Hello! I hope you are all doing well, keeping sane in this Covid-19 isolation time. I know there are so many of you still planning your weddings during this time and it’s great to have a bit more space to do some research, be inspired and figure out what you like. But how do you do that? It can be really overwhelming with the overload of content out there and not to mention all the opinions thrown at you. I hope this post will help you wade through the faff, make good decisions and enjoy the process!

Before Diving in – Write a list

As I talked about in my wedding trends blogpost, start with your values and priorities. Have a chat with your significant other right at the beginning and figure out what you love and what represents you as a couple. You could also write a list of: likes, dislikes and non-negotiables as a good starting point to go from. This Junebug Weddings article has some interesting points like:

“A wedding is not only a celebration of your love and the beginning of your forever together, but also a representation of what is most important and beautiful to you as a couple. Those are the things you can’t find on Pinterest.”

Talk to your vendors

Surprise! Your vendors have probably been involved in a lot more weddings than you, making them a well of wisdom and knowledge, make sure you utilise them! Don’t go into a meeting with your whole Pinterest board printed out for your florist to copy. Ask them about your venue, what’s in season, tell them what colours and styles you like and sure, a few inspiration pictures can help. Have realistic expectations for what can be achieved for your specific day and be willing to shift them if necessary. Choosing vendors you trust and get along with will help immensely!

Intentional Inspiration Sessions

We lead busy lives and as humans we can only make a certain amount of decisions per day. Rather than squeezing wedding planning into your 30min lunchbreak or in between your gym class and date night, try to set aside some time (maybe on the weekend) and put it in your calendar. Pick a time when you are well-rested, can focus and think clearly as well as actually enjoy the process. If you are off work and isolating right now, you may have many more opportunities to do this, make the most of it! There are some great tips in this blogpost I wrote around avoiding overwhelm, and practicing self care whilst wedding planning too.

If using Pinterest, do so wisely

When using Pinterest (and Instagram) there are a few things to keep front of mind. It is a land of perfection. It is full of beautiful weddings from all over the world, with a huge variety of budgets, different locations and vendors. It can be an amazing source of inspiration but make sure you’re being realistic with what you’re pinning and keep as as inspiration, not “to-be-replicated-exactly”. Your wedding is your own unique celebration and not a show of the latest Pinterest trends.

Some practical pinning tips I think are helpful…
– Use separates boards for each part of your wedding, for example one for your dress, one for cakes, one for reception decor, etc.
– Cull your boards regularly! Go through and delete things that aren’t realistic, that don’t fit the style of your day anymore or become unnecessary.
– Make an “absolute must-have” board for all your non-negotiables and ultimate favourite inspiration for you day.
– You don’t have to use Pinterest at all! Look at other sources of inspiration like magazines or wedding photos from the 40s. I love this Vogue editor’s opinion on planning her wedding without Pinterest.

“It’s a phenomenon I can’t quite wrap my head around—planning a wedding is already such an ordeal in itself that the idea of sifting through tiny thumbnails of chalkboard seating charts, vintage lightbulb marquee letters, or itty-bitty pennant flags on a six-inch screen doesn’t quite seem like a priority.”

Keep it simple

There’s a timeless elegance in keeping things pared-down and simple. If you choose an amazing setting or landscape for your wedding then keeping the styling minimal may be all you need. You don’t need to follow the latest trends, have a huge wedding or even do all the “traditional wedding things”. Make it your own and if you find yourself being overwhelmed by inspiration then it’s probably a sign to pare it back.

My favourite wedding inspiration resources

Other than Pinterest, here are a couple of places I love for wedding inspiration:
– Together Journal
– Magnolia Rouge
– Auckland Weddings
– The Curator
– Ruffled Blog

I won’t give you too much of an overwhelming list, there’s a lot of wedding inspiration out there! Make sure not to fall into a hole. Do your research and find what you love then stick to it. The most memorable weddings I’ve ever been to have been the most personalised that fully represent the couple. Always remember what matters most xx

View my IGTV on this topic here.

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