Pinterest has become a staple tool of modern wedding planning. We look to its never ending array of bridal gowns, bridesmaid bouquets, floral centerpieces and romantic wedding photographs as inspiration for our big day. As a newly engaged woman {or even, as my BFF Meredith calls herself, a girl without a wedded chance}, you indulge in free time spent pinning every detail of your dream day to your wedding board. With all that time spent, I bet you have your virtual wedding day planned perfectly!
Then all of a sudden, you’re in attendance to THAT wedding. We all know the wedding that I’m talking about. The one where the guest signed fabric pieces for the love quilt, the bridesmaid’s dresses, the paper straws, the DIY photobooth, the hanging chinese lanterns, two of the three centerpieces and the oversized yard games all pinned to YOUR wedding board.
And just like that, we are disgusted. HOW could someone ever do this to their wedding? It’s so unoriginal.
We’ve turned weddings from a celebration of love and happiness to a no-holds-back competition of who can make their wedding most like Pinterest without looking like it came off Pinterest. Why do we do that? That’s so much effort and hard on your heart; your wedding day should be carefree, fun and full of love. Pinterest shouldn’t be a topic of conversation.
Let me be the first to scream it loud: I LOVE PINTEREST. I spent a lot of time searching through bouquets of white flowers to decide the best bridal bouquet for myself. BUT I think Pinterest should be used as a tool for research not for ideas.
So, how can we stop ourselves from OVER-indulging in “inspiration” for our wedding day?
1. Make a List
If you’ve ever met me, you know I love a good list. So, make a list of all specific items you think you’ll need some help on. Save-the-date, invitations, center pieces, wedding cake, bouquets and wedding day hair/makeup are all good, general topics. Search for these items specifically; you’ll quickly see you have your own wedding ideals and taste even if you didn’t think you did!
2. Make a Secret Wedding Board
I recommend a secret board because it’s for your eyes only. These are ideas that you can use in reference to your upcoming wedding. These photos will be limited in number compared to your already overwhelming wedding board and this secret board is made with 100% seriousness of what you would like your wedding to be like. Having the secret board and utilizing the search bar will help make Pinterest a tool for your wedding instead of pinning wedding things just for the sake of pinning.
3. Print out your Favorites and give them to your Vendors
If you are bad with explaining what you have in your head {like me}, your florist, baker, and reception coordinator will appreciate a visual of what you have in mind. I knew I wanted a white bouquet and had no idea I liked hydrangeas until I realized every bouquet on my secret board had hydrangeas in them! Limit yourself to two or three photos, it’s as easy to overwhelm and confuse a vendor as it is to confuse yourself.
4. Give Yourself a Sign-off Date
I mean it! Put it on your calendar, in your phone, tell your mom, tell everyone on the street. “I am signing off Pinterest on _{enter date 4 months before your wedding here}_.” I tell you this with sincerity and only the best for your wedding day, but you should have found all your ideas months in advance. Once you have finished planning your day, it’s all the waiting game! So instead of allowing yourself to scroll back through the thousands of wedding pins and begin to COMPARE your wedding (which hasn’t even happened yet) to weddings that are not your style or unattainable.. just shut it off. You will enjoy the last of your engagement if you are not making changes to your wedding decoration the week before the wedding.
5. I’m Actually Serious.. Sign off. And Have a Bridesmaid Change your PasswordÂ
Just remove the temptation all together. Sign off, have your friend change your password and delete the app from your phone. When you’re bored, do something crazy like talk to a friend or read a book! It will be a super relaxing change, especially with all that’s going on.
Keeping yourself from comparing your wedding day to Pinterest weddings, will make you much less stressed. As a bonus, your wedding will be a representation of you and your new husband because of all of YOUR ideas that helped you plan! Have a blast with putting your wedding together and enjoy picking out the things that you love, not things that are “Pinterest cool.”
Happy wedding pinning, little brides {and virtual brides like Meredith}!
Lots of love,
Brittany
