your shortcut to a
beautiful,
stress-free day!
What you’ll get with The Wedding Shortcut:
A Free Budget Guide
A Free Chicago Venue Guide (more cities to come soon!)
A DIY Planning Guide + 2 Live Q&A Webinars with Expert Planners at a fraction of the cost of a full-service wedding planner
Plan smarter, not harder!
After more than a decade running BW Studio + Events, Blair kept seeing the same two kinds of couples: the cost-conscious pair who didn’t want to spend thousands on a full service wedding planner, and the Type-A hands-on duo who didn’t want to hand over control. Both were ambitious, organized, and ready to plan their own weddings, but they were stuck piecing together random online checklists, free downloads, and pretty PDFs that didn’t actually help them get the job done.
That’s why Blair created The Wedding Shortcut, a DIY wedding planning program built for real couples who want professional-level tools, tips, and tricks without the price tag of a full-service wedding planner. From free focused Guides to the full Action Plan Workbook to live Q&A webinars with a professional wedding planner (known as the Expert Action Sessions), this system gives you step-by-step direction, insider expertise, and practical templates that take the guesswork out of planning. It’s everything we’ve learned from 10 years of weddings, distilled into an easy, empowering roadmap to your stress-free “I do.”
diy wedding planning - your way!
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diy wedding planning - your way! •
Meet the Founder
Blair Woerfel is the founder of The Wedding Shortcut and owner of BW Studio + Events, a full-service event planning company based in Chicago. Bringing over a decade of real wedding planning experience to DIY couples, she has a background in interior design and hundreds of weddings under her belt, and she’s well known for her calm expertise, thoughtful guidance, and ability to turn big visions into beautifully organized plans. She created The Wedding Shortcut to give couples the professional tools, clarity, and confidence they need to plan a joyful, stress-free wedding all on their own.
Discover our most downloaded
products:
The Wedding Shortcut: Budget Guide
Whether you’re just getting started or already knee-deep in proposals and quotes, this free guide helps you understand where your money should go, what to prioritize, and how to stay organized from “yes” to “I do.”
Your Shortcut to Clarity: Skip the guesswork and start planning with confidence, our free budget guide helps you spend smarter, not more.
How to Get Started: Learn exactly where to begin and how to set a realistic budget that fits your priorities, not someone else’s wedding template.
Budget Breakdown by Percentages: See how professional planners allocate funds across categories so you know what’s typical and where you can save.
Planner Secrets Revealed: Insider tips from over 10 years of wedding planning experience to help you avoid hidden costs, spot red flags, and stretch your budget smartly.
Budget Timeline: A month-by-month look at when to book vendors and make key payments, so you stay on track (and stress-free).
The Wedding Shortcut:
Chicago Venue Guide
Finding your dream wedding venue shouldn’t feel like a second job. Our Chicagoland Venue Guide gives you the clarity and confidence to choose the perfect space for your celebration!
Venues by Neighborhood: Explore top wedding venues across Chicagoland — from downtown lofts to North Shore estates — organized by location to save you hours of research.
Insider Secrets: Learn what planners really look for during venue tours, including red flags, must-ask questions, and hidden costs couples often miss.
Real Guidance, No Fluff: Skip the endless scrolling! This guide gives you curated, vetted options from local experts who actually plan weddings here.
Your Shortcut to “The One”: Find the perfect venue that fits your budget, style, and guest list without the stress or guesswork.
The Wedding Shortcut Action Plan + Expert Sessions
The Wedding Shortcut: Action Plan Workbook is your complete DIY wedding planning system, packed with professional tools, timelines, and templates that make planning simple, structured, and (dare we say) fun. Designed by seasoned Chicago wedding planners, this workbook helps you stay organized, avoid costly mistakes, and actually enjoy the process. It’s like having your own planner — in the form of a workbook.
4-Phase Planning System: Follow a clear, step-by-step process that walks you through every stage of wedding planning,from the first steps to final details, without overwhelm.
Built-In Budget Planner: Track spending, stay on top of payments, and make smart decisions with the same budget tools we use for our full-service clients.
Custom Checklists & Timeline Guides: Never wonder what comes next. Get organized with detailed, realistic to-dos and month-by-month planning timelines.
Floor Plans & Layout Guides: Visualize your day with easy-to-use templates that help you design ceremony setups and reception layouts like a pro.
Professional Tips, Tricks & Resources: Access expert advice from over a decade of wedding planning experience — with insider shortcuts, vendor wisdom, and stress-saving hacks you won’t find on Pinterest.
Includes 2 Expert Access Sessions!
Your workbook gives you the roadmap and The Expert Access Sessions give you the confidence to follow it. Each of these live Q&A webinars provides you the opportunity to connect directly with an experienced planner, ask real questions, and get guidance tailored to your wedding day. Think of it as having a wedding coach in your corner, helping you plan smarter, avoid pitfalls, and feel fully supported every step of the way.
Ask a Pro Live: Get direct answers to your biggest wedding planning questions from full-service wedding planners at BW Studio + Events and The Wedding Shortcut.
Real-Time Support: Join two live sessions designed to keep you on track as you work through the workbook: one to kick you off and talk about budget and vendor selection and a second to review timelines and wedding day logistics! Perfect for troubleshooting, clarifying next steps, and avoiding costly mistakes.
Insider Secrets & Personalized Advice: Learn the tips, timing, and behind-the-scenes tricks that only come from planning hundreds of weddings.
how’s planning going?
Jumpstart your planning with helpful tips and tricks from actual pros!
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How do Hotel Blocks Work?
How to get started booking your hotel blocks?!
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![Questions to ask your vendors]()
Questions to ask your vendors??
Every vendor, by category!
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![welcome bags]()
What the heck are Welcome Bags?
All about welcome bags for hotel guests!
about the
WEDDING SHORTCUT
team
Meet the real Planners behind the scenes!
We're the creative minds, coffee-fueled dreamers, and list-making fanatics behind The Wedding Shortcut — and we're so excited to finally introduce ourselves! Blair (founder), Elly, Neva, and Angelena (event planners). Always growing and adding new talent to our team at BW Studio.
Our mission?
To help you stay organized, inspired, and in control of your time (without all of the stress and overwhelm). Whether you're early in the planning process or deep into the details, we’ve got you.
