planning a wedding in the world of pinterest

I'm not going to lie, finding our own way of doing things at our wedding has been important to me us. I absolutely love weddings. I've been addicted to Wedding Bee far longer than our engagement, and definitely have been planning my wedding for as long as I can remember. 

When Pinterest was first introduced, I jumped right on board (no pun intended). Pinterest very quickly was becoming a hub for wedding ideas and along side many a woman not yet engaged (and ahem, single at the time) I became pinning wedding inspiration ideas.

That's so clever, somehow though, became "That's so Pinterest!" with time.

In a world filled with so many unique ideas, it can be hard to not overwhelmed by that pressure to be unique too.

Pinterest gone trendy // Available via Dare to Dream Boutique Etsy

For me, there is a fine balance between having awareness of trends and still keeping things real to us. Things that have become so Pinterest, are popular because they're cute, clever and everyone loves them!

So while I know some choose to avoid Pinterest while planning, I've been using it a lot. Several of my bridesmaids are invited to my secret board, and I use it for inspiration constantly. Whatever step I may be at during the planning process (engagement photos, save the dates, etc.). I always do a scan through Pinterest to gain a feel and better grasp on what vibe we want to achieve.

uber cute // Image from Brides // Image by Leo Patrone Photography

I have found several useful things to consider when browsing the never ending world of Pinterest.

Narrow your search, find your vibe  - If you fall in love with an idea on Pinterest, let's say for examples sake, "Pick a seat not a side"*, jump on Pinterest and search that term specifically. There will be literally hundreds of options that pop up. Pin ones that suit your vibe and inspire you. Usually a mix of ideas can help you create your unique spin on it.

Find the source -  Another really helpful way to use Pinterest is to find the original source of the pin. Often I will see a photo that inspires me and click on the pin, only to find an amazing wedding post on a wedding blog that fits our vision perfectly. I will generally label these pins as "amazing wedding - great tables, love their wedding party." That way, I know I can go back and reference the original link when I'm planning that area of our wedding.

Keep your board updated, stay focused - Pinterest can be really overwhelming. There are so many beautiful ways to pull together your wedding day, so staying focused is really important. I try and go through my board frequently and delete pins that are no longer relevant to our wedding. It keeps me focused, and less overwhelmed by the decisions we have to make.

still love this look // Image from Wedding Chicks // Image by Jamie D Photography

So, while we have used and drawn on Pinterest a lot for inspiration, I'm always aware of making choices based on what works for us, what fits our vision and using things that represent us.

We are planning according to who we are as a couple. I want people to say "This was so Mr. and Mrs. Narwhal!"  I am continually trying to keep my personally imposed pressure of doing things our own way in check. If we use something that is trendy, then so what? We chose it because it represents us. The reality is, no matter what we do, our wedding will be unique... because it's our wedding. Mason jar or no mason jar (definitely mason jar).

How has Pinterest played a role in your wedding planning? Do you feel the Pinterest pressure?

*As cute as this sign is, we will definitely not be using it!