Issue 34.
Put a ring on it with Pinterest? The Sydney HQ just hosted a real wedding. Plus, a guide to social media's most insufferable phrases. Apologies in advance to 'mom and dad,' 'all the cool girls' & more
Put A Ring On It… With Pinterest
Can the Pinterest employee who came up with the idea of hosting a real-life wedding at the company’s Sydney HQ please raise their hand?
If you don’t have employee share options coming out of your ears and a six-figure bonus, put in your resignation now.
To be a fly on the wall at the meeting where it was decided a pop-up with an immersive Instagram wall is nice and all, but nothing says we believe in our product like a legally binding ceremony.
Sydney couple Naïla Bliekast and Lachlan Martin are living proof of the power of the Pinterest board, saying ‘I do’ in front of their family and friends to promote the release of Pinterest’s 2026 Wedding Trends Report.
Communal meeting room area and luxury event are two phrases that should never appear in the same sentence, but I’m happy to report no branded cupcakes, Crust pizzas or lanyards appear to have been in attendance.
Bringing the platform’s most popular trends to life, the space was transformed into an intimate olive and burgundy oasis of luxurious draped fabrics, large floral centrepieces, foliage, lacy fruit towers and silver tablescapes.
Of course, no activation worth its salt would be complete without some good ol’ fashioned spon con.
Grace Loves Lace dressed the bride, MJ Bale took the reins on the groom, MECCA handled hair and makeup and Canva took charge of all stationery needs.
The couple’s dog even attended, you can’t get more 2026 than that.
“When the opportunity arose to make our big day the centrepiece of future wedding trends, it just felt right to say ‘I do’ here. We always knew we wanted something that felt different, personalised. Pinterest was our go-to for inspiration, so seeing those ideas come to life around us in such a personal way has been incredibly special,” bride Naïla told Bandt.
Besides the gratitude I feel to this couple for finally giving me the perfect opportunity to weave in a seemingly-casual-but-really-strategic way that I am also getting married this year, I’m incredibly jealous of the idea of having a wedding entirely paid for.
Even if the trade-off is saying 'I do' next to an office fridge with a plastic sign that reads 'ALL REMAINING FOOD WILL BE THROWN OUT EACH FRIDAY'.
With the price of weddings at an all-time high, causing me to pop a Xanax every time I see the words ‘estimated cost’, Pinterest’s latest report proves the cost of living crisis is a conspiracy in wedding world, the industry is apocalypse-proof!
Compiled from over 7 billion wedding searches and 16.7 billion ideas saved globally, see the complete list of trends sending betrothed couples broke below.
How many do you recognise?
Do You Even Speak Internet? Shallow Social Media Glossary
I’m hoping for William Shakespeare’s sake the wifi is sub-par in the afterlife.
Widely considered the greatest writer of the English language, it’s up for debate what he might make of how his native tongue has evolved.
Let’s hope for all parties he’s too busy journalling with a parchment and quill.
Every generation births its own slang, labels and phrases, but social media has spawned an entirely new language that has bulldozed its way into everyday life.
Words that no longer mean what they used to, nonsensical phrases and ever-changing archetypes that come out of nowhere. Michael Jackson had fewer transformations than half of the TikTok community!
On Monday you might be a slick-bunned ‘Matcha Girly’ or ‘Pilates Princess,’ but by Sunday you better tip that green slime down the drain and embrace the chaos of being a ‘Messy Girl.’
“Grandma, you ate!” is the kind of phrase that’s sent panic through dinner tables around the world, as family members rush over to check that Granny hasn’t choked on her pan-fried asparagus – only to discover these are words of high praise coming from her 24-year-old granddaughter.
I’ve put together a little guide to some of these labels and phrases so we can all become fluent together. Consider this your modern Rosetta Stone, Shakespeare you’re welcome!
Somehow, even at 34 I’m considered a “girly” in the eyes of some people — which I should probably be grateful for, but all I can think about when I hear the word is The Saddle Club, a ‘90s Olsen Twins movie, Taylor Swift and fifteen-year-olds en masse at MECCA.
