I'm going to sound old here... but when I got engaged, Pinterest didn't exist yet! Overall, I this was a good thing for me, as I was able to pull some inspiration from wedding magazines, and truly make my wedding my own, all without breaking my budget (Michael was so proud)! Pinterest is a great tool for inspiration, but it's really easy to take it too far and plan your entire wedding based off everything you see on it! I just want to encourage you to make sure you're telling your own love story, and planning a wedding that's as unique as you and your fiance'.
The first few weeks after getting engaged can seem so overwhelming. There are SO many decisions to make- from what flowers to choose, what colors should your bridesmaids wear, to what venue you want to book! Pinterest truly can be a great starting place for ideas to help you find a sense of direction. However, you should use it with caution because it can quickly overwhelm you with ideas and photos that are just a form of 'click bait,' are not feasible, and most importantly not a true representative of you.
-A lot of the wedding images you see on Pinterest are from Styled Shoots, which is where a photographer will plan a fake wedding, rent or borrow dresses, hire models, and have cakes and florals made and photograph them. Styled shoots pull together the talents and creativity of all the different wedding vendors and are so fun to shoot (I've done several- and all the photos from this post are from one!) However, while the photos are gorgeous, this does not always reflect a real wedding day, because you probably are not a model, and because they are bypassing the timelines, families, and stress of a wedding day.
-For the photos that do come from a real wedding, you are mostly seeing only a handful of photos from their entire wedding day. Chances are, you're only seeing the best of the wedding photos. People are pinning the best 1-2 images out of hundreds from their day! When you see only the best, your expectations are going to be set really high, and you may be disappointed that not every single picture is one that you're going to hang on the walls. Keep in mind that in order to get some of those photos, you will have to have a timeline with a lot of "extra" time built in! (See my post on creating timelines here!)
-Pinterest goes through trends of what's most popular right now, and if you're copying everything from Pinterest, your wedding is going to look the exact same as hundreds of other brides that are planning their weddings this year! Before you start looking at Pinterest, talk with your fiancé and choose a feel for your day- do you want something rustic, something classic, something modern? Choose some color schemes that you like, and then search for those specifics on Pinterest!
-I learned this one the hard way... but everyone has different levels of creativity and abilities. I would see these awesome DIY house projects and then try to recreate it on my own. I just don't have the time or the follow-through to do what it takes to build these amazing things. Know when you see something online, it's never going to be quite that easy! And you shouldn't feel guilty that you didn't hand-make all of your reception details!
-Lastly, and most importantly, sending your vendors a bunch of Pinterest links and a list of 'must have' photos can make it really difficult for your vendors to do their job on your wedding day! When I have a long list of photos I need to take, I'm not able to capture the candid moments that are actually happening throughout your day that will be the real memories you cherish. When interviewing your vendors, hire a professional that you can fully trust, so you aren't stressed out on your wedding day.
Your wedding should be a reflection on you, your fiancé, and your relationship! Just remember to choose what you like, and not just what you see on Pinterest!
Ashley Eiban is a Wedding & Portrait Photographer based in Central Virginia. Serving Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Bedford, Farmville, Richmond, Roanoke and surrounding areas. Available for travel world-wide.
Ashley is passionate about connecting and encouraging couples so they are free to enjoy the wedding day! Learn more about her approach here! Currently booking a limited number of weddings for 2016 & 2017. Contact us today for additional information!
