Do you ever reach a point where all the bridal magazine pictures start blurring together? While devouring large swaths of wedding media is a great way to narrow down specific ideas you have (such as ways to include your beloved puppy in your ceremony), it’s also easy to reach a point of oversaturation when you’re just starting to look for inspiration. If you find yourself floundering in a sea of wedding planners’ ideas, drifting away from the type of wedding that you want to have, put on the brakes for a minute. The best place to find wedding inspiration for your celebration, after all, is a place that fits who you are.
Going Out to Eat
Sometimes, ironically enough, the stress of a wedding pulls couples apart just when they should be the most head-over-heels about each other. Make sure you take some time out to plan a few special date nights and reconnect. Keep in mind that the second you put down the bridal magazine, you may stumble upon your true source of inspiration–it’s a win for everyone!
Look around the restaurant. Think about the mood the room creates, and note the ways it evokes that mood. The color and brightness of the lighting, the volume and type of music, the decorations, the table settings, and even the little touches in the bathrooms all come together to create an overall impression of the restaurant. Is it loud and energetic? Family-style and comfortable? Upscale and chic? Charming and romantic? What impression do you want your guests to have when they walk into your wedding? Chances are, you chose your restaurant tonight because you liked its atmosphere, so it’s okay to borrow some ideas while you’re there.
Interior Design
Never planned a wedding before? That’s ok. You don’t have to be an expert at wedding planning to know what you like. Close all the wedding tabs on your browser and open one on interior design or home décor. Since decorating your living space is something you’ve probably been doing to your satisfaction without much stress, it’s a good place to start looking for wedding decoration ideas.
Interesting vase arrangements can be scaled up for reception centerpieces. A lighting scheme that makes a living room look cozy can be adjusted to give your venue the same feeling. Don’t worry about whether specific decorations will work at a wedding venue–most ideas are easily translated from one space to another. All you have to do is figure out what you like.
Gardening
You don’t have to be a professional horticulturist to use garden inspiration for your wedding. (Although, if you have a green thumb, you can certainly grow your own wedding bouquet.) Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never planted a seed in your life; just flip through some gardening magazines next time you want to take a break from the bridal barrage. Take note of the features that stand out to you. You may be surprised at how well they translate into unique and memorable wedding décor. Using unusual planters, such as vintage bicycles and armoires, is a charming trend of which creative gardeners were at the forefront. Maybe you can discover the next trend–don’t worry, you can always hire a gardener to implement your ideas.
Watching a Movie
What movie do you turn on when you want to tune out the world and enjoy a decadent rainy day on the couch? The answer to your lack of wedding inspiration could be hiding in the very place you go to escape wedding planning stress. Turn on your favorite movie and pay attention to the parts you love about it. Is it the exotic setting? Let that influence your choice of venue (or at least venue décor). Is it the romance? Work a few quotes into your wedding vows.
Even if your favorite movie is something completely unromantic (say, “Dracula,” or worse–”Dumb and Dumber”), you can grab onto the movie’s iconic symbols as a place to crystallize your wedding inspiration, and you never have to say where you got the idea. After all, nothing’s wrong with crafting a reception table around a pair of ornate candelabras–or going in a goofy, lighthearted direction with the Save the Dates.
Music
Getting a headache from staring at pictures all day? Time to lean back, close your eyes, and listen to some music. As you do so, pay attention to the song you chose and how it makes you feel. After all, this is the song you picked out when you wanted to relax, so it’s a good indication of the types of things you enjoy. Try listing three adjectives about the music that will be the basis for your wedding theme. For example, if the song is “cheerful, bright, and fast-paced,” you might consider a wedding with a yellow and white color scheme, an open venue with lots of windows, and an itinerary of activities to keep your guests engaged. If any specific scenes flash before your eyes–memories of happy times, or hopes for a happy wedding day–follow your imagination and see where it takes you. Maybe you’ll open your eyes with the perfect idea for a wedding menu. Sometimes music has a way of unlocking our creative selves if we just relax for a moment.
Whatever you do, don’t assume that the wedding professionals know more about planning your wedding than you do. Once you come up with your ideal wedding, of course, it’s their job to help you make it happen. But your wedding day is about you and your fiancé. It’s easy to get to a point of sensory overload after making your way through all the wedding advice that books, TV, and the internet have to offer. If you find yourself getting discouraged, just take a step back to familiar territory. Your answer is probably waiting just around the corner.
GAEA DENKER-LEHRMAN