6 Must-Have FREE Apps to Simplify Your Wedding Planning in 2025
- joplinphotobooth
- May 21
- 4 min read
Why pay for programs you may only use for a few months? Check out these '6 Must-Have free apps to simplify your wedding planning in 2025'
Planning a wedding in 2025 can feel overwhelming, but technology is here to help. With so many options available, choosing the right tools can make a world of difference, helping you stay organized, reduce stress, and focus on creating the big day you’ve always dreamed of. In this post, we’ll highlight six must-have free apps that are transforming the wedding planning process—making it easier, more streamlined, and for FREE!
Stirling PDF
Replacement for Adobe Acrobat
Stirling PDF is a powerful, open-source web-based application designed for managing and manipulating PDF files. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools that allow users to perform a wide range of PDF-related tasks directly in their web browser, without the need for additional software installation. Merge, split, rotate, reorder PDF pages. Convert PDFs to/from various formats. Extract image and texts from PDFs. Fill out and sign PDFs.
Use case: Great for filling out rental agreements, contracts, signing, organizing
Download Here:
Scribus Desktop Publishing
Replacement for Adobe InDesign
Scribus is a free and open-source desktop publishing (DTP) application used for creating professional-quality page layouts. It is widely used by designers, publishers, and individuals for producing brochures, magazines, newsletters, posters, books, and interactive PDFs.
Tools include precise control over text, images, vector graphics. Multi-page documents and complex layouts. Advanced typography including font embedding. Color management (eg CMYK support to get your files ready to send to the printer). Supports PSD (Photoshop) & SVG (vector) graphics. Exports to PDF
Use case: Excellent for use in creating invitations, signs, save the dates, newsletters, brochures, and more
Download Here:
Photopea
Replacement for Adobe Photoshop (web-based)
Photopea is a free, web-based image editing application that offers powerful features comparable to Adobe Photoshop. It supports a wide range of file formats, including PSD, XCF, Sketch, AI, and standard image formats like JPG, PNG, and SVG. Designed to run entirely in the browser, Photopea requires no installation and works on virtually any device with internet access. Works with layers, masks, smart objects, filters. Opens and saves PSD (Photoshop) files. Photo retouching, graphic design, layout. Exports to PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, PSD. No downloads or sign-up required, runs anywhere on any modern browser.
Use case: Excellent for graphic design, photo editing, and more. Layout is very similar to Photoshop and works nearly the same
Web-based access:
OpenOffice Suite
Replacement for MS Office 365 Suite
OpenOffice is a free, open-source office productivity suite that provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. It is compatible with many other office software suites and supports a wide range of file formats, including Microsoft Office formats. OpenOffice is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
OpenOffice is comprised of several programs that make up the suite. Including:
Writer – Spot-on replacement for MS Word
Calc – Spreadsheet program just like Excel
Impress – Presentation creation tool
Draw – Vector graphics editor, great for diagrams and flowcharts
Base – Database management application
...and more
Use case: I quit paying for MS Office a decade ago and never looked back! Writer & Calc work exactly like the Office versions and work just fine with others that still use them. Bonus: If you're paying for Office just for Outlook, give Thunderbird a try! WOrks the same, and again, it's totally free.
Download Here:
Darktable
Replacement for Adobe Lightroom
Darktable is a free, open-source photo management and editing software designed for photographers. It offers a non-destructive workflow for processing RAW files, making it a popular alternative to proprietary programs like Adobe Lightroom. Darktable provides powerful tools for image enhancement, organization, and editing, with a focus on high-quality, detailed adjustments.
Non-destructive editing simply means that any edits applied to your images are applied without altering the original. Allowing for flexible and reversible adjustments.
Adjust exposure, while balance, color correction, tone mapping, sharpening, noise reduction. Excellent image management with tags and ratings. Great for efficiently organizing large photo libraries and batch processing (automating repetitive image enhancements for multiple photos and images)
Use case: Excellent for editing and organizing the mass of photos you'll receive after your wedding from various cameras.
Download Here:
Gnucash
Replacement for Quickbooks
GnuCash is an open-source personal and small business accounting software designed to help users manage their finances. It is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, and supports both double-entry accounting and basic bookkeeping practices. Double-entry accounting, manage accounts & categories, transaction management, financial reports, scheduled transaction. Import & export data to and from your bank via OFX, QFX, CSV, XML & QIF formats.
Use case: Perfect to keep track of the many expenses to put on your wedding or event!
Download Here:
Weddings, receptions & other events are expensive enough! Give these a try ... I guarantee many will become your new go-to even after your Big Day.
