If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably been envisioning your wedding day since you were little. Then along came Pinterest, a gift from the wedding inspiration Gods, with all it’s glittery, mason jar, rustic barn glory. However, Pinterest can be a double-edged sword when it comes to planning your wedding. While it’s a great tool, it can also be an endless rabbit hole of tulle and roses. Today we’re breaking down how (and how not to) use Pinterest while planning your wedding.
- Don’t forget about YOU!
Brides, listen. Your wedding day isn’t about the perfect Pinterest-esque tablescape, or the adorable handlettered cocktail menu. It’s about you, your groom, and your commitment to one another for life. Don’t get so caught up in trends and pretty pictures that you forget about YOU! If you’ve always dreamed of getting married in an extravagent, elegant ball room, don’t get wrapped up in the barns, mason jars, and burlap of Pinterest. Your guests love you and they want to be surrounded by your personality and personal touches.
Chances are, if you’ve seen something on Pinterest, so have a lot of your guests. This is all the more reason to gather inspiration from the site but put your own unique spin on it!
- Use it for inspiration (not the end all be all)
Now, we know many of you probably had a wedding board before you even got engaged. (We won’t tell!) When you’re newly engaged, embrace this board and continue to go CRAZY adding pins to it. Visit well known wedding pinners (like Apple Brides!) and save anything and everything that piques your interest.
When adding pins at this stage, make sure to add your own descriptions and be specific about what you like about each! (Love the lace detail on this dress, love the combination of peonies and dusty miller.) This will help you tremendously later on!
Don’t forget to save pins that aren’t necessarily wedding related! Love the color-scheme of this office space? Pin it! Obsessed with the style of this outfit? Pin it! Don’t feel the need to limit yourself to strictly wedding details. After all, any wedding photo on Pinterest has already been done before! Find inspiration in the ordinary to create a unique, fresh aesthetic.
Remember, this is just a starting point. Hopefully, you’ll have a wide variety of inspiration from all sorts of different sources. Once you’ve scoured the internet for inspiration from anything and everything, it’s time to narrow it down. Take a step back and look at what you’ve saved. Notice some common themes? Maybe you pinned a lot of rustic details, or deep red tones. Whatever speaks to you most, use it to narrow your focus and create one cohesive pin board.
- Take your actual board private
Secret boards will be the key to keeping your big day inspiration and details a surprise! You want your vision to be uniquely you, and keeping the end game private will ensure that. In addition, creating a separate “secret board” can help you maintain a narrow focus and create a cohesive pin board.
As you build your “actual” board, be selective. Only choose details that you can envision as part of your day. If you plan on sharing your pins with your vendors, you may want to create separate boards so they don’t have to sift through unrelated photos. Some ideas include: Flowers, Photos, Reception Decor, or Invitations.
- Trust your vendors
Speaking of vendors, keep in mind that you hire them for a reason… they are GREAT at what they do! They want you to use Pinterest as a source of inspiration, not to mimic what you see exactly. Definitely share some of the aspects that inspire you most and a limited list of must-haves, but then let them work their magic. No vendor loves to recreate something that’s been done a million times, and it probably won’t turn out exactly like the high-editorial photos you see on Pinterest anyway. They want to combine your vision, your style, and their style to create wedding magic that is unique to your big day.
In the end, don’t forget what your wedding is all about! This day is about starting a new adventure as a married couple, not winning some non-existent Pinterest competition. Stay true to you and enjoy the process!
