The Picture Perfect Wedding ~ Is it all getting a bit too much?

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Photograph for illustrative purposes only, from this feature on Love My Dress.  Copyright (c) 2012, Devlin Photos

Yesterday I posted this link to the Love My Dress Facebook page, having discovered it via Twitter.

Understandably, it caused quite a stir and responses seemed to be polarised.  It was one of those marmite moments; you either loved it or you really didn't, though most respondents took it with a big dose of salt and had a giggle.

But some of the comments left on the Love My Dress Facebook page really got me thinking…

 

"….(as a stressed out bride to be), there is
far too much pressure to have a picture perfect
and unique wedding. 'Its all in the details' but
its so hard to pull together a polished look for
a wedding without paying someone to help,
which a lot of people do these days."

 

I felt irked reading this comment, like I was part of the big circus of wedding industry crazy; the kind of crazy that swept me along like a tidal wave out of nowhere when I was planning my own wedding – you know what I mean, the inner voice that utterly convinces you that you need perfectly colour matched sashes to adorn your perfectly ironed and absolutely perfectly fitting chair covers – not that there's a thing wrong with chair-covers, but you hear me, right?

Then I got to thinking, well, as a blogger, I am completely and utterly responsible for all the content on my blog and the image and message that this content projects to my readers.  That's quite a responsibility when you're getting over half a million page hits per month and your livlihood depends on it, and so I try to ensure content on this blog is balanced and offers something for a variety of different brides.  I manage my blog content with absolutely no prejudice and with a consistently underlying appeal that speaks 'glamorous, elegant and pretty'.

The content I feature is a mix of inspirational/aspirational photoshoots, real weddings, discussion posts, DIY, personal and film features, but on the whole, let's face it, a reader arrives at or visits my blog with intention because they are interested in weddings and all things bridal.

How do I appeal to this visitor on a consistent basis?

Sure, I'm going to feature really, really pretty content, the kind of content that is choc-full of detail and makes your eyes pop with pretty, because imagery like that is inspirational, aspirational and it helps to get our own creative juices flowing. But here's the thing; I will openly admit that I've started to feature weddings that say, a year ago, I may not have done.  What I'm coming to realise, is that it really isn't always about the details, or featuring that wedding that the other bloggers would give their left leg for because it is so beautifully styled with a heap of pretty detail.  That's not to say that for those where details are important, that isn't good.  But what's more important to me is featuring photography and content that makes my readers hearts skip beats over that moment during the kiss or speech that makes them wish their wedding day would hurry along so that they can experience the same.  Not just so that they can have their own version of a glitterfied DIY filled princess palace with stylised sweetie tables and wish trees and personalised favours and ….. you get the picture.

I'm more keen these days to strip that back and reveal the essence of what's underneath.

The image below is taken from this wedding feature, which has very few 'detail' shots that would typically make it prime fodder for wedding blogs.   What won me over with this feature were photographer Ed Peers'  portrait shots – that gentle clutch, that relaxed smile that says 'I'm comfortable with you'…

Love My Dress – Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Ed Peers

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…likewise with this wedding, it wasn't about the 'detail', it was about the way photographer Jon from S6 photography had captured the couple; that cheeky dance move out on the veranda and the bride's look of love as she flicks her head back to laugh out loud…

Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2012, S6 photography

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I sometimes feel I'm at fault for being part of the crazy wedding carnival that promotes the need to go absolutely bonkers on your wedding day, but that funny blog of yesterday has really made me think how important it is to me that I also get back to basics and feature just very beautiful wedding photography – portrait shots that make you melt at the thought of your own wedding day, whether it's happened yet or not, or those photographs that catch a glimpse of the movement in that wedding dress you've been eyeing up for a while now, convincing you that you must go and try it on.

I will continue to feature detail-led blog posts because styling and the creativity behind it thrills me, and I like to champion the work of the stylist {a role I feel is often misunderstood and undervalued} but I wanted to reassure my readers that as far as I am concerned, Love My Dress is a wedding blog that champions what is at the core of every single wedding day; that thing they call love.

Would you allow me, please, to add a very big note in bold here about how much I value excellent wedding photography and the ability of the photographers whose work I feature to capture love, emotion and yes, all the detail is at some times profound.  But I don't want to alienate anyone on this blog, I'd like any bride to be who visits, no matter their age, weight, hair colour, sexuality or boob size to feel welcome and not be put off by the perception that I only feature very pretty, detailed filled weddings.

I hope you'll forgive me spilling my thoughts onto the pages of my blog this afternoon, but as always, I welcome all and any feedback and am putting my head potentially on the block by opening up some questions to you all;

Do you feel under pressure to produce a picture perfect wedding?  And are wedding blogs adding to this pressure, or do you see beyond that?

What is your prime reason for using wedding blogs?

What do you love most about Love My Dress – which kind of features most inspire you?

Is there anything you would like to see more of on Love My Dress?

I'd just like to end this post on a really positive thought.  Reader Sophia recently sent me this email…

"I hope you are well?! I just thought I'd email you to say thank you! I love your blog and have had so much inspiration from it for my wedding coming up in in May this year. I reallllly look forward to logging on and reading daily, I think it's funny, honest and super helpful!  Anyway I just thought I'd let you know as I think it's always nice to know when your doing a great job!"

Funny. Honest. But most importantly 'super-helpful'.  Just precisely what I only ever wanted Love My Dress to be.

With much love all,

Annabel

Annabel

Annabel View all Annabel's articles

Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.

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