“Girly” can be tacked onto almost anything to make it feel on-trend and it’s become so popular it birthed its own subtypes: the Clean Girl, Hot Girl Summer, Hot Girl Walk.
I can’t keep up, us girlies need a rest.
Swipe through Instagram and you’re bound to stumble across a beautifully edited carousel featuring a collage of clothes and accessories deemed “fashion girl picks.”
Or maybe reading a think piece detailing “fashion girl approved brands” is more your thing. I don’t even need to click to know there will be mentions of The Row, Totême, Khaite and Phoebe Philo, with a dose of Uniqlo and COS thrown in for good measure.
I’ve also heard versions of this phrase referred to as “fashion people” or “fashion insider.” I would love to hear from anyone in the industry to help quantify what exactly makes someone a fashion girl, person or insider…
How many items from The Row does one have to max out on a credit card before getting accepted?
Typically reserved for Instagram Stories uploaded by someone third-wheeling with a couple they’re close to.
When you see these words make it out of Stories and onto the feed, it’s almost always because a mid-30s couple who are new parents are out for their first breath of fresh air since the baby arrived.
Look for a stiff drink in the foreground and comments that say “much deserved.”
Side Note: Can we please drop the American spelling for those of us who are not American? Nothing stranger than watching Stacy from Gosford’s IG Story at the local pub captioned “MOM and Dad’s Night Out.”
We can blame the trad wife movement for popularising this one.
You’ll know a “Wifey” when you see one. The wedding content is everywhere – multiple feed appearances, its own highlights reel, account profile picture and a pinned post at the top.
“My bestie is a wifey!” screams the maid of honour’s caption from her own wedding reel.
Look, weddings are expensive and I understand the need to get mileage from the investment, but when you start referring to yourself in third person in mundane daily content such as “Wifey’s attempt at dinner tonight,” it’s time to retire it.
Yes, the “cool girl” archetype has been around forever. But this current iteration has nothing to do with relationships and everything to do with image – which is ironic, because nothing is less cool than trying this hard to appear effortless.
There are cool-girl approved beauty products, hen’s parties, birthday dinners, holiday outfits and hairstyles. You can save money the cool girl approved way, date like a cool girl.
Surely it won’t be long until there’s a cool girl approved way to unclog a blocked drain!
I know I should find this one the most cringe — and I do — but I have a soft spot for “icon.”
Mainly because it’s so ridiculous. In the real world, you generally have to be a deceased celebrity, legendary performer or cultural giant to be considered iconic.
On social media however, you can literally post a mirror selfie in good lighting in the McDonald's bathroom and suddenly you’re an “ICON!!!” accompanied by multiple fire emojis.
The term is usually deployed genuinely: to celebrate someone looking hot, posting a good outfit photo or successfully uploading a reel to TikTok.
This one can stick around.
An edit of beautiful, unnecessary, probably overpriced things you don’t need… but will want
I don’t have any personality traits during winter other than complaining it’s not cold enough, complaining the season is too short and complaining my skin doesn’t suit cold climates. Other than that, I’m in my element.
Here’s what is currently the apple of my eye.
You can’t go wrong with a bomber jacket, especially one that comes in at the bargain price of $75.
Flattering cut and colour, I bought mine in khaki.
Nagnata Organic Romeo Track Pants
Sweatpants that don’t make you look like you belong in the VIP lounge at the Jetstar terminal in Seminyak are hard to find. These are the answer.
They’re also made from 72% GOTS-certified organic cotton, so they’re less littered with microplastics than a lot of activewear…something I’m more conscious of than ever.
ILIA Beauty Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon
Great texture and pop of colour. I bought Banquette, which is a beautiful blush pink, but it's a little light for my translucent skin tone. Next time I’ll try Genre.
Hot Mat Pilates
Like every second person on the planet, my love for pilates has grown exponentially over the past year, becoming a full-blown obsession. My favourite version is a heated mat class that takes place in an infrared-heated room set to 34 degrees.
Show me a better way to start a cold day.
What are your thoughts on this week’s (skin) deep dives? Leave me a comment below!
Enlightening and witty as always, great issue! 👌
Yeah the girlies!!!