After months of work, we’re so excited to finally be able to re-launch APW. We’ve designed a new format that lets you more easily access all the information you need when you’re wedding planning, and at LONG last, we’ve launched APW shopping tools.
Over the past year, we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how people use the internet in 2022, and how we can best set up the site to help you plan your weddings, elopements, and celebrations. We have 14 years of wedding planning tools, information, research, advice, and real weddings, and we wanted to find a way to present that information to you so you can find what you need, when you need it, in a way that’s super easy to use.
And did we mention shopping? Yes, we finally have a shop. (More on that in a second.)
Ease, Support, And Connection
Our goal at APW has always been to make wedding planning easier, to make you feel supported, and more than anything to make you feel not alone during this often difficult wedding planning process. (Oh, and to do all of that with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and realism… because y’all… that was not happening much when we launched in 2008.) With this re-launch, we’ve tried to organize the site in a way that supports all those goals. And, I think we’ve done it.
A Practical Wedding Is Your Resource
APW has always been a resource. Now, in 2022, we have more ways to access nearly a decade and a half of information, plus tools, more content than ever, shopping resources, wedding planning tools, and ebooks. Seriously, what beats 14 years worth of advice columns, real wedding inspiration, DIY guides, and experience? Not much (except maybe our two best-selling books). And with our new homepage, none of that is going anywhere. In fact, our big goal with this relaunch has been to bring those resources front-and-center. So, when you navigate to our homepage, you’ll see that we’ve got the things you really need, super accessible.
When I launched APW, it was the heyday of blogging, and in its earliest form, APW was a Blogspot blog. But those days are long gone. Over the years we’ve redesigned our front page in various ways to keep up with the times, but now that it’s 2022, we decided to shift away from the old ‘blogroll’ format that has been APW’s homepage for years. Now on the front page, you’ll find a more curated selection of content that we think you, our readers, need most. You’ll find fresh content, current conversations, and quick links to get to all our best stuff: The Vendor Directory, our revamped Free Wedding Planning Tools, Real Wedding Inspiration, Advice, and more. Oh, and don’t worry… if the blogroll format is your jam… you can still find it right here.
And as always, It’s About Community
A Practical Wedding has always been about community. Way back in 2008, when I was running APW from my kitchen table, I knew that connection and community were really needed as part of the online wedding planning experience. It’s what I was seeking by starting a blog, and it’s what I found as our APW community grew. Over the years, APW has had some posts where the comment count has reached 500+ (that’s no small feat, y’all!). Online publishing has changed a lot over the years, and the days of us living in blog comment counts is largely over. But we really still want APW to be a place of community, inclusivity, and connection. We will continue to have open threads posts where you can ask for advice from the small-but-mighty APW team and other readers, real weddings submitted by readers just like you (submit yours right here), and answers to burning advice questions asked by folks like yourself (Got a question? Drop it here). And beyond that, those old 500+ post comment threads packed with info are still there for you to browse.
What’s New
A Refreshed Home Page, Obviously
We’re delighted with the new, fresh, modern look of the homepage. While the look isn’t the goal (the usability and accessibility are), we think it’s really pretty. Redesigning a website is a lot of work. Chelsea (who we miss too much) and Alyssa have been spearheading this project for nearly a year now. They designed every little detail, adjusted things pixel by pixel, and created a plan and layout that our web coder could then implement. Y’all… I think we knocked it out of the park. This project and type of work have historically involved APW hiring a designer to create the visuals, a web designer/team to create the wireframe layout, and then a team of coders to implement it. This time, it happened with the smallest and mightiest team of all. (And also, one of the very best teams APW has ever had.)
All New Planning Tools
One of the cornerstones of APW’s resources for many years has been our totally free planning tools, and they’re still here. They have, however, been completely refreshed. New look, new functionalities, all the same wedding planning magic you’re used to. So, if you’re in the market for help with a wedding guest list, a wedding budget, or any other tools as you plan your wedding… we’ve got them right here.
A Store Made Just For You
This has been a LONG time coming. We have been talking about launching an APW Store for years, and it’s finally here! The APW Store is where you will find all the wedding planning spreadsheets and tools as instant and simple downloads. It’s also where you’ll find our favorite shopping links from around the internet. We’ve got wedding dresses, invitations, accessories, shopping lists for our favorite DIYs, and so much more—all in one place, and easy to navigate. Our hero, Chelsea, built this thing from the ground up. All we can say is… go check it out for yourself. And check back often, because we’ll be loading more favorites into the store regularly for your shopping pleasure… and maybe even some APW merch in the future.
A Quick Look Back
We can’t just leave you with all the excitement of our new homepage, without also taking a little trip down memory lane. APW has had so many different ‘looks’ over the years, the internet as a whole has evolved so much since 2008, and this little flashback lineup was too fun to look at. Can you spot the era when you started reading APW?
Where Else Can You Find Us?
These days, we’re not just here at A Practical Wedding—but are working on a ton of new projects.
Practical Media, Inc.—We finally made a home on the internet for our parent company that houses all the things.
APW Email—If you aren’t already, you really should be getting APW in your inbox. Trust us.
APW Studio—The home of APW’s brand work, and all the amazing images and content we’ve created over the years with our partners.
The APW Books—Easily one of the best resources in wedding planning, if I do say so myself.
MegKeene.com—Looking for more on all the work Meg is doing that’s not APW? You’ll find it here. She’s doing 1:1 coaching for women and femme entrepreneurs these days, and if you’re interested in that, get yourself on Meg’s email list. (Those coaching slots fill up as soon as she offers them.)
Practical Business School—It’s been a slow process to build it just right, but PBS is coming, and soon. The first launch will be a course called Big Idea Blueprint. You don’t want to miss out, so sign up for Meg’s email list to keep up to date.
Niqeva—Meg’s passion project, the online community for Jewish women and femmes.
The past 2+ years have been an extraordinarily hard time to plan weddings, run a business, and frankly, just be a human. During that period the publishing industry has changed a ton, as has our business. After two years of thought, hard work, and collaboration, we’re so proud to re-launch APW in a way we think makes the most sense for 2022, and we look forward to continuing to help you plan your weddings for years to come.
So, friends. Tell us what you think! What’s your favorite part of the all-new APW homepage? Or, just drop your wedding planning thoughts or conundrums below. We aren’t going anywhere, and we’re here to help. happy planning! Thank you for being the most important part of APW all these years.
