by: Lauren

Remember when no one knew what Pinterest was?

And when there was no such thing as a “Pinterest Wedding”? 

 

Remember when no one knew what Instagram was?

And when there was no such thing as an “Instagram Wedding”? 

 
I’ve noticed myself and others saying these things a lot, because when it comes to weddings, Pinterest and Instagram can be both a blessing and curse. Now, for the purposes of this post, I’m going to be focusing on Pinterest, because it’s an actual tool that can be used to help you in designing your wedding. As for Instagram, it’s definitely a lot more functional than it used to be (I would highly recommend using the “Collections” feature). But basically, they’re both one in the same- they both are housing tons of images that can provide you with some awesome inspiration for your wedding.

I first happened upon this “new thing called Pinterest” back in 2011, and when I told people about how awesome it was, everyone looked at me like I was crazy. (Actually, the same could be said for Instagram too!) But now, years later, everyone and their moms (literally) are pinning things left and right, and it’s a household term! Now don’t get me wrong- Pinterest is awesome, and I absolutely love it! But when it comes to weddings, Pinterest (and Instagram too now) has started to cause a bit of an issue- the “Pinterest Wedding”.

[Read this post: Using Pinterest To Plan Your Wedding]

Why You Dont Want A Pinterest (or Instagram) Wedding via TheELD.com

[Some background info/history: Pinterest and Instagram have been amazing for wedding inspiration and ideas, but they have also been “killing” originality in weddings. You see, with weddings, “trends” would usually make their rounds over the span of 2 to 3 years, but now thanks to Pinterest, these “trends” are perpetuated even longer than this, thus becoming old news. I blame the algorithm of Pinterest, showing you pins that have more interaction- which are also, coincidentally, the oldest! So sure, there are tons of GREAT ideas and inspiration for weddings on Pinterest, but those same ideas and inspiration are being seen by just about every bride and groom who is on Pinterest. With Instagram, it’s not quite as bad, but the one thing that I see there is that there is a lot of the same happening.] 

So what exactly is a “Pinterest Wedding”, and why should you try to avoid it?

 

A “Pinterest Wedding” is one in which many of the details and concepts have come directly from Pinterest. No tweaks, no putting your own twist on it, just replicated from Pinterest. You pulled up your Pinterest and said, “I want this,” and that is what your wedding pros created for you. You may have even attended a wedding, in which you found yourself saying, “Oh, I saw that table number on Pinterest” or something of the like- that my friends, is a Pinterest Wedding.

Over the years, I’ve heard from past brides about how upset they were when they found out that one of their friends copied things from their own wedding. Well, Pinterest does just that- only it takes things a bit more global. When you replicate things seen on Pinterest, you are doing what was right for THAT bride, not what is right for YOU. [Read this post: Inspiration, Not Replication]

You don’t want to have what every other bride in the world is going to be having, right? Take the things you see, be inspired by them, and figure out how to put your own unique spin on it- you might even come up with something even BETTER than what you originally saw on Pinterest!

Now with all this said, let me be clear- I LOVE Pinterest and Instagram, and I still think they are both amazing for finding wedding inspiration and ideas. This is NOT a Pinterest/Instagram witch hunt. ;)

However, my point is this: you shouldn’t be designing your whole entire wedding design and details based off of what you saw on Pinterest and Instagram.

Yes, use the platforms to get ideas, see what other people are doing, what you like, what you hate, and learn what your style is. All of those things are essential parts of designing your wedding. But at some point, it’s imperative that you step back from scrolling and pinning ALL THE THINGS, and figure out what is going to be right for YOUR wedding.

