Taylor Takes On...: Taylor Takes on Unexpected Inspiration...

I know my wedding has come and gone, but I loved wedding blogs and magazines before I was a bride and I don't plan on losing interest anytime in the near future. Now I need to vent for a moment...Is anyone else getting tired of seeing the same ol' wedding inspiration and ideas over and over again? I can't even count the nights I spent flipping through bridal magazines and clicking through wedding blog after blog searching for a truly unique idea to inspire my wedding, but I felt like I kept seeing the same ideas everywhere I looked. Even some of my favorite blogs seemed to be featuring the same type of wedding everyday, and although cute, I found myself asking, "where has all the glamour gone?". Now don't get me wrong, I think that the vintage, shabby chic, cheeky type wedding is fabulous for some brides, but not me, and not every bride out there, so where were the rest of us supposed to look for inspiration? It seems that brides who look to the usual sources for wedding ideas are presented with a handful of choices, none of which seem very unique anymore. It almost feels like you are forced to choose one aspect of your personality and mold your entire wedding to fit. A modern wedding, a vintage wedding, beach wedding, etc. This was a problem for me because I couldn't find just one "theme" that fit me and I was bound and determined to have a wedding that was "me". One of my favorite questions that I got throughout my planning was, "what are your colors?". Why is it that brides feel like they have to pick two or three colors and let those colors dictate their every wedding choice? News flash: It's your wedding! Choose what YOU like and don't worry if your colors are pink and gold but you fall for a purple flower along the way. It's ok! Use that purple flower and love it! I ended up finding my inspiration not from a wedding source, but from a home decor magazine, which happens to be another favorite read of mine. The Ralph Lauren Fall 2010 Collection that inspired my wedding grabbed my attention because it combined fabrics and furniture that I loved, but had never thought could share the same space. Here was a gorgeous table setting with a pretty pink table cloth, beautiful chandelier and lovely crystal, with chairs that were more on the masculine side, with plaid, leather, and studs. Thank you Ralph Lauren for showing me that a room made up of things you love, will end up being a space you love! Who says pink satin and leather and plaid can't go together? Who says that a purple flower can't find its way into a pink and gold color scheme? If Ralph Lauren says it's ok, then it must be! My wedding was everything I had hoped it would be, most importantly, I really felt like it was mine. So my challenge to any brides out there who may not be content with the inspiration they are finding is to look anywhere but the typical wedding sources. How about paintings by your favorite artist or your favorite designer's latest collection? Try looking at a fashion magazine, a favorite china pattern, a seasonal collection from a makeup line, your favorite movie...I could go on and on! Once you have found your inspiration though, just remember it is just that...inspiration. It does not need to be exact, I like the term "loosely inspired by.." this gives you a little wiggle room while still keeping everything cohesive. If you are stuck and want some help looking for ideas, let me know, I would love to help throw some ideas out there based on your interests! In the mean time, I am looking to apply some great inspiration ideas to my home decorating efforts! Not only is it fun looking for inspiration in unexpected places, but by doing so, you may be able to come up with a creative and unique idea that fits your personality! I plan on sharing some of my unexpected inspiration in the near future and would love for you to share yours as well! Stay tuned for inspiration by...