How to Navigate Pinterest for Planning Your Wedding

“What are your bridesmaids wearing?” is a question you’ll face frequently as a bride-to-be. As if there weren’t enough pressure to pick out a gown for yourself. Instead of simply searching online for “bridesmaid dresses,” use Pinterest to narrow down your options. (Mismatched and romantic, perhaps?) It’s also the perfect tool to help you envision what your group will look like when they’re finally all standing together. (Yeah, that mismatched idea might be harder than it seems.)

Here’s why: Pinterest makes everything look like an actual fairy tale, which can lead to unrealistic expectations. For instance, if you find pins featuring your exact venue, you might fall in love with certain details only to realize that re-creating the look requires a lot more than your budget allows. Not to mention, a tent wedding on Pinterest is usually not equivalent to a tent wedding in Aunt Sally’s backyard.

Just because you have an engagement ring on your finger doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to keep looking...for a wedding band, that is. Pinterest searches will turn up interesting combinations that you might not have thought of before. So if you have a solitaire diamond ring with a thin pavé band, maybe you’ll decide to go for a more robust counterpart, like this Forevermark diamond eternity band. Overall, when shopping for your wedding band, be sure to keep in mind the shape and style of your engagement ring.

Everyone has a unique body shape, which means the same dress can (and most likely will) look totally different on various women. Don’t get lost in the black hole of wedding dress pinning, because when you physically try on those same styles, you could end up disappointed. Also, stop looking at gowns, shoes and accessories once you’ve purchased your own. You may end up second-guessing your choices even though you totally love what you bought.

Signs are all the rage at ceremonies and receptions. Not only do they let people know the important details, like where to find the bar and photo booth, but they also add character and a personal touch. Get your ideas from Pinterest and then find something similar that’s available to buy online (hint: Etsy). Trust us, it’s better to leave this job to the professionals. And on that note….

We’re just going to say it: Don’t attempt too much DIY, especially if you have no prior experience. It’s going to take ten times longer than expected, and most likely it won’t come out looking like it should (you’ve heard of a Pinterest fail, right?). For the record, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enlist the help of your crafty friends—just keep your expectations realistic. (Asking for 250 calligraphy place cards in a week is just mean.)

Things can go downhill real fast if you go into your wedding day without having the slightest idea of what your hair and makeup will look like. Find your favorite beauty looks and take them to your hairdresser and makeup artist for a trial run. This way, you can see exactly how you’ll look the day of. And if you don’t like the results, work with your beauty team to make any necessary tweaks.

Picking out floral arrangements and overall decor can be a bit cumbersome. Create individual boards to share with each of your respective wedding vendors so they’ll know exactly what your vision is. If they can actually see what you’re expecting, they won’t have to try to create something based off a description of something in your imagination. Because your version of shabby-chic centerpieces could be totally different from theirs.