The top reasons why I’m glad I got married before Pinterest, and some advice for anyone planning their wedding!
Pinterest is a fabulous, wonderful, and inspiring tool to help you create, plan, cook, and decorate. I use it every day, and it has given me tips, recipes, and ideas to help make my life easier. But, I am incredibly glad it wasn’t around when I got married.
Pinterest was launched in March 2010, and I got married in April 2010, just one month later. I had to do my wedding planning the old-fashioned Google way.
Now anyone who has used Pinterest to plan their dream wedding is probably thinking “Yikes! How did you manage everything?!”
Actually it was really easy. Pinterest is great, but I think it really complicates wedding planning. So many ideas for perfect engagement and wedding pictures, reception decorations, color schemes, bridesmaid dresses, wedding rings, flower arrangements, and cake designs. Sometimes too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. All of that inspiration is hard to sift through, and it can be hard to decide on what you really want.
And when the only things you have at your disposal are bridal fairs and bridal magazines, you can’t be too picky.
I picked my colors by finding shades of the Mister’s favorite color and my favorite color and matching them together. I picked my bridesmaid dresses by picking a brand and a color and then handing the rest over to my bridesmaids to decide their own style. I picked my flowers by looking at booklets in flower shops. And for our receptions, I turned the reins over to my mom and my mother-in-law and trusted they’d make it special.
Now I know that not everyone is as laid-back as I am and I know that some girls have had their wedding planned since they were in elementary school, and that’s great. But I really am glad that I got married before Pinterest was around. I didn’t have to DIY anything to prepare, and all I had to do the day of my wedding was show up. It was perfect for me.
So for girls planning their weddings and turning to Pinterest for their inspiration, I have a few words of advice: don’t get overwhelmed by all the fancy, elaborate ideas from weddings that cost four years of college tuition. Because at the end of your wedding day when it’s just you two and you’re finally husband and wife, all that’s going to matter is that you’re finally married.
Katie says
Yes! I 100% agree. I got married in December of 2010, and I really wasn’t into Pinterest at that point. I don’t think I even started using it until several months after I got married. I’m so glad that I did things the “old fashioned” way – it was so much simpler, and I feel like I would be way more stressed out and obsessed with having everything perfect. We did things the same way – our wedding colors were different shades of our favorite colors, I just came up with a menu that I thought would be nice for a winter wedding, we looked at flowers in a book at our florist, and my mom and sister practically planned the entire reception because I wasn’t there. I found the bridesmaid outfits by just going to Downeast and trying to find something that was in my colors. I can see how Pinterest could help in many ways..but I am definitely grateful I didn’t have it when I got married 🙂
Chelsea Johnson says
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! It sounds like your wedding was low-key but still what you wanted! That’s the best way to do it!
Brittany B. says
I got married in 2013, and of course started looking at Pinterest at the beginning. But it became so overwhelming. I’m kind of laid back like you, so I got super critical about some of the ideas out there on Pinterest. A lot of them seemed like a waste of money! All I kept thinking in the back of my mind was, “I could do something that looks just as good that takes half the work and costs 1/4 as much.” So I had a Wedding board, but didn’t really end up using it. It stressed me out to look at it LOL.
Chelsea Johnson says
Right!? My sister got married last year and her wedding and reception were beautiful, but she had so many things in her vision for it and that would have completely overwhelmed me (not to mention the waste of money part!). Thanks for the comment, Brittany!
Tiffany @ A Touch of Grace says
Yes! We got married in May of 2010 and Pinterest wasn’t even on my radar. It just puts so much pressure on people these days; to have a “Pinterest-worthy” wedding.
Chelsea Johnson says
I know! It can be amazing and give you great ideas, but they should never take over your wedding planning!
Maria @ Pastels & Macarons says
I love Pinterest. Could spend literally all day there!! I think planning the old fashioned was is great! Less stress and gives you a more realistic idea of what is achievable with your budget. Some of the weddings on Pinterest are ridiculously expensive and I know I could not afford to throw a wedding like that. I only got married a year and a half ago and was pregnant with a one year old… so I just didn’t bother with all of the over the top stuff or even Pinterest for inspiration. Haha.
Chelsea Johnson says
Yes, it is definitely more realistic! Sometimes it’s a lot better to just avoid it so your expectations aren’t too high! I’m glad you agree!!
Grace @ Eats Amazing says
An excellent post, I’m a real Pinterest addict but I’m very glad it didn’t exist when I got married 10 years ago, I’d have driven myself mad with all the options available! Our wedding was simple but exactly what we wanted, I wouldn’t change a thing 🙂
Chelsea Johnson says
Perfectly said! Thanks!