HOW TO USE PINTEREST FOR YOUR WEDDING:
You have heard about Pinterest and what a great wedding planning tool it can be. But when you get on, it feels a little overwhelming! There are so many images to rummage through if you are just plowing along without any prior knowledge.
First thing first, once you have your account you need to neatly organize. This is actually an incredibly simple step that will save you TONS of time in the long run. You create “boards” in which you store all of your pins. Think of it like a grocery isle. To make it simple, the store puts all of the cereal on one isle, fruits on another, etc. If everything was scattered randomly… no one would veer find what they were looking for! Same goes for your Pinterest Boards. These boards should be specific, like the grocery isles, so that when you want to find a pin again, it is quick and easy! For example, some of the Pinterest Boards on my My Page are titled ⊱THE SHOES, ⊱THE GROOM , and ⊱THE CAKE & SWEETS. Then the pins (or images) that I place under each board will relate to the title. If I want to show my mom some gorgeous pink pumps I pinned, I know which board to find them under!
If you feel like this may be too many boards on your profile, you can always make your board “secret” so that only you (and anyone else you choose to invite) can see it. This is an incredible feature if you want to make a bridesmaid dress board and show your girls what style you are thinking for their dresses! These secret boards can really help your Bridesmaids to feel involved in the wedding planning. As well as be a great tool for you.
1. WHAT TO PIN:
Trust me when I say there are literally MILLIONS of pins out there you could repin. My number one piece of advice, only pin what you absolutely LOVE. Something that is perfectly your style and you fall in love with. If not you will never stop repinning! 😜 And it would make going back and trying to find those pins that you really loved a lot more difficult.
My second piece of advice is to not JUST search for wedding related topics like wedding cake and grooms. Find your inspiration in other places too like Interior Design or Clothing Style. One of my FAVORITE boards to pin to on my page is ⊱THE COLORS (shown below). Anything I find that has rich textures and deep colors and speaks to me, I pin here. When I look back at this board I feel like I can see MY style coming out.
2. HOW TO FIND THOSE DREAM PINS
KEY WORDS TO SEARCH FOR:
When you are searching for new material, type words into your search bar. I recommend typing in about 4-5 words. You don’t want to be too broad or too narrow. For example, if I am looking to add more images to my ⊱THE ENGAGEMENTS board… and type into the search engine “engagement pictures” – there are going to be SO many images. Some will be bright and creamy like my style but there will also be a mix of moody, modern, etc. I would have to scroll through a lot of images to find ones that actually speak to ME. A better alternative would be “bright creamy engagement pictures”. A little warning however, if you type in too many words, you may not find a lot of matches! 4-5 is always my go to.
FINDING PAGES:
Once you have started pinning some of your favorite images, it is time to scroll back through and see who the first pinner was. This will often lead you to some GREAT pages that have boards filled with just the style you are looking for. Not only can this be a goldmine of inspiration for your wedding, but you can often find your favorite wedding vendors through this tool! If you both love the same Pins, that means you have matching styles – which ultimately is the most important factor when choosing your vendors.
Want some pages to help get you started? Here are links to some of my favorites + one to my Pinterest Page!
3. THE SPECIFICS VS THE FEELINGS
Here is the thing. Pin what you love, but do not go into wedding planning with the expectation that every vendor is going to recreate exactly the Pin you show them. Chances are, those images have had some brushing up with expensive computer equipment. And this can really limit your vendors by focusing so much on recreating a piece that they cannot be the artist they are and give your the best that they have to offer.
Instead of focusing on every last specific, focus on the feeling. For example, after a while of pinning to my ⊱THE FLORAL board I noticed that I mostly repinned waterfall bridal bouquets that are overflowing and hanging with extra greenery. There are also a lot of soft pinks and whites! By realizing what images I kept falling in love with and repinning, I realized that my dream bouquet is a soft pink and white overhanging floral arrangement. I could then describe this to my florist and even show him or her my board so they could see my vision. And if you have a favorite flower (Mine would be anemones) totally let them know! But do so without asking your florist to recreate a specific bouquet image down to the last twig. This is not realistic and will dampen their ability to really create you a unique masterpiece.
Keep in mind that 20 years from now – you, your groom, and your guests aren’t going to remember every last Pinterest detail. They will be remembering the overall feelings, the LOVE. That is what is most important about your day. Use Pinterest for inspiration and ideas, decide what your style is, then go and create a wedding that is 100% YOU.
***Disclaimer: As you begin planning your wedding through Pinterest you may catch the Pinterest bug. Side effects include, but are not limited too: addiction to your phone, sore thumbs, missed meals, skipping work, and a lack of sleep! 😉
HAPPY PINNING!
April 12, 2017
Katelyn Taylor
