The pressure is real. Before social media, brides and grooms could plan their wedding with less distractions. But with everyone’s wedding available online for public consumption and a whole ecosystem of sources for wedding inspiration and tips, it’s easy to fall into the comparison trap. Not to mention, friends and family are now more vocal about their opinions and ideas.
With the influx of information and ideas, brides tend to find themselves comparing their wedding with others, and in turn, end up losing focus. When seeing other weddings online, soon-to-weds always battle with how to make their wedding different and unique from all the rest out there. On top of that, brides and grooms need to deal with the many suggestions that keep coming their way–your wedding should look like this, your wedding should have this, why not do this, and so on! It’s very, very overwhelming.
This blog post aims to help you avoid comparing your wedding with others. Your “best day” will never be exactly the same as the next person’s. We hope these tips will help you remember that always.
(1) Be realistic when absorbing information and ideas.
We have said it before and there’s merit in saying it again: know what you want and know what you can afford. We advise this repeatedly because if you know what you want and how much you’re willing to spend for what you want, then you can browse the Internet with a goal in mind and avoid ideas that are not feasible or realistic. This keeps your expectations at bay, too. Even if there are so many ideas out there, you will be guided as you go along.
[From: A Romantic Clifftop Wedding Overlooking Lake Toya / Photos: Juno Inc.]
(2) Choose what to share publicly.
Te more your share, the more reactions you’ll receive, so choose what to share publicly. You might be so excited to share everything but do note that you can also choose to share the juiciest wedding planning updates with only your closest friends and family. This will help filter suggestions and feedback coming from the updates you reveal.
[From: This Couple Wed Amidst Pastel Pink Hues and a Stunning View / Photos: Chesoen Tan]
(3) Know when to stop scrolling.
This one might be a little difficult, but it can make a big difference. Social media can lead to unhealthy comparison of your life with that of others, and that includes weddings of others. If you find yourself taking mental notes of what someone did versus what you’re planning, take that as a hint. You can definitely appreciate other weddings, but if it causes you to compare them with yours and question your ideas and decisions, it’s high time to stop.
You need to know when to stop scrolling for ideas. There are so many beautiful weddings out there, so it’s common for brides to find themselves changing their minds upon seeing something new online. Before you change anything or even think of redoing your wedding day look, double check if it’s what you really want.
In both of these cases, it helps to always step back and think, what does YOUR dream wedding look like? What do YOU really want?
[From: Choose Your Vendors Wisely, Says This Couple Who Wed in Bali / Photos: Terralogical]
(4) Turn off notifications you have to.
There have been cases when brides already book a vendor, but eventually see the work of another vendor or a promo elsewhere. In turn, they end up second guessing their original decision. If you’ve already booked a vendor, you can avoid comparing or doubting your choice if you stop looking at other vendors and their work. Turn off notifications if you have to. If you realy admire their work you can still turn your notifications back on and keep following them after the wedding.
[From: This Couple Wed in An Idyllic Garden Ceremony at Rosewood Phuket / Photos: Jenny Tong Fine Art Photography]
(5) Always go back to your mood board.
One way to stay on track is by always referring back to your initial wedding mood board. At the very first signs of comparing your wedding with others, go back to where it all began. You might realize that in the end, the first plan you made is the one that really reflects your heart’s desires!
[From: A Romantic Bali Wedding Getaway / Photos: Fire, Wood and Earth Photography]
We hope these five tips can help keep you from going astray and finding yourself in the dangerous wedding comparison trap. Your special day should be exactly what you want it to be, sans the clutter of ideas and suggestions that come with planning a wedding at this day and age.
