Photo: Abby Jiu Photography
Ah, Pinterest. What in the world would we brides do without you? You’re an essential resource for all things wedding planning and you give us endless inspo for making our special day exactly what we envision. But most brides-to-be don’t know the ins and outs of Pinterest quite like Larkin Brown, a user researcher and in-house stylist for the social media site, does. A bride herself, Brown relies on her wedding boards to plan the most Pinterest-ific celebration of all time.
“One of the joys of working at Pinterest is being surrounded by creative ideas all day long,” Brown told BRIDES. “But like most brides, there were some elements of a wedding I was more familiar with than others. As the in-house stylist, I had no problem articulating my vision for my dress, the accessories (oh heyyy, blush leather jacket!), and the hair. But flowers? Invitations? Pinterest, unsurprisingly, was my go-to spot for filling the gaps of my vision, so I could communicate everything to my fiancé, family and vendors.”
If you’re a loyal Pinner yourself — which we mean, what bride isn’t these days — read on to find out how you can efficiently use the platform to get exactly what you want on your big day, according to Brown herself.
Start broad.
Browsing Pinterest can be a great starting point if you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for — whether it’s food, flowers, dresses or venues, browsing through categories and saving ideas you love can be a great way to recognize patterns and nail down your aesthetic. I couldn’t have told you the names of the flowers I liked, but could easily look at a Pin and say, “Yes, that’s for me.”
Get specific.
Once you do your first sweep, it really helps to get specific. The search tool on Pinterest is a great way to find ideas for non-traditional weddings, staying within a specific budget, or any other niche you can imagine. I often use the guides that show up right under the search bar to help me pivot to related searches and hone in on ideas. And if you peek at the top of every Pin, there’s a magnifying glass that lets you zoom in and search for visually similar Pins and products. Visual search is a great tool for finding similar flowers, dresses and color schemes when planning your wedding.
Save from a variety of sources.
Don’t forget that you can save any idea you find on the web to Pinterest. Keep your eye out for the Pinterest Save button on your favorite sites, or download the Pinterest browser button so you can save ideas wherever you find them!
See More: How to Plan a Pinterest-Worthy Wedding for Less Than $15K
Creep on your vendors’ boards.
The vendors you’re considering probably have Pinterest boards, so take a look at the ideas they’ve been saving. It’s totally reassuring when you find a vendor with a shared aesthetic so you can be confident that they’ll execute your vision.
Collaborate with others.
Group boards are perfect if you’re sharing planning duties with your significant other, or want to bring your wedding planner in on the action. You can also invite friends and family to a board to collaborate on the bachelorette, brunches or other festivities you may have planned.
Share your boards with vendors.
I keep some of my wedding boards secret (especially before I was engaged!), but when your boards are public, you can share the board URL with your vendors so they can visualize what you’re trying to bring to life. I’d recommend only having 10 Pins or less on these boards. That way, what you’re sharing is specific so your vendors don’t have read between the Pins.
Plan your travel.
Pinterest is a great place to plan out your honeymoon with your soon-to-be spouse. It’s also a nice way to curate activities for your guests while they’re in town. If you have a destination wedding, or are expecting lots of out-of-towners, create a board of local restaurants, must-see sites and activities to help them get the most out their stay.
Wondering what Brown has her bridal eyes on? Check out her Pinterest boards below!