I remember when I first heard about Pinterest. I was in the middle of planning my own wedding and had no clue what it was and why I could only join if someone invited me! Somehow I pulled off planning my whole wedding without the ease of typing key words into that Pinterest search bar. But not long after, a bride asked me to look at her Pinterest board to see what she had in mind for flowers and I couldn't stop! You guys, Pinterest is amazing, and I'm totally obsessed! Seriously, for me, the perfect Sunday activity is scrolling through finding new recipes, crafts, funny or inspirational sayings...From educational ideas to keep my toddler busy to planning my next vacation, Pinterest is my new Google! And yes, while I've already planned and executed my own wedding, you can bet that I have a "wedding" Pinterest board, along with a board specific to wedding flowers ;) There's no doubt that Pinterest is an amazing tool when planning your wedding! So many ideas from all over the place that you can pin to your virtual inspiration board and easily access it whenever you want! But believe it or not, it has some major downfalls for the modern bride. I'm here to tell you what they are and how to avoid them! #1. Trying to Replicate Inspiration One of the first questions I ask all my brides is if they have inspiration pictures to show me so I can understand more fully what they are looking for. Obviously, finding inspiration on Pinterest is not a bad thing! I do it all the time, but what a bride should know is that it's nearly impossible to re-create an image exactly. Especially when working with flowers! This is because no two flowers are the same, just as no two floral designers design exactly the same way! Some good advice is to focus less on replicating a photo exactly and instead be open - and comfortable - with the fact that inspiration photos are meant to be used as a starting point for a new interpretation. Remember that your floral design is an artist that wants to create something unique and special just for you! #2. Mistaking Inspiration for Reality While we're talking about inspiration, it's common for a bride to fall in love with a "pin" of a bouquet before finding out the seasonality or cost of the florals pictured. This can often lead to disappointment. As a florist who has been featured in a few blogs and editorials, I can tell you that these blooms are typically high-end blooms. We tend to "show-off" our skills and the flowers we can get in these "editorial-worthy" shoots that are getting "pinned" around Pinterest by thousands of people. In other words, what can look like an average, everyday wedding that you'll find over and over on Pinterest is usually a little more over-the-top. Which brings me to.... #3. Underestimating the Cost
Brides searching for inspiration on Pinterest aren't all in the same financial bracket, but with it being so readily available to everyone, it's as if we are shopping in the same store but not seeing any price tags! We all want the same standard without thinking about what it costs. Your floral designer should be able to guide to you the right blooms that are available and within your budget for your big day, yet still stick to the over all feel of your Pinterest board ;) #4. Being Inflexible I often get brides who want to incorporate a specific type of flower in their wedding florals, especially after seeing it pop up in bouquet after bouquet on Pinterest. But there are times when a florist can do everything in his or her power and still not be able to get the flower of choice (or as many as needed or within budget). Being open to a few options and trusting your florist will bring a lot less frustration than refusing to compromise. So, Pinterest may be stretching the truth a bit, but you can still use it to your advantage! Cortney Dryden, from cortinsession.com has some great advice. She says to create two separate wedding boards: one that you can pin every imaginable source of inspiration and one with actual ideas you will use. The second can function as your virtual bulletin/vision board for real life decor, dresses, flowers, etc. that you have cost-checked. The less detail-oriented board can be presented to vendors to effectively communicate your wedding's color scheme and overall feel. Cortney says, "The main thing you must always keep in mind is your wedding is not in competition with anyone else’s, especially the ones on Pinterest. There are beautiful weddings at every price point and yours will be no different." Can't put it better than that!! For more tips you can look at these articles on theknot.com and bridalguide.com
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Hello!I'm a wedding + event floral designer here to help with your basic wedding planning needs :) Thanks for reading! If you like what you see, feel free to contact me for a consult. Archives
April 2020
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