the platform’s collaborative notebooks, you can easily share photos and videos as well as guest lists, vendor contracts and other information with your partner. The app syncs with your laptop and other tech devices, so you’ll always have all the info at your fingertips.

Moleskin Journal: This is a really fun and handy app. Need to sketch out the design of your bridesmaids’ dresses or a filigree for your invitations? This free app gives you digital pen, pencils, paintbrushes and paper to jot down your ideas and notes. You can also “lock” your notebooks with a password. Just like the real Moleskin notebooks, the app features a back pocket that you can store photos, videos, and other media for easy access, and synchronizes with Evernote and Dropbox.

Budget Buddy: Organizing a wedding costs a pretty penny (about $30,000 here in the U.S.), so draw up a wedding budget and track your hard-earned dough with the help of this free app. You can easily record and file expenses by snapping a photo of a receipt or bill. The app also lets you customize categories, set a monthly budget, and the Live Tile feature shows you exactly how much you’ve spent and how much is left in your monthly budget.

Table Planner: When you’ve got 200 people coming to your wedding, creating a seating plan that works for everybody can be daunting. Table Planner (free 7-day trial; $2.49 thereafter) helps you sort that out.

First, create a guest list. The app helps you manage RSVPs (both for the reception as well as just the ceremony) and note each guest’s meal choice. Then, input the estimated number of tables needed and how many people each table seats. With a swipe of your finger, move the guests to their respective spots. Just make sure you don’t group all of your fiance’s ex-girlfriends at the same table!

UTrailMe: If some of your invited guests aren’t able to attend your nuptials, whether it’s your elderly aunt or friends living halfway around the world, bring your wedding to them.  UTrailMe is a live-video streaming app that shares your videos with your social network. Now everyone can see you say “I do.” If you don’t want to share the wedding with your entire social network, you can disable live streaming and save the video for later viewing.

OK, these apps help you plan the Big Day. And here’s some inspirational wedding photography (captured with a Lumia). But what about the honeymoon? We’ve got you covered: Check out this recent Conversations story on travel-related apps.

Have you organized a wedding with the help of apps and your Lumia or other smartphone? If so, please share your tips!