As someone who is of bridal age but has a few years to go before tie-ing the knot, it is hard not to tumble down the rabbit hole of wedding inspiration that is Pinterest. I am not even in the bride-state-of-mind; preoccupied with who will receive the invitation and what they will look like, where my wedding will take place, or even what style of wedding gown I will choose. And yet, I could (and sometimes do) spend hours scrolling through Pinterest admiring custom couture gowns, elegant flower arrangements, and dazzling venues trimmed with ribbon and draped with twinkling lights. If I, simply a young woman perusing Pinterest for my own delight, can become overwhelmed by the amount of captivating content on the site, I cannot imagine how a bride might feel trying to make a series of important decisions for her wedding day! The amount of wedding content on Pinterest is truly astounding, but what level of involvement with the site is best for your special day? Wedding Inspiration The reason why I suspect that most brides turn to Pinterest is that brides are seeking unique and creative ideas to make their wedding a one-of-a-kind experience. After all, your wedding is a special day or series of several days that you share with not only your significant other but with your closest friends and family. You want this day to represent you and your partner whether that be communicated through your choice in table-scaping or even through your choice in apparel. Pinterest is an excellent place to glean ideas that would help you to share your love story with your guests.
Showing You New Possibilities You Hadn’t Considered Pinterest is great for giving you ideas about aspects of your wedding that you never even considered or realized were important to you. For example, photography plays a huge role in creating the memories you will cherish forever. Have you considered getting “first-look” shots of when you and your partner first lay eyes on each other or have you thought about having photos taken of all your sentimental accessories (ring, shoe, veil, etc.)? No bride or groom wants to look back and regret not having a certain picture or idea included in the wedding. Pinterest is there to remind you of the seemingly endless possibilities.
Cons of Pinterest
Ultimately, the best part of Pinterest is that Pinterest is effectively a giant encyclopedia of ideas and is a resource for brides looking for wedding venues, color schemes, cake decorations, bridal bouquets, you name it and Pinterest will give you creative ideas. Especially if you have a themed wedding in mind or a specific type of dress to match the location or time of year, Pinterest can be your best friend. On the other hand, Pinterest can also become a bride’s worst enemy.
Putting Expectations in Check
Although the abundance of aesthetically pleasing wedding inspiration pins can give you a whole host of ideas to incorporate into your wedding day, some of these ideas might not be able to be executed in the same manner or even be practical according to your venue or many other factors. Pinterest wedding pins depict a day filled with stunning decorations, fanciful wedding food, and all the astonishing accouterments that could accompany your big day. The more you look at these pictures, the higher your expectations will become. And who says you can’t dream big, or have it all on your wedding day? My point is not that you can’t make your favorite pins into reality, it is just that you might consider that the ideas fit your budget and will create a cohesively put together wedding. When you scroll through Pinterest you will likely see a poofy ball gown next to a lovely beach sunset ceremony, next to a pair of bedazzled cowgirl boots. Are these ideas cute? Yes. Do they go together? No. When using Pinterest it is wise to mold the ideas you see into something that suits YOUR wedding and creates a sense of continuity. Put succinctly, it is important to remember to always be true to yourself, even if that means forgoing that snazzy champagne tower that Pinterest said was necessary to wow your guests. In the end, your guests are there to witness the start of your wonderful marriage, not because you have the most show-stopping decor.
DIY Overload The most obvious downside to Pinterest, in my opinion, is the sheer amount of do-it-yourselfers on the site who seem like they were born with an unearthly gift for handmade crafting. Before the arrival of Pinterest, it was not expected that a bride should have to make her own invitations or attempt to assemble the centerpieces for her reception. Now with the increase of amazing designers and crafty men and women posting their content to Pinterest, you might feel obligated that you too must create these things for your wedding. However, just because you don’t feel the need to incorporate these crafts into your own wedding, it doesn’t mean that your wedding won’t contain all of the heartfelt sentiments that represent you and your significant other. The bottom line is that if you are the type of bride who loves to create personal touches through handmade invites then, by all means, go for it! Just don’t let Pinterest pressure you into feeling like you have to do DIY projects in order to make your wedding stand out.
So all in all, my best advice as a future bride-to-be is that you should approach Pinterest the way you would approach a cute puppy; have fun with it but don’t let it control what you do throughout your whole day. Pinterest was created to encourage users to post unique ideas or to try to recreate them yourself. There is nothing wrong with allowing these pins to guide you in creating the wedding of your dreams, however; florists, caterers, lighting/sound servicers, and wedding planners are all experienced people who can assist you throughout your wedding journey. Consider allowing them to guide you with their extensive knowledge as you start the process of planning your wedding.
Post by Marketing Team member: Merisa Eldred
