How To Bring Your Wedding Pinterest Board To Life

One of the first things I did after getting engaged was start dreaming up what I wanted my wedding day to look like. I thought about the all the flowers and candles for the tables, the canopy we would get married under and the overall colour scheme. Right away, I knew I couldn’t do it alone.

As I considered local design firms who could work with my wedding planner on decor, there was one whose work I immediately and continuedly gravitated towards. Every time I scrolled inspiration shots on Instagram, the same handle, @jackieo.events, kept coming up. Between the floating votive candles over tables and the floral archways, choosing Jackie O was one of the easiest decisions I made with my wedding.

Event, floral design and photography by Jackie O.

At our first meeting, my mom, my fiancé’s mom and I sat down with their head of events, Lesley Reilly. Together, we went through my inspiration pictures and pulled together a plan to adapt my vision and make it my own. I was supposed to go back a few weeks later to see a mock-up of the table, but unfortunately, that’s on pause for now.

If you’re planning ahead for 2021 and looking for a design firm or specialist, I suggest doing some research online, Instagram and Pinterest to find one that best fits your vibe. Look for a firm or person that is creative and can take your vision to the next level. One thing I love about working with my vendor is they started with my ideas and added to them in ways I never would have thought of.

Event and floral design by Jackie O. Photography by Purple Tree Photography.

Once you’ve made your pick, Reilly suggests coming to your first meeting with a few ideas. “I think colour is really important,” she says. “Once you narrow that down, it’s your steppingstone to refine the design,” she continues. Don’t worry if you don’t have a unified vision either. “I often find when a bride comes with her Pinterest board, she says ‘Oh my God! I’m all over the map,’ but when we look at them, there’s always a cohesive thread that we can pick out that actually does go together,” Reilly says.

Coronavirus has meant a lot of weddings are on hold, but Jackie O is working with 2020 brides who have postponed until 2021. “Some of our brides that were planning smaller gatherings have chosen to do intimate backyard ceremonies with their immediate families,” says Reilly. Most are asking for ceremony structures and bouquets. “Some weddings planned for August are more elaborate in terms of decor with the hopes that larger groups can gather by then.”

As for me, I’m going forward with a family ceremony at Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa this year, and our big celebration at the Omni King Edward Hotel next year. I’m working with Jackie O to come up with two distinct looks, one modern outdoors and the other more luxe contemporary. We’re still working out the details, but I have no doubt when the plan is complete, the only thing left for me to say is “I do.”