Pinterest…Hype or Help?





If you use social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, you have likely heard about a new web tool called, “Pinterest”.  But if you aren’t into social bookmarking, you may still be unclear about what Pinterest is, what it does and how it might be useful to you as a planning tool for your wedding and beyond. 

I have to admit that I didn’t buy into the hype of Pinterest, at first use.  Even though I have favorite’s lists a mile long each for Personal and Professional sites I refer to, I didn’t consider myself a social bookmarker.  That changed one day, when I was working on a storyboard for one of my brides.  I sent her my first version, and she directed me to hers… on Pinterest.  As confirmation that I was on the right page, they looked almost identical.

Pinterest, and bookmarking sites like it, allows you to create a virtual board and “pin” your favorite photos from the web and links onto that board.  You can create a different board for every different thing you like.  Now, this is not an ad for Pinterest.  But, I do like to share tools and information that help clients make informed decisions about their wedding while they stay true to their own vision.  Social bookmarking tools can help with that in a number of ways.  Here are just a few:

1.   Keep Random Clippings In One Virtual Place – You are busy and on the go.  You might have time to flip through bridal magazines now and again.  But you don’t have time to sit down and cut out every picture or idea that speaks to you.  Social bookmarking tools allow you to do this virtually and even organize your clips in whatever order they make sense to you

2.   The Information Is Easily Shareable And Discoverable – “Bookmarking” or “Pinning” photos, articles , recipes or whatever not only keeps you organized, it allows you to share your stuff with others.  In the same vein, you get to peak at new and different stuff that others think is pretty neat too and keep what you like

3.   Helps You To Define and/or Find Your Style – Many of my brides know exactly what they want their wedding style to be.  But there are those who have “an idea” but not a specific direction they can define.  The first assignment I give them is to collect and then send me pictures of whatever speaks to them.  Seeing all of the different elements together helps me to understand what they like and to discover common themes or colors they prefer.  I use that information to put together a storyboard for the event because a picture really is worth a thousand words.  Social bookmarking tools can help you make sense out of a lot of random ideas for a wedding, home décor, new wardrobe or anything. It is a lot simpler to define your own style once you see it compiled and displayed

I must admit, I still have my fair share of clippings and articles that I can’t seem to part with.  And I doubt that I will become addicted to Pinterest or any other social media site because I know that time is still the most valuable commodity within which I can be creative.  But I do believe in using media to maximize your efforts.  A great tool is still a hot find.  Sharing is even hotter.

Here are a few of the sites we use regularly:

http://Pinterest.com (Our board: http://pinterest.com/ttceventsatl/ )

http://lover.ly (Our board: http://lover.ly/ttcevents/bin/loved#1 )

http://www.stumbleupon.com

Be sure to post the links to your boards in the comments section below so we can share!



Dream in Color & Snap Your Fingers in Your Sleep

Creating a Soundtrack for Your Event

Like many little girls, my childhood memories had Barbie in the mix. I had the different ones, like Peaches and Cream Barbie, Crystal Barbie, Bridal Barbie (of course). One of my favorites was Workout Barbie. Something about her electric blue unitard, hot pink ballet shoes and striped leg warmers really got my attention. Dare I say I thought she was sexy, at the age of 9? I would have worn an outfit just like it to class at Maria Priadka’s School of Dance…if I’d had any other mother than my own.

One thing I remember specifically, is that my version of “playing dolls” was different than most of my friends’. They insisted on weaving these elaborate (read boring) tales of doll life and scripting appropriate dialogue to go with it. It always seemed like our flow was interrupted by someone directing us with, “Now you say such and such and I’ll say so and so”. I preferred to pump up my radio and dress my dolls in outfits I thought went with the music, creating a “scene”. I could do this on my own for hours, and hours at a time. Each song demanded a different look, a different pose and sometimes a different setting. But I remember being intent on connecting what I saw to what I heard.

Now that I am an adult, songs are like a trigger for memories, some good and some not. What I find interesting, is how detailed the memories become when I can connect them to a song. I remember what I wore, where I was and how it smelled after hearing just a few bars of music. When I’m asleep, the settings in my dreams are in vivid color and there is always background music. I host events, see paintings and scenes in my dreams, sometimes long before I can even use the ideas. I am learning to write them down, but mostly the mental attachment to the music is enough.

As an event designer and planner, I really like the first meeting with my clients. They are sooo excited about what they want to create and celebrate, that I can’t help but be excited too. I get them to talk about what they see in their mind’s eye, because that is what they will be anticipating. After they share all of the details, I ask them to name songs that make them feel the way they want their event to feel. You might say that I create a soundtrack for their wedding or party or proposal. After our meeting I listen to their songs and begin to match what I hear to what my clients have said they want to see. Music and color are huge factors for creating unique event designs. People respond to both very personally. My secret is to mesh them in a foundation that sets up everything to work together. When I present the event plan to clients, their music is playing in the background, so they can start feeling it right away.

In the planning stages of your wedding, milestone party or proposal, think about how you want to feel and how you want your guests to feel. Those feelings tell your brain to commit that moment to memory. Have some songs in mind and share them with your event planner. Second, collect tons of pictures of items, flowers, designs in colors that you love. They don’t have to match or even make sense for your event. A good event designer will be able to pull a distinct style from what you are drawn to. And last, don’t be afraid to be daring, different and totally you. Once-in-a-lifetime events deserve one-of-a-kind event design. That can only happen when you stay true to what you want and not go with everything you have seen done already. Someone else’s design in your color scheme is not enough for my brides. If you can describe it, we can make it happen.

In honor of that young girl, and my faithful Barbie brigade, today I am going to listen to some of my old favorites. Those memories always make me smile. And once in a while, I still use some of my early design ideas. They still work, because at my core, I haven’t really changed. And I can still spend hours at a time creating a world, a look, a scene to the soundtrack of my life. What songs will define your moment? Let’s start building your soundtrack today.