I love Pinterest just as much as the next bride — I currently have 9,255 pins (and counting) to prove it! This borderline obsession of mine isn't going anywhere anytime soon. According to Splendid Insights, a wedding lifestyle market research firm, 78% of U.S. couples that got married in 2012 used Pinterest to help plan their wedding.
Here's how to use Pinterest throughout the course of your wedding planning:
Photo Credit: Jose Villa
1. After you first get engaged, pin anything (and everything) you like with no limitations.
When you first start planning your wedding, Pinterest can open your eyes to a ton of inspiration you might not have seen otherwise. It exposes you to different wedding styles, color palettes, and ideas, and hopefully, it'll help you gravitate towards a specific vision. As a wedding planner, I’ve found that it can be an extremely valuable tool when planning.
2. Look for similarities in your inspirational wedding images.
I look for similarities that might go beyond the "naked eye" — types of flowers, fonts, colors in the photos that could be of use, backgrounds, the list goes on. For example, take a look at the two bouquets pictured below. They may not have the same color palette, but they both incorporate similar elements, including a use of smaller flowers and abundant foliage.
Photo Credit: Bradley James Photography / Florals by Hey Gorgeous Events (left);
Photo Credit: Kina Wicks Photography / Florals by Saipua (right)
3. Use your Pinterest board as a tool for vendor meetings.
Pinterest is a great tool not just for a planner, but for all of your wedding vendors. If you aren't working with a planner, your board will act as your "look book" to your florist or baker. This will help them shoot off design ideas and that's how the collaboration begins.
4. Avoid creating 50 different boards for your wedding.
I wouldn't recommend a different board for each portion of your wedding (i.e. flowers, dresses, hair, etc.) A wedding works when it is cohesive, and so do your pins on a board. When scrolling through, you'll be able to better envision those flowers next to that dress next to that hair (and so forth).
5. As you start getting into the thick of wedding planning, only use Pinterest when you need specific inspiration.
So Pinterest works, right? Until the point when it doesn't. Either you over-pin to your wedding board and bury some good ideas, or your feed just has too much good stuff and you can't keep up.
There is nothing wrong with loving it all, but when planning a wedding, it's important to examine each image you pin at this point and make sure it's something that fits into your overall vision and design. For example, if you have a ranch-style venue and you're going with olive leaves and neutral flowers, then a modern red and gold tablescape doesn't belong on your board.
6. Create one last board with your final picks.
Once the research portion is done, it's time to start making some firm decisions. This normally happens four to six months prior to the wedding. Take a look at all your past pins and only pin your very favorites to this board.
Here is the board that I created for a destination wedding in Italy earlier this year, as an example. In this collection of images, you can see that each photo fits nicely together. The vibe was Tuscan backdrops, neutral colors with pops of jewel tones and organic textures.
Photos via "Italian Style" Pinterest board on Engaged and Inspired
Edit down your design plans and keep it cohesive. Your wedding brain will thank you.
Tell us: Do you use Pinterest to help plan your wedding? If so, what's the best idea you've found on this social networking site?
P.S. Follow my Pinterest account @EngagedandInspired for more wedding inspiration and advice!
—Allison Silber
Guest blogger: Allison Silber, founder and creative director for engagedandinspired.com. Engaged & Inspired is a wedding publication for crafty brides who strive to fill their wedding day with loads of personality. The team of real brides post about the highs and lows of wedding planning and what it takes to pull off their big day. Aside from running Engaged & Inspired, Allison also offers planning and design services to the Carmel Valley area.
