Since Google, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and a bunch of other really cool blogs it’s been a ton easier to share ideas. Fact. But are all these great tools killing our creativity? Is the internet killing our ability to come up with a unique wedding idea?
There’s no doubt that these resources have made our jobs easier, getting a sense of what a couple is about. It only takes a few minutes to check out a social media account. It’s also a really efficient way for couples planning their wedding to articulate their ideas using images instead of words. There is no denying that the internet has been a vehicle of inspiration for engaged couples all over the world. It helps them build on an idea and make it their own. But is it possible to use the internet to create a truly unique wedding idea? Or are we just replicating and shoehorning the same idea over and over again. And who really cares anyway?
The Problem With The Internet
The problem with the internet, is that if you’re trying to come up with a unique wedding idea, then tools like pinterest and instagram aren’t very helpful if all you’re doing is giving them to a stylist or a planner and saying…”here, this is what I want”.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with that but it just wont make for a unique event if 2000 people have liked the exact same image that you are copying. There is a danger that your wedding becomes exactly like the next when you are copying and pasting the same elements. And if you do want a truly unique wedding, there are better ways to do it.
I loved Verity’s surprise for Josh after their reception on Clark Island concluded. The Batmobile! Image courtesy Studio Something Photography.
How to Have a Unique Wedding
Are you asking yourself, how can I have a unique wedding? What can I do to make this wedding memorable? How can I make this event different to anything else? Stop and take a step back. Remember, that being different for the sake of being different gets really expensive, and can come off as clunky and awkward (if it’s not really who you are). The secret to having a unique wedding is to make it a reflection of you as a couple. This may mean filling a room with the same garden rose that your fiancé gave you when you first fell in love. It could mean surprising your partner with a song you wrote, or having someone write one for you. It might even mean throwing your reception at the same venue you had your first date. Having a unique wedding doesn’t need to be over the top (but it can be). It just needs to be personal. Those are the moments that anyone really cares about, the ones that you will remember, that your guests will remember. Those are the elements that have more depth and are more magical.
Truly a unique wedding idea. Guests invited to take a swim at Josh and Verity’s picnic reception Clark Island. Image courtesy Studio Something Photography.
How Should I Use The Internet to Create a Unique Wedding?
While tools like Pinterest especially are great in briefing your vendors, it’s really important that when you brief your vendors and share images from the internet with them, be very clear in explaining whether you want to replicate your images, or whether you want to pick elements from different images to create a new idea all together. If you don’t want to replicate ideas from the internet, then it helps your suppliers to understand what it is you love about each image you have supplied. Pinterest for example has a very helpful commentary box underneath each image that is the perfect space for this. And while it is always helpful to supply images you love, I really think that it can be just as helpful to supply images of design concepts that you DON’T love. It really does help clarify your ideas and direction especially when you supply a lot of images.
This floral chandelier created by Shady Fig florist was custom designed around the existing light fitting at the venue. Image courtesy John Benavente Photography.
If you’re styling your own wedding, you might find some of our other resources useful:
- Wedding Decorations and Set Up
- Top 5 Biggest Wedding Planning Mistakes
- DIY Wedding Ideas for Reception Pieces
- DIY Like a Professional Wedding Planner
- Stay Organised with Last Minute Wedding Jobs
If you’ve decided the planning and styling becomes too hard, talk to us about one of our wedding coordination or wedding planning packages. It is entirely possible to use the internet to create a unique wedding idea or design concept. But if this is your intention, a solid and clear brief to your vendor is always helpful. Letting the images speak for themselves won’t always work if you are designing a new idea, putting down everything in writing to accompany your images is always helpful.