Why You Dont Want A Pinterest (or Instagram) Wedding via TheELD.com

Image by Mikkel Paige, Design by Ashton Events, via

 

I asked some of our members of The V List for their tips on using Pinterest, and how to not end up with a “Pinterest Wedding”, and they had some GREAT insight…

“I absolutely recommend that brides use Pinterest during their initial stages of design conception. It helps gets the juices flowing. However, I always tell my brides to jump off once they have their ideas together. Use it for inspiration, not for duplication. Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your relationship with your betrothed, not something that was meaningful to someone else. If you allow Pinterest to dictate your wedding, you will never be satisfied with the results because it will NEVER look like what you’ve seen because too many variables are in play. Allow yourself to be completely taken with what YOU come up with and the beauty that YOUR vendors create and capture!” – Emily of Treasury Rentals

“You want your wedding and your wedding photos to tell the story of YOU and YOUR LOVE, without feeling the pressure to live up to other people’s ideas of the perfect wedding. When you ask your photographer to replicate images found on Pinterest, the authentic emotion he/she is trying to capture immediately disappears. Pinterest has its place, and can be a great source of inspiration, but leave it there. The images you want hanging on your wall when you’re 80 are the ones that show true emotion, not a shot of paper straws inside a mason jar.” – Cat of Cat Pennenga Photography

 “My two most effective ways to utilize Pinterest: 1) for figuring out what YOU are drawn towards naturally for both color palette and overall aesthetic. 2) Pinterest can be a great tool for finding solutions for a specific item (i.e., napkin fold options, print material verbiage). Beyond that- I always advise my brides to stay off Pinterest once we decide on their design board!” – Laura of Ashton Events


Again, I’d like to reiterate that this isn’t saying to not use Pinterest or Instagram to find inspiration and ideas for your wedding. Please do- both platforms are amazing for that! But I want to encourage you to infuse yourself and your relationship into your wedding design too, and that sometimes means stepping away from Pinterest and Instagram.

And speaking of your wedding design, it’s a GREAT idea to have a wedding designer. Sometimes he or she may be a planner as well, sometimes a floral designer, sometimes both, sometimes neither. But the things that I have seen wedding designers create are always unique and 100% reflect the couple. Designs like this make my heart so very happy, and I know that the same happens for the couples too!

I’d love to hear about what you all think about the “Pinterest/Instagram Wedding”… have you been to one?

 

What are you doing to ensure that you won’t have a wedding that is just replicating everyone else’s?

 

PS- If you’re not already following me on Pinterest, come pin with me, and follow me on Instagram too! ;)

 

Editor’s Note: A version of this post was originally published in 2013. It has since been updated and revamped for accuracy.

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Why You Dont Want A Pinterest (or Instagram) Wedding via TheELD.com

Lauren

Founder & Editor at Every Last Detail
Lauren Grove is the editor and owner of Every Last Detail. A clueless bride-turned-wedding planner, Lauren uses her experiences and knowledge to educate and inspire brides all over the world.

18 responses to Why You Don’t Want A “Pinterest (or Instagram) Wedding”

We love your comments, but please remember to keep them kind and positive, as this is a place for inspiration and sharing information. We have the right to remove or not approve any negative or harmful comments.
  1. Gee | EverythingWeddingsAndMore (just curious)

    Originality is key..or at least if no originality brides should try to tweak somethings to reflect them and not the “masses”

  2. Sukey (just curious)

    Great advice to step away from the boards after the decisions are made.Otherwise, I can only imagine how many last minute changes would result !

  3. LinenTablecloth (a Vendor)

    Great advice, Lauren et al! Weddings should definitely reflect the couple’s personality, and I always urge our customers to try to come up with their own ideas, and just use photos as inspiration!

  4. Rachel Griffin (a Vendor)

    Love this! It’s exactly what I tell my brides as well. Great for inspiration, then step back and keep it personal to you both and your unique story!

  5. Sandy Shannon (a Vendor)

    LOVE this post! It is such an important lesson for brides-to-be and something I tell my own quite often.

  6. Sara (just curious)

    Great post! Putting your own twist on anything is always a good idea. Plus – inspiration, not imitation is key!

  7. Steph | The Event Crashers (a Vendor)

    This is a great post, Lauren! Telling the couple’s love story in their own way is key!

  8. Christie O. {Mountainside Bride} (just curious)

    You bring up some super interesting issues here Lauren. The most interesting to me is the idea that a wedding has to be original. It has to be original to me a publisher, but why does it have to be original for a bride? Up until recently in history, a wedding was a play-by -the-numbers affair that tapped into tradition and originality was unheard of. The point was part right of passage for the couple, part legal and economic union of two, part property transfer (the woman and her dowry being the property) and part community celebration of the whole event. Now, don;t get me wrong, as a blogger I like the shift to weddings as personal expression, and as a woman I like the shift away from the idea that I am owned by another person. However, I am not sold on the idea that originality is a goal of a wedding. It is the goal of publication, and it may be important to some brides (including your readership) but I think their is also room for brides who just want to have a pretty wedding without the added pressure being original with their details :-)

  9. Sofia (a Vendor)

    This is truly a great post and I couldn’t agree more with every word you wrote! I love Pinterest and use it almost every day but I really think it’s time we all take a step back and seek inspiration in a place that truly reflects the couple’s unique vision!!

