Are you in need of a pintervention? It starts innocently enough. Looking for inspiration, you log onto Pinterest and start scrolling. Champagne bottles on ice in a vintage wheelbarrow. Love it! Rhinestone table numbers. Definitely! Invitations with tiny starfish atop a burlap bow. Adorable! Bride and groom posing amid artfully arranged tree stumps and flickering candles. Must do that! Before you know it, you’ve amassed a board bursting with hundreds of images from beachy to rustic chic—and you’re more confused than ever. Ah, the double-edged sword that is Pinterest. “Pinterest is an amazing tool—if you know how to harness it correctly,” says Tina LaMorte of Oh So Fabulous in Maywood. On the plus side, “It’s a one-stop shop for all kinds of ideas,” says bride-to-be Lauren Walsh of Cliffside Park. “I love having visual examples to show my family, friends and vendors.” Unfortunately, limitless ideas can leave you overwhelmed and without a clear direction. So we asked planning pros LaMorte and Jenny Orsini of Jenny Orsini Events in Berkeley Heights how to make Pinterest work for you. Break it down- The number-one rule: Make separate boards for each category of your wedding. “Don’t put favors, gowns, flowers and shoes all on the same board,” says LaMorte. Instead, create categories such as tabletop, fashion (gown, shoes, veil and jewelry), hair/makeup, favors and so on. Decide what you really love—and delete the rest– “Brides sometimes pin everything they even remotely like and end up with a mishmash of unrelated things,” says Orsini. “I tell my brides to do a ‘yard sale’ of their pins and get rid of any they don’t absolutely love.” If you want a wedding with soft colors, for example, ditch the black candelabras that somehow made it onto your board, she says. As you make decisions, regularly scan your boards and see what no longer fits. “Design directions change, color palettes evolve,” says LaMorte. “Ask yourself, ‘Does this relate to what I’ve already decided on?’” If it doesn’t, let it go. Do a reality check- Are the peonies you’re pinning available around your date? Is a five-tier cake in your budget? “If you see a centerpiece you like, find out what that flower and the candelabra dripping with bling cost,” advises Orsini. “You may be looking at $600 centerpieces when your budget is $250.” Be realistic about DIY projects that are billed as easy, inexpensive or both. Says Orsini, “Figure out what the real investment of time and money is. Not everything is just a doily and a staple gun!” Use the comment area- Make note of why you like a picture in the comment section. “Write ‘I adore the brooch on this bouquet’ or ‘I love the stem treatment,’” suggests LaMorte. Including these specifics reminds you of what you had in mind and also makes your intentions obvious to any vendors you may show your board. Upload your own photos– “Many people don’t realize you can pin your own pictures,” says LaMorte. “If I’m shopping and I see frames that we could use for table numbers, I’ll snap a picture with my phone and add it to my board.” If you’re working with a wedding planner, you can both add images to your boards, but don’t let anyone else add anything—uploaded images or existing pins—or you will invite confusion. Step away from the screen- “Don’t forget the fundamentals of design like looking at fabrics and brainstorming,” says Orsini. “I tell my clients, ‘Let’s put down the phone and talk like they did in the ’90s.’” If there’s a Pinterest bouquet you adore, discuss with your florist why you love it and how he can customize it for you. “Use Pinterest for inspiration not replication,” stresses Orsini. “When designing your wedding, there should be an element of your soul.” With Pinterest ideas as a starting point, the possibilities are plentiful but, in the end, making it your own is what matters most. Visit our fabulous Pinterest page for endless inspiration! (Just don’t get addicted, ok?)