 We LOVE Pinterest! No more huge wedding binders or pricey wedding magazines. It is simple to use and the ideas are endless. Plus, it isn’t just magnificent eye-candy, most pins are clickable—connecting you to web pages where you can purchase the items you love, explore blogs with tips and advice, or find a wedding invitation designer whose work matches the design style you are trying to achieve. BUT absolutely definitely be warned—Pinterest can also be very dangerous. “Pinterest is a time-suck!” says every bride I know. “It sets unrealistic expectations!” exclaims wedding planners. So how can you use Pinterest for good? How can we avoid it having a frustrating effect on you and your wedding vendors? I have a few ideas below. 1. Search VERY specific keywords Search “3-tier blush and green floral wedding cakes” instead of “wedding cakes”. Make some simple decisions on your event before you dive deep into Pinterest: know your color palette, know your theme, and select a design style. This will tighten up the imagery results so you don’t spend hours looking at wedding cakes when you could be spending quality time with your new fiancé!  2. Know what you DON'T want This is so easy! Dissect images that catch your eye. Does that amazing tablescape look too formal for our rustic backyard bash? That tight rose bouquet doesn’t match our relaxed boho theme at all! Constantly go back through your Pinterest board and delete pins that don’t flow with your overall look and feel. It will make you feel less overwhelmed when you go back in for inspiration later. 3. Create a board with your wedding planning/design team Most wedding planners now offer a “design package”. This is a fabulous idea! Ask your wedding planner to pin inspiration for you. Then, you can set a time to review them together and make final decisions. Your planner—knowing your style and theme—can guide you to the best vendors based off of your pins. They can also pin items they know you can afford based on your budget. That way you aren’t falling in love with letterpress invitations when your budget only allows for digital printing.  4. Avoid Pinterest fails Attention DIY couples! Please please understand that every idea you add to your DIY list will take 5X longer than planned. Plus, when you are rushing around 3 days before your wedding, that project you bought $250.00 worth of supplies to create will either look disappointing or won’t happen at all. Remember, 99% of those stunning designs on Pinterest are created by seasoned professionals with large teams. Keep the DIY projects realistic and to a bare minimum.  5. Remove pins when items are purchased Look forward, not back. You found the wedding dress of your dreams. Now get on your phone, log into Pinterest, and delete your dress board. Don’t be sucked into those pins again a month later and start second-guessing your decisions. Be thrilled that item is off the to-do list. Now you can start pinning shoes and accessories! Designs by Sarah, based in Denver, CO, specializes in custom wedding invitation design.
Click here to follow my Pinterest account!
1 Comment
 Your mom is telling you “do this”. Your cousin twice-removed is telling you “don’t do that”. A lot of wedding stationery rules have gone out the window, so we ask friends and family. This isn’t always the best idea. What is a great idea is to go with your gut. The wedding rules are truly YOURS. Because guess what? It’s YOUR wedding! Obviously, hiring a wedding stationery designer can alleviate the stress and guide you through the dos and don’ts. And since I am a custom wedding invitation designer in Denver, I’ve put together a list below specifically on the subject of invitation suites.  DO mail physical wedding invitations DON'T create an e-vite DO mail invitations 2-3 months out DON'T mail invitations more than 4 months out (unless you are having a destination wedding and did not send out save the dates) DO formally address your envelopes ("Mr and Mrs Smith") and mail them DON'T hand-deliver wedding invitations with a name scribbled on the envelope  DO put the bride's name first DON'T include too many family names (try to keep parent names on one line) DO use bold and interesting fonts DON'T use fonts that will make your invitation illegible DO include a separate RSVP card with clear information for your guests DON'T throw a wedding website at the bottom of your invitation card  DO have multiple friends and family proofread all cards in the wedding invitation suite DON'T trust your invitation designer to catch everything DO order at least 10 extra of everything DON'T underestimate your guest list — last minute additions can pop-up DO take an assembled invitation suite to the post office and weigh for postage cost DON'T guess and apply postage to envelopes beforehand Tip: If you have questions about wedding invitation etiquette contact a local stationery designer and ask! I know I am always available to help anyone out, client or no client.  For Do’s and Don’ts on Save the Dates, see my 2.27.19 blog.
|