I'm 37 years old and I find myself planning a wedding for the second time. Things are a lot different out here in wedding planning land.
Circa 1999, we would grab a few bridal magazines, hit the bridal show to sample cake and collect brochures from a million vendors, and watch a fashion show. We would then assemble them all into a scrapbook and begin our planning. We would cut our dream dresses out of magazines, take the crumpled pages to the lady at the bridal boutique, and hope that our pocket books would allow us to say 'yes to the dress'.
If you didn't have a fabulous wedding planner, you were really just left to rely on your own creativity and imagination.
Circa 1999, we would grab a few bridal magazines, hit the bridal show to sample cake and collect brochures from a million vendors, and watch a fashion show. We would then assemble them all into a scrapbook and begin our planning. We would cut our dream dresses out of magazines, take the crumpled pages to the lady at the bridal boutique, and hope that our pocket books would allow us to say 'yes to the dress'.
If you didn't have a fabulous wedding planner, you were really just left to rely on your own creativity and imagination.
The only real inspiration for cleverly done weddings we had was Martha Stewart. Her staff was able to stage just about any photo shoot to show us what we can't do, we couldn't afford, didn't have the staff to assemble, and flat out what wasn't going to be seen at our own wedding. We just got a little glimpse of what a beautiful wedding SHOULD look like, but then it was back to reality where we had to tell our local florist to back off the ferns and baby's breath.
She'd tell us we could have this.
and this is what we would usually end up with.
In the end, it was fine because most of the world (at least those in my world) was also DIY wedding planners.
But now there's a new Martha in town and her name is Pinterest. We get to see a bazillion images of beautiful weddings and we get to make little cyber-scrapbooks of all of the really cool things that really cool people did and try to copy it. Before I go on, let me tell you that I LOVE Pinterest and I could spend hours looking at the lovliness, but she's the devil!
For example...
But now there's a new Martha in town and her name is Pinterest. We get to see a bazillion images of beautiful weddings and we get to make little cyber-scrapbooks of all of the really cool things that really cool people did and try to copy it. Before I go on, let me tell you that I LOVE Pinterest and I could spend hours looking at the lovliness, but she's the devil!
For example...
I fell in love with these shoes and then set out to try to find them...
and this is what I could find. Not even with a green flower, a hot glue gun. and a little imagination would these pass.
We are planning a simple-ish affair that sort of has the feel of an old-fashioned county fair or carnival. Pinterest told me that it could be done beautifully and EVEN I could make the corn dog a lovely menu option. So I set out to make it happen. I interviewed guys who make-corn dogs-and-will-travel and I responsibly asked for a picture of their set-up before booking them for my pin-worthy wedding.
Let's just say, it might be back to the pinning board.
Here's what I think. Using Pinterest to gain inspiration or get your creative juices flowing is wonderful. Maybe take a few elements and put your own twist on them to make them somewhat original. I do it all the time. But it can also make you feel inadequate or frustrated like how Cosmo can make us feel fat. If I actually did everything that I have pinned, it wouldn't make me creative, it would make me a broke copy cat. Here's a question for you die hard pinners. What have you pinned that you've actually followed through with?
pausing while you think
ME TOO! It's all pin pin pin pin pin, but no DOING! For example, I've spent hours looking at pictures of chicken coops (yes, I did switch from weddings to chicken coops in the same paragraph, but its my blog) and I have a half-built chicken coop staring at me through my kitchen window, while I write to you about the dangers of Pinterest. It's saying, "Gretchen...finish me!" in it's chicken coop voice; but, instead I sit here and write to you.
In summary...
I have been on a wild goose chase for shoes that don't exist. In the words that Cinderella may or may not have said, "HEY BEEYATCH, GO GET YOUR OWN DAMN SHOES!". So I'm unpinning those super cute shoes, and though I doubt I'll go with blue hooker shoes, I'll find my own. Heck, maybe I'll hot glue something on the toe, pin it, and send brides on a never ending hunt for my adorable shoes. BWAHAHAHA! I am also going to put the sexy back in the corn dog and the curly fry. Coming soon to board near you.
pausing while you think
ME TOO! It's all pin pin pin pin pin, but no DOING! For example, I've spent hours looking at pictures of chicken coops (yes, I did switch from weddings to chicken coops in the same paragraph, but its my blog) and I have a half-built chicken coop staring at me through my kitchen window, while I write to you about the dangers of Pinterest. It's saying, "Gretchen...finish me!" in it's chicken coop voice; but, instead I sit here and write to you.
In summary...
I have been on a wild goose chase for shoes that don't exist. In the words that Cinderella may or may not have said, "HEY BEEYATCH, GO GET YOUR OWN DAMN SHOES!". So I'm unpinning those super cute shoes, and though I doubt I'll go with blue hooker shoes, I'll find my own. Heck, maybe I'll hot glue something on the toe, pin it, and send brides on a never ending hunt for my adorable shoes. BWAHAHAHA! I am also going to put the sexy back in the corn dog and the curly fry. Coming soon to board near you.
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