Pretend Planning

September 22nd, 2009 @ 11:01 am by Miss Parfait

I have a secret.

I have been “pretend planning” my wedding for years.

“Pretend planning” was a byproduct of my voracious appetite for lovely images and creative ideas. “Pretend planning” involved the hourly visitation of favorite wedding blogs and daily discovery of new wedding websites. It also involved saving every glorious wedding idea and image that appealed to me on my computer. Now that I’m actually planning my own wedding, I find myself swimming in inspiration in every style and color palette imaginable!

I have a whole series of soft pink palettes, like this gorgeous one created by Mrs. Flamingo:

Soft pink palette

And plenty of inspiration from the best and brightest in event design:

Colin Cowie--sooo inspirational

image

Now it’s time to step up and choose. Do we want vintage or modern? Playful or elegant? Black and white or brightly colored? What aspects of our personalities should we feature? Is it really worth it to spend money on pretty up-lighting? Is there such a thing as a classy, subtly bunny-themed wedding? (More on that soon!)

Oh, the choices to make. Were you knee-deep in wedding inspiration before you were even engaged? When did you start pretend planning?

Tags: color schemes |

| Share this post: Pretend Planning

Latest Gallery Pics

Grandma's Rosary Wrapped Around My Bouquet

25 Responses to “Pretend Planning”

Bee

Mrs. Bruschetta (message) 5,553 posts, Bee Keeper

I wasn’t, and during the engagement, I often wished I’d discovered wedding blogs much sooner that I did! But as the wedding approached, I was already feeling overwhelmed, so in retrospect I’m sorta glad I didn’t have TOO much inspiration swirling around in my mind.

And, um…subtly bunny-themed? Definitely curious to hear more about that!

9/22/09 @ 11:05 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Star (message) 1,291 posts, Bumble bee

Yup, I already exposed my dirty little secret that was the fact that I had picked out my dress before we were even engaged!

9/22/09 @ 11:06 am (reply)

Member

melodyjune (message) 239 posts, Helper bee

I had a vague notion of the kind of affair I wanted to throw, but once I actually got engaged and spent time on wedding sites, I was able to nail down a more concrete idea.

Those dark purple callas are swoon-worthy! Darker color palettes are so modern and fresh.

9/22/09 @ 11:30 am (reply)

Member

pmerr (message) 1,307 posts, Bumble bee

I didn’t start looking for wedding inspiration until I was engaged-a few months after I was engaged. I found weddingbee somehow & started looking which led me to other blogs I wouldn’t have thought to look for on my own!

9/22/09 @ 12:12 pm (reply)

Member

lcneiny (message) 170 posts, Blushing bee

Me too! I’ve been collecting magazine images for about a year, and only engaged 2 months. My excuse was that it’s never too early to start planning. However, I do feel slightly overwhelmed right now and I know I’m going to have to stop collecting soon, and start making decisions.

9/22/09 @ 12:33 pm (reply)

Member

Grey56 (message) 535 posts, Busy bee

I would like more info on the bunny theme. Thank you.

9/22/09 @ 12:48 pm (reply)

Member

jaymugirly (message) 52 posts, Worker bee

Ohhh my! As soon as my fiance mentioned the word marriage to me (8 months before we actually got engaged) I went out and bought every bride magazine and started perusing the wedding websites… The bad part about that is I’ve gone through every theme and color palette there is! I’m still undecided and we’ve been engaged since May. I’m sure it will come to me!

9/22/09 @ 12:49 pm (reply)

Member

alvina (message) 299 posts, Helper bee

I started “researching” a little before I got engaged. But really, only cause Weddingbee was so dang fun to read

9/22/09 @ 1:09 pm (reply)

Member

pvaulter718 (message) 1,604 posts, Bumble bee

I almost wish I had started “secret planning” I felt SO behind the ball when I actually got engaged and started planning!

Bunny Themed? Spill the beans, please!

9/22/09 @ 1:28 pm (reply)

10.

Member

tea (message) 2,659 posts, Sugar bee

i’m pretend planning right now! i started probably after we hit our one year mark [we've long decided that this was it for us] but really hit my stride when my bestie got married and i found tons of stuff i liked while helping to plan hers!

9/22/09 @ 1:30 pm (reply)

11.

Member

MsHymanRoth (message) 2,434 posts, Buzzing bee

I am among those who never thought about my own wedding …. ever. I don’t know why … it just never crossed my mind.

So when I got engaged … I found wedding bee and was like AHHHH. I never knew there was so much to weddings. =)

There’s like millions of wedding blogs … who knew? Lol.

9/22/09 @ 2:12 pm (reply)

12.

Member

voomie24 (message) 81 posts, Worker bee

I am guilty of planning my wedding ahead of time. Even though I was completely surprised by my fiance’s proposal, I had already done extensive research on wedding venues in the DC area and already had a top three picked out. So we went and saw the top pick, loved it and basically booked it on the spot.

