Keeping everything organized as an engaged couple is essential to headache-free wedding planning. Collecting your guests’ addresses is arguably one of the most difficult parts of the planning process.

People move, you are gathering addresses from your friends, family friends, co-workers, and inevidbly have to follow up with the stragglers. Which means you are reminding other people to remind people to confirm their addresses. It can become a game of telephone, and nobody wants to be a nag.

As a calligrapher and stationer, I can tell you it is the number one reason save-the-dates and invitations go out late. The good news is, you can save yourself from this unnecessary stress! See below for my top tips and spreadsheet to keep yourself organized.

Top Tips for Gathering Addresses

I suggest getting started as soon as you have finalized your guest list! This will give you plenty of time to gather addresses, stress-free.
If you send out holiday cards, you already have a head start! Utilize the list you already have.
Ask your parents and future in-laws for addresses they might already have in their address book.
Double check your lists to see if anyone has moved recently, or is planning on moving while you are engaged. Be sure to get their new address!
- Ask your parents and future in-laws to check for this as well for the guests you aren’t as close to.
Make a decision about the formality of how your envelopes will be addressed.
- Some guests may go by their middle name or have a suffix. If you are doing things on the traditional side, then its best to make sure you are using their full, legal name.

Click below for the downloadable spreadsheet I give my clients to keep things organized. There are a few little points you may not have thought of before, so take a look before you begin collecting the addresses!

Address Collection Spreadsheet

As always, I hope this helps to keep your planning process as smooth as possible.

xoxo,

Alexandra