We have a total love-hate relationship with Pinterest. On one hand, it’s an amazing source of inspiration that lures us in every single time with all its pretty wedding pictures, but on the other, it’s a bold-faced liar that makes us believe we can have the wedding of our dreams on a beer budget (uh, yeah right!). So, this one goes out to all those brides who’ve been tricked into thinking that literally anyone can DIY dazzling wedding favors or that the stunning centerpieces they love won’t cost an arm and a leg. We asked wedding insiders to expose the truth about Pinterest’s lies.
Lie #1: Anything Is Possible
Like DIY-ing your entire wedding and having it turn out picture perfect! “Pinterest usually shows the end product and sometimes oversimplifies the process involved,” explains Shadiah Sigala, co-founder of HoneyBook. “Often, buying supplies when you aren’t a wholesale buyer or if you don’t have an existing relationship with suppliers can cause costs to add up quickly. Plus, the time involved to craft many DIY projects, from learning to master them to perfectly replicating them for the quantity you need to produce, can equate to a ton of time and labor.”
Lie #2: If It Ain’t on Pinterest, It Ain’t Right
“When brides see something on Pinterest, such as the wording for a sign for example, they somehow think that this is the only way to word it and that deviating from the Pinterest norm would be wrong or bad,” says Florida-based wedding planner Aviva Samuels of Kiss the Planner. Perhaps seeing the same things over and over again has a little something to do with this?
Lie #3: You Can Rent Whatever You Need
Er, not so much! “Most of the rental items you see on Pinterest aren’t actually attainable,” notes Blake Bush, associate wedding planner and event designer at Pure Luxe Bride. “Specialty rentals (e.g., lounge furniture) aren’t as easy to come by as these photos indicate.” And buying them yourself? Well, that would cost a pretty penny!
Lie #4: Creating Your Own Floral Arrangements Is So Easy
Considering following a Pinterest tutorial to create your own fresh floral arrangements, centerpieces or bridal bouquets? Think again, brides! “Fresh flowers need to be refrigerated, and your wedding centerpieces need to be assembled the day before or just a few hours before your event,” warns certified green event designer Veronica Cole. “Who is going to store all these flowers? Who will set them up? But most importantly, who will break them down and take them out of the reception site after an exhausting day of partying?”
Lie #5: Alternative Centerpieces Are Cheaper
“Some brides think they will be saving money by submerging flowers in cylinder glass vases with rocks and floating candles, which in fact costs more in glass and supplies than it would to do a substantial centerpiece,” cautions Chantal Dodson, owner of Malibu Garden Florist in Malibu, California and florist on BloomNation.
Lie #6: It’s All in a Single Detail
We’d be lying if we said it’s easy not to get caught up in all the perfect little details you come across on Pinterest, like a pretty piece of twine wrapped around a watercolor wedding invitation. As Sunny Ravanbach, president of White Lilac Events, points out, a single detail won’t make or break your big day. “To get the feel you’re after, look at the big picture to determine if all the elements you’ve chosen work together.”
Lie #7: Food Trucks Will Save You Bucks
While food trucks may be the next big thing in weddings, the reality is that most venues prohibit the use of them on the property, says Greg Jenkins, founder of Bravo Productions. “It’s an interesting, down-to-earth concept, but the logistics can be a nightmare and even cost more than hiring a caterer.”
Lie #8: You Too Can Have a Perfectly Styled Table
Unfortunately, Pinterest fails to explain that a perfectly styled table for 8 took 10 hours to complete for the styled shoot it was used for, notes wedding and event planner Courtney Hammons of A Magical Affair. “Not to mention that the reality of having that styled table replicated for 200 just isn’t possible.”
Lie #9: Ombre Petal Aisles Are Totally Possible
In your dreams, brides! Sadly, you can’t make rose petals stay in the shape of letters, swirls or even a graduated shade change if there is the slightest bit of wind, warns Sandy Malone, owner of Weddings in Vieques. “And if your guests have to walk anywhere near it, forget about it looking perfect for the bride. Doing fancy stuff with rose petals takes a lot of petals, like hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth, even when you DIY and get them from a wholesaler directly.”
Lie #10: You Can Have a Champagne Wedding on a Beer Budget
If there’s one thing Pinterest will do to pretty much every bride, it’s make you fall head over heels for an idea that is likely way out of your budget, remarks Shawn Rabideau, president of Shawn Rabideau Events & Design. “For example, you might fall in love with thousands of orchids hanging from the ceiling, but have you considered that there are hundreds and hundreds of man hours put in to thread and hang those orchids and that those man hours cost money?”