9/22/09 @ 2:25 pm (reply)

13.

Member

ColorCoated (message) 951 posts, Busy bee

The only upside to having a thousand year engagement (or actually 2.5) is that I’ve had a lot of time to look at blogs and gather inspiration.

It doesn’t of course, make narrowing down ideas any easier!

9/22/09 @ 3:02 pm (reply)

14.

Member

Ms. Sapphire (message) 231 posts, Helper bee

I’ve been “pretend planning” for years before our engagement! Weddingbee is a GREAT distraction when you’re sitting in 3 hour lectures in grad school. I’ve been researching, saving inspiration pictures, bookmarking potential DIY projects for almost 3 years now. *sigh* Now that we have less than a year to plan for the real wedding, I really just don’t feel like planning anything anymore. haha.

9/22/09 @ 3:51 pm (reply)

15.

Member

French Fry (message) 32 posts, Newbee

I’ve been pretend planning forever, before I was dating the FI and whether or not I had a boyfriend. It all started with buying a bridal magazine and it was pretty much downhill from there. I even made up a fake profile on the knot in college so I could look at wedding dresses. Good thing the FI never knew about this before we started dating. He would have called that a warning sign!

9/22/09 @ 3:59 pm (reply)

16.

Bee

Mrs. French Bulldog (message) 6,077 posts, Bee Keeper

I pretend planned for YEARS! and before Mr Frenchie proposed I would send him stuff ALL THE TIME hahaha
I had to decide btw country and modern… so I feel your pain.

9/22/09 @ 4:31 pm (reply)

17.

Bee

Miss Parfait (message) 613 posts, Busy bee

@Miss Star: I love that! Your dress is AMAZING, so I totally understand : )

@Icneiny and French Fry: The magazines got me, too! I love them all–just wish they weren’t so expensive.

@Ms. Sapphire: Heehee, I’ve done the same thing in classes. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one. : )

@Frenchie: Mr. Parfait would totally relate to Mr. Frenchie. I think part of the reason I started blogging all my ideas was to give his Inbox a break!

9/22/09 @ 4:55 pm (reply)

18.

Member

alishaneva (message) 1,531 posts, Bumble bee

Haha … I AM pretend planning now … at work … thanks for ensuring me I’m a-okay! Loverboy probably gets tired of “I saw the coolest thing on weddingbee today …” so I try to edit it and say “guess what I saw online?” which is usually followed by a “nevermind.” Haha.

9/22/09 @ 5:22 pm (reply)

19.

Member

pepsint (message) 2 posts, Wannabee

@Mrs. French Bulldog:

ha. my boyfriend (of only 4 months :P) is the same way. i’ve been pretend planning for years- but i use the excuse of wanting to be a wedding planner someday…he kinda believes me, but still usually responds “you’re so brutal”. luckily he’s not scared.

9/22/09 @ 5:39 pm (reply)

20.

Member

MariaPaz (message) 138 posts, Blushing bee

Soooo true! I’m a pretend planner too, and although there’s not much planning going on right now, I love reading (more like, stalking) WB and other blogs– definitely a great source for inspiration and daydreaming!

9/22/09 @ 5:42 pm (reply)

21.

Member

Ms. Mojito (message) 230 posts, Helper bee

I actually didn’t start planning until I was engaged. that said, it has become my obsession! The only excption was that I did have a picture of “the dress” that I found in a non-bridal magazine that I saved until the day I became engaged. Of course the gown I ended up choosing is nothing like that picture..:-)

9/22/09 @ 6:26 pm (reply)

22.

Bee

Miss Cola (message) 612 posts, Busy bee

Haha, I was planning and seeking out possible venues a good 2.5 years before getting my ring!

9/22/09 @ 8:26 pm (reply)

23.

Member

Miss BooBoo (message) 89 posts, Worker bee

Yeah, I’m not engaged yet and I pretty much have my whole wedding planned!! I’m a big planner though, and hate surprises, so this mania fits right into my life

9/22/09 @ 9:11 pm (reply)

24.

Member

Adriana26 (message) 143 posts, Blushing bee

I loved looking through wedding magazines before I was engaged, but I always felt silly. As soon as that ring was on my finger, the flood gates opened and I was in planning overdrive - and it was justified!

9/23/09 @ 2:48 am (reply)

25.

Guest

Erin

I have been ‘pretend planning’ my wedding in my head and out loud to my lovely boyfriend for a year or so now - and started writing a blog just so I would have a place to get out my thoughts without driving him nuts about it anymore. Having the ‘perfect wedding’ is held up as this ideal - I’m amazed we don’t get more obsessed about the planning sometimes!

9/27/09 @ 1:48 pm (reply)