  10. Becky. H (a Bride)

    I agree with you Christie. There are thousands of brides and weddings featured on the web every day. If you get too caught up in trying to be original you may end up with something that really isn’t you. Chances are good that no matter how original you try to be it has already been done. I think it is best to focus on what you find pleasing and beautiful. In the end you and the person you are marrying are what makes your wedding special and unique, it isn’t really about the table numbers, menus etc. That said the article certainly has a point. I’m a little tired of flowers in a mason jar myself.

  11. Kim (a Bride)

    Great article, Lauren. As a bride who is currently planning her own wedding (with the help of my wonderful fiance who is less into Pinterest and more into coming up with ideas on our own) I can totally relate. I think that people need to remember that Pinterest is also a place to collect ideas that you found allover the web, not just a site you go to to search for ideas.

    @Christie O. {Mountainside Bride} I think that her Lauren’s point is that if you’re going to go to all of the trouble of incorporating elaborate details, then those details should be original. If you’re going to have a “play-by -the-numbers affair” as you call it, then this doesn’t really apply.

    @Becky. H – I’m with you on the mason jars!

  12. Tatiana (a Vendor)

    I don’t see anything wrong with pulling inspiration from Pinterest but my biggest pet peeve are the brides and grooms who get upset when they cannot create these insanely lavish designs on a budget. It certainly gives a false sense of what a regular wedding is, however I like being able to create similar things for couples!
    Nothing wrong with taking the inspiration and adding your own personal touches!

  13. Kelley (a Vendor)

    I think it’s silly for any designer or couple to think they can reinvent the wheel when it comes to wedding designs. At this point, most everything has been done. Lucky for us, we have Pinterest as a visual tool to find the design in our heads and see how we can change it whether its color, season, budget or special personal touches that make it unique to that couple. In the rare case where someone wants the exact design whether its a bouquet or cake, thats fine too, they aren’t copying the entire original wedding.

  14. PragmaDesigns (a Vendor)

    It breaks my heart to see the downtrodden gaze of an over-Pinterested bride. It can be a wonderful tool to find budget-friendly ways of getting a look you want, but too often it either becomes discouraging to see 5 foot centerpieces dripping in orchids or an over-promise of what you can actually DIY in the time you have.

  15. Kim (just curious)

    Please keep in mind that Pinterest is there to share ideas. While many of us are blessed with creativity, there are many more who are not. I meet so many people who cannot even use a glue gun, let alone come up with an idea for their wedding. While I agree brides should put their own personal touch into their Pinterest ideas, sometimes that is just not possible. Hence, the reason they turn to Pinterest. It gives people the opportunity to beautify their wedding and if that makes them happy, we should be happy for them.

  16. Michelle B (a Vendor)

    Thank you for this article. I agree Pinterest can be a blessing and a curse. There are many beautiful images of lavish weddings and the expectations from a client can be high to have the visual, exactly as seen. I explain to my clients that we are using a pinterest board as inspiration. I think wedding planning has evolved. Couples use to use and tear magazines pictures as inspiration. It is cheaper faster and easier to use pinterest. I love having a visual “conversation” with my clients. I agree with Christie O from Mountainside Bride about originality. As a former art teacher, I would give the exact same lesson with the same colors, same materials and each one looked different and unique because my students were individuals.. I would love to see an wedding editorial where you give different event and floral designers the same components (colors, flowers, hard goods) and see what they come up with for a wedding. The possibilities are endless!

  17. Christina Maldonado (a Vendor)

    Amen! Very well written. I will be sharing this. Pinterest can be used for good but things can get a bit over done as well. I really enjoy the weddings that clients put together that have true touches of who they are as a couple. They are always the best…not what is trending on Pinterest.

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