Pinterest: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. Hours have been spent saving pins of crafts, meals, house projects, and anything & everything weddings. It’s more the wedding pins that cause that love/hate feeling and how my brides (once in a while a groom) react to them. They usually have a wide-eyed, look of awe and shock when I tell them that what they fell in love with is outside their budget and not by hundreds of dollars. Typically, what is pinned is Styled Shoots created by a wedding planner and/or photographer and florist to showcase their work. An invitation designer, hair stylist, makeup artist, a rental company, baker, and so on are also a part of the shoot. These amazing vendors come together to create something swoon-worthy. I have planned several of these myself. The thing that brides don’t know or don’t understand is that most if not all of the time, effort, and product is donated by each vendor. The cost of flowers alone, for one tablescape could easily be in the hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Most couples cannot afford one table, let alone 5-10. The other pins are weddings that cost upwards of $200,000. The flowers alone are $20k.
The Good:There are thousands of fabulous ideas on Pinterest! It’s a great starting point. Create two wedding boards: one secret one to pin dresses and any ideas you may want to surprise your fiancé with and a public one to share with your fiancé, family, and wedding party.
Takeaway:Pin your favorite ideas and let your wedding planner bring them to life. I love incorporating fun and unique details into the weddings I plan.
The Bad:Two words…Rabbit Hole. Remember in Alice in Wonderland where she falls down the seemingly endless rabbit hole? That’s Pinterest in a nutshell. You click on one pin then scroll down and see 10 more. Before you know it, three hours have gone by.
Takeaway:give yourself a time limit and stick to it. Your fiancé will thank you!
The Ugly:Three letters…DIY. Some brides are crafty and creative and some hope to be. Unfortunately, I have seen many Pinterest wedding craft fails. Brides don’t usually have time to fully complete the project or they rope their poor bridesmaids into making who-knows-what with paper, bows, and the unthinkable, glitter! Don’t get me wrong, I love a little glitter and sparkle but tastefully done. I have yet to meet a bride who is a professional florist. With that said, unless you have a keen eye and have an extensive knowledge of botany, leave it to the professionals. Pinterest promotes companies on Etsy that sell downloadable and printable wedding stationary. It is time consuming and typically more expensive than hiring a stationary designer due to the fact that you, the bride, has to modify the download (sometimes necessary), purchase the card stock and envelopes, print, stuff, and mail the invitations. That is a lot of work. If you enjoy it, power to you! Otherwise, pay a professional do it. Your fiancé and family will thank you!
Takeaway:Do not try to create your own bouquets, let a professional design and print your invitations and wedding stationary, and if you do choose to craft, pick one or two items to add personality to your day. Don’t overdo it!
When in doubt, hire a wedding planner because all you need is Love and a Wedding Planner! Happy Pinning!
