As an independent wedding planner, you have your hands full running every aspect of your business on your own. From capturing every detail of your client’s ideal floral arrangements to hourly tracking and billing, the right technology helps make your job easier. Here are some technology solutions that any wedding planner should have in his or her arsenal:

Design & Plan

An all-inclusive software suite keeps your planning, designing and collaborating tools in one place, and Aisle Planner is a useful option that’s specific to your needs as a wedding planner. A streamlined interface lets you share inspiration boards with suppliers and clients, organize deadlines and payment dates, and communicate with your clients and suppliers.

Logging Mileage

Wedding planning often takes you on the road to meet your clients for cake tastings, dress fittings, and venue visits. An app with GPS capability such as QuickBooks Self-Employed can automatically track your business travel for accurate logging and billing, which keeps reporting simple when it comes time to file taxes with Canada Revenue Services.

Billing and Hour Tracking

Keep invoicing under wraps with an automated billing app so you spend more time focusing on your clients’ perfect weddings rather than spending hours poring over bills and receipts. Some great options include:

• QuickBooks Self-Employed, for iOS and Android: An all-in-one solution for billing, invoicing, mileage tracking, receipt storage and tax deductions
• MinuteDock for iOS and Android: A time-tracking app that instantly syncs time tracked to QuickBooks, automatically bills your clients, and lets you track retainers and budgets with your clients.
• Time Tracker by eBility : A billing and time-tracking app that syncs your time and expense entries to QuickBooks, generates invoices, and lets contractors submit time remotely, which is great for wedding planners who sub-contract with other professionals such as designers or florists.

Payment Acceptance

Keep a payment acceptance app on your phone so that you can take credit cards on the spot in case your wedding clients want to settle their bills at the end of each meeting. Alternatively, use those apps to collect payments and send payment reminders via e-mail. Some payment acceptance tools include:

• Square, which allows you to take all major credit cards.
• Plooto, a convenient option that processes transactions in one click and lets you pay U.S. based suppliers and contractors with your Canadian bank account.
• Partial.ly, which lets you accept your fee in multiple scheduled payments. This is ideal for working with wedding clients on a flexible basis and setting concrete payment terms that work for both of you.

Keeping your smartphone close at hand is the key to streamlining your work process as a busy wedding planner, especially if work finds you on-the-go often. Making use of the right apps and technology tools helps ensure that you communicate with your wedding clients on a timely basis, track your business mileage and hours accurately, and get paid on time, all crucial components to running a reputable wedding planning business.