How do I help a friend plan her wedding?

My best friend is now officially engaged, and she wants me to help her plan her wedding.
Now, I know nothing about planning weddings, much less planning a basic birthday party.
So the date she has set is for September of next year, and we both decided, to get a head start on doing research. We don’t have the funds for a wedding planner, so it would be appreciated if you not told me I should have one.
But we would like some advice from those of you who planned your own weddings, to help guide us in the right direction.