How to get inspired for your big day
There are two kinds of brides: the kind who’s been planning her wedding since she was six years old, and the kind who gets engaged and thinks: Now what? If you’re not the type to take a natural interest in wedding planning, you may be wondering where to start. You need inspiration – but there’s so much out there! With such an enormous variety of wedding themes and styles, how are you supposed to find the one that fits your tastes, guests and budget?
First, take a deep breath. Remember that there is no “one true wedding” for you – there are plenty of ways to plan a happy, memorable day that will leave your guests smiling and you yourself glowing. Don’t feel as if you have to spend more than you can afford – a simple wedding can make you just as happy as an extravagant show. What matters is that is feels special and you are able to spend it with the people you love.
Many brides start their search for inspiration on good old Pinterest: it has that reputation for a reason! Your pins don’t need to be purely wedding-related – they can be anything that gives you an idea or evokes something in you. From a simple photo of a table and chairs, you could build a whole wedding theme! Sort your pins into boards for categories like your dress, the groom, bridesmaids, wedding halls in London, and different themes. Add the “Pin It” button to your browser so you can pin anything you come across, and go crazy. Don’t sort through your pins right away – give yourself some time to build up a collection, then look through it and try to identify the overarching themes and looks that appealed to you. But beware of the “Pinterest wedding” look! A lot of the wedding inspiration you’ll find is very same-y, and you’ll need to be ruthless to pare it down to something that is “you”.
Online marketplaces Etsy and its UK cousin Folksy are also popular with wedding planners, and they know it. Etsy has a wedding blog and a weekly wedding inspiration newsletter because so many brides use it to find unique, handmade or vintage wedding stuff – from table settings to tiaras. Whether you end up buying something or not, these are great sources of inspiration for weddings with a quirky, personal touch.
Your next stop is the wide world of wedding blogs. Not only do they have valuable advice for the run-up to the big day, but they help you keep up with wedding trends and often have a “real weddings” section where you can see what other brides have done. This can be very helpful for when you’re trying to decide whether something is do-able within your budget and timeframe, or whether it will realistically improve your wedding. You may love the idea of an outdoor reception on a July afternoon – but are you prepared to deal with heat, flies and possible thunderstorms? This is the time to find out.
Finally, think about your life with your fiancé. How can you make your wedding meaningful for both of you? Think about what you’ve done together, happy memories you’ve made, how you met, how you got engaged and the passions you both share. Choose something you don’t mind sharing with your guests, and perhaps you can make it the central theme of your wedding. It can be as subtle or as over-the-top as you like – but this personal touch is what really makes a wedding memorable and special. In a decade or so, you won’t care that your wedding was trendy (or maybe you’ll cringe) – but you and your fiancé will remember that it was uniquely yours.
