Every bride-to-be knows there is an endless sea of wedding inspiration and ideas everywhere you turn online. Pinterest in particular sets the bar for elaborate DIY crafts and wildly expensive floral sculptures impossibly high. With wedding vendors spanning dramatically different styles and so many wedding details to think about, it’s hard to know what’s even realistically possible for your own wedding day. You just start pinning away, hoping that all the pretty pictures of cork boutonnieres and donut walls and flower crowns somehow fit together with your wedding theme.
But then, you do a little more research, and you figure out that your favorite flower isn’t in bloom around your wedding date, or your project isn’t within your budget, or that perfect wedding vendor is already booked up. Your real wedding starts looking less like your inspiration board, and your excitement starts to sink a little.
From a bride and vendor, I just want to give you permission to completely let go of that Pinterest board. Stop imitating, and start creating! You know where all of those pins originally came from? A bride or wedding planner or photographer at someone’s REAL WEDDING had a cool idea that captured the couple’s personality + essence of their wedding day in a little detail of their wedding. I know you feel great emotional attachment to your wedding board. I know it’s hard to make all of these details a reality. But I also know that you are a creative and innovative bride who can work from an inspiration board to create more original ideas when you run into hiccups along the way.
Perhaps your tables don’t have space for the centerpieces you so badly wanted. But you could hang a mobile of pictures of you and your finance over the tables instead. Or forego them altogether and focus on another detail, like favors. You can do whatever you want! You can do this. For every “no” you encounter in your wedding plans – and there will be “No”s – you will think of a better alternative. After all, it’s your wedding day. So whatever you plan will be perfect, so long as you’re married in the end. It’s becoming a cliche for me, as I say it all the time now. But that’s what I’ve gathered from working in weddings. We spend so much time planning and emphasize so much on avoiding wedding day mishaps, but as long as you say “I do” and have spent this time of engagement preparing for a marriage as well the wedding day, then that’s something wonderful to celebrate!
The “Pinterest Effect” can really impact the relationship between brides and photographers too. I would love to see your board of shots you want to take at your wedding. BUT. Whatever photographer you hired, you chose because you trust them with your wedding day, you love their style, and you have faith in their ability to deliver. All the pictures you’re pinning have other couples and were taken by other photographers – so you’re never truly going to recreate those images, and since weddings can be unpredictable, you don’t know if you’ll have the circumstances to try those shots on that day (weather, running behind, etc). Instead, share your vision for your wedding photos with your photographer (share your board, too!), and trust them to create beautiful images that are going to be BETTER than your Pinterest board, because they’re going to showcase who YOU are!
So. What is one thing that you are going to incorporate into your wedding day that really shows off your personality, your relationship, or your family/tradition? I’d love to hear how you’re breaking the mold at your wedding!
Happy planning!
– Jo
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Jo Mahaney is a professional photographer of PhotographyByJo.net based in Charlottesville, Virginia, specializing in wedding photography. With over eight years of experience, Jo is dedicated to creating effortless, joyful imagery that authentically captures the essence of each couple’s unique love story. She is known for her ability to create meaningful galleries filled with emotion and personal narratives. Jo is not just a photographer; she is an active supporter of her clients, providing resources and guidance to ensure a stress-free experience. From the initial inquiry call to the wedding day, Jo is transparent, open, and ready to get to know her clients to provide the best service possible. Her commitment to her craft and her clients is evident in the glowing testimonials she has received. Jo’s work extends beyond Charlottesville, covering areas such as Harrisonburg, Staunton, Lexington, Roanoke, and Richmond. She has also had the privilege of photographing weddings in various locations, including the Outerbanks, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, and even Spain.
