I love Pinterest. In fact, one of my favorite parts of the design process is seeing what my couples save and gravitate toward. Pinterest boards tell me so much about a client’s style, even when they don’t realize it themselves.
That being said, Pinterest can also create a lot of confusion when it comes to wedding flowers.
Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with couples who fell in love with a particular image online, only to discover there was a lot more happening behind the scenes than the photo let on. If you’re currently planning your wedding and spending hours scrolling Pinterest (as most of us do), here are a few things worth keeping in mind.
That “Simple” Arrangement Might Cost More than you Think
One of the biggest surprises for couples is learning how much flowers are actually in some of the inspiration photos they save.
I’ve had brides send me a ceremony installation and say, “I love how simple this is,” when in reality I’m looking at several thousand dollars worth of flowers.
Pinterest doesn’t tell you the budget behind the image. It doesn’t tell you how many designers were involved, how many flowers were used, or how long it took to install. All you see is the finished product.
That doesn’t mean we can’t achieve a similar feeling at a different price point. It just means that understanding what is actually happening in the photo is part of my job as a designer.
Flowers Are Seasonal
This is probably the most common conversation I have with clients.
A bride getting married in October may fall in love with a bouquet filled with locally grown spring flowers. A summer bride may send over inspiration featuring blooms that simply aren’t available during her wedding season.
Flowers are agricultural products. They’re available at different times throughout the year. While there are often beautiful alternatives, exact flower-for-flower recreations sometimes aren’t realistic.
This is one of the reasons I encourage clients to focus on the overall feeling of an image rather than a specific flower variety.
If you are set on having one specific flower in your wedding design (like peonies!) I would suggest planning your date around that as something that is important to you.
Pinterest Is Full of Styled Shoots
Some of the images you see on Pinterest aren’t from actual weddings at all.
They’re editorials created by wedding professionals to showcase a specific design vision. Some of my favorite inspiration images are editorials, and I think they’re an amazing resource for couples.
The important thing to remember is that you’re only seeing the finished image. You’re not seeing the budget behind it, the mechanics of how it was built, or the amount of flowers that went into creating it. In many cases, those designs are absolutely achievable on a wedding day. The key is understanding what it takes to bring that vision to life.
Photography Changes More Than You Think
Photography has a tremendous impact on how flowers appear online.
The same arrangement can look completely different depending on the photographer, lighting conditions, editing style, and even the time of day. I’ve seen peach flowers photographed as beige, blush flowers turn orange, and entire color palettes shift dramatically from one gallery to another.
While there are photographers who do an incredible job capturing floral color and detail accurately, others prioritize a specific editing style that can significantly alter the way flowers actually appeared in person.
This is one of the reasons I encourage couples not to get too attached to a specific shade or exact flower color they see online. A Pinterest image may be beautiful, but it isn’t always an accurate representation of what those flowers looked like in real life.
When reviewing inspiration photos, it’s often more helpful to focus on the overall mood, style, and feeling of the design rather than trying to match a color exactly.
If the color is important to you, be sure to emphasize that to your florist, and they can lead you in the right direction.
AI Images Are Starting to Show Up Everywhere
Sorry guys…. these are all FAKE!
This is something I’ve noticed more and more over the last year.
Sometimes an image is sent to me and something feels…off. Maybe flowers are growing in impossible directions. Maybe stems disappear into thin air. Maybe there are flower varieties that don’t even exist.
More and more inspiration images online are being generated by AI.
Some are beautiful. Some are obviously fake.
The challenge is that AI doesn’t have to follow the laws of nature, flower availability, gravity, or budget.
I recently learned that on Pinterest, you can go into your “Settings” then “Refine your Recommendations” then “AI content” and toggle off any of the topics to see less AI posts. This has been helpful for me!
Focus on the Feeling
When I look at a Pinterest board, I’m usually not paying attention to the exact flowers. I’m looking for patterns.
Are you drawn to airy designs or lush designs? Soft colors or bold colors? Garden-inspired flowers or something more modern and structured?
Those details tell me far more than any individual photo.
The best weddings aren’t the ones that perfectly replicate a Pinterest image. They’re the ones that take inspiration from dozens of places and turn it into something that feels personal, thoughtful, and uniquely yours.
Pinterest is a wonderful starting point. But the real magic happens when we take that inspiration and create something designed specifically for your wedding day.
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