Is this lame/pathetic of me?

As you can imagine I'm very proud of my wedding theme - and I give my sister HUGE credit for all that she did.

I put my review up there to help and inspire other brides...but now it's starting to worry me.

As expected, I had alot of brides FMing me asking me how I did such and such- and I posted a whole bunch of things there to help them, such as getting in touch with Bob Sheppard and whatnot. Which I'm totally cool about.

But a couple random people have contacted me - not LIW users from what I can tell - asking to use my sister's designs for table numbers/placecards. One girl did get in touch with my sister and my sister just re-personalized the table numbers for her and added players/removed players. Fine. Then another girl contacted me.

I'm starting to think, um, can people be original here? And what worries me is, what if this catches on somehow and my sister does not get the credit she deserves?

Am I lame here? Part of me feels like removing my review! But that makes me so sad.

Or maybe I'm just so egotistical that I want this wedding theme to be original to MY wedding and no one elses!

Call it like you see it ladies, I can take it. I just wonder if I'd be alone in feeling like this if this happened to any of you.

Thanks for listening!

i would feel both ways about it

in one sense..maybe your sister can use this as a new business making all the little details for other peoples weddings and trying to creativley steer them away from your exact ideas and myabe help them me up with new ones one their own

but id be flattered too

no matter how much someone may want to duplicate your wedding...it could never be the same and will always be yours

i had a lot of girls ask me about my cake saying they wanted the exact same thing and even a few brides are now wearing sneakers cause they saw me wear them all day and changing to candles instead of flower centerpieces and things like that

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Posted by failurebydsign

i would feel both ways about it

in one sense..maybe your sister can use this as a new business making all the little details for other peoples weddings and trying to creativley steer them away from your exact ideas and myabe help them me up with new ones one their own

but id be flattered too

no matter how much someone may want to duplicate your wedding...it could never be the same and will always be yours

i had a lot of girls ask me about my cake saying they wanted the exact same thing and even a few brides are now wearing sneakers cause they saw me wear them all day and changing to candles instead of flower centerpieces and things like that

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oh yes it's definitely flattering!! I guess it's my inner Leo coming out! But for my sister to get into this as a business- it really isn't worth it financially for her.

oh I don't mind people using little aspects of my day - PreshusSmurf (Jess) got the idea of multiple garters from me...hell, take my sneakers, veil, color scheme - whatever!

but to directly copy two major designs of my wedding...I dunno. It rubs me the wrong way I guess.

I think its foul (pardon the pun)... Only because they're asking you/your sister to re-personalize them, I think that's over the top!!!!!
If your sis was 'in the business' so to speak she could copywrite her ideas and legally no one could use them with impugnity, but just by sharing ideas withouot any disclaimers, they can be re-used with no penalty...

I think posting anything original opens you up to that though, on the one had so many girls send kudos for the originality factor, but the downside is others will steal the idea wholesale (as opposed to say ,being 'inspired' by someone's play on a theme....

If you're ok with sharing your great theme, I'd say leave the review up, I think a lot of baseball brides would thoroughly enjoy it!!! But if you're uncomfortable with someone swiping your ideas, maybe you can just mention what you did rather than including all the photos???

haha...i have people 'ripping off' my ideas and designs all the time....but that's fine...cause i still had my personalized wedding...of course it would be nice to get paid for my designs since it's what i do for a living...remember imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! And suing for copyright infringement is the best revenge!

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Posted by HamptonsBride

haha...i have people 'ripping off' my ideas and designs all the time....but that's fine...cause i still had my personalized wedding...of course it would be nice to get paid for my designs since it's what i do for a living...remember imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! And suing for copyright infringement is the best revenge!

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said best (edited because i was half out of it when posted)

Think about it this way-imitation is the best form of flattery.

You will always be the groundbreaker. Everyone else are imposters!

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Posted by Mich0621

Think about it this way-imitation is the best form of flattery.

You will always be the groundbreaker. Everyone else are imposters!

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aw thanks Michelle.

Nah you guys just confirmed it- I am lame! I'll get over it! It's what I needed!

I dont know, I think I would feel the same way as you-those are your ideas and I know you spend alot of time on them...so I think I would feel the same way.

BUT at the same time I loved your ideas and I would be completely flattered if someone wanted to use it

I totally relied on some of you girls for concepts and ideas ....

If it wasn't for Tara (GettinHutched), I never would have thought of surprising my hubby with multiple sports themed garters!

And if it wasn't for Peggie (PegaLega) I never would have thought of wearing those Sketchers (I wore them all day, until it was time for the reception).

Also, I got the idea for my egg-shaped Hotel Brunch invites from a an 05er, csorisi.

I think that is the beauty of this site ... to take bits and pieces of ideas from other girls to help create your vision for the day.

But I can say that I know how you feel about wanting your wedding to be uniquely yours ... and having 'copycats' who want to emulate your day, make it feel just a touch less 'different' or 'special' (or something .... I don't think I'm finding the right word).

I have received FMs from people asking for step by step exact instructions on how to do something ... all the way down to someone who asked me for the exact measurements for things.

I guess I posted my pictures and my review with the hopes of other brides being 'inspired' .... not to be 'copied' if that makes sense?!

No, it's understandable. But it's the risk undertaken when posting info on a public site and there's no copyright in place.

BTW, your sister is really nice for re-doing what she did for your wedding for a stranger for free.

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Posted by PreshusSmurf

I totally relied on some of you girls for concepts and ideas ....

If it wasn't for Tara (GettinHutched), I never would have thought of surprising my hubby with multiple sports themed garters!

And if it wasn't for Peggie (PegaLega) I never would have thought of wearing those Sketchers (I wore them all day, until it was time for the reception).

Also, I got the idea for my egg-shaped Hotel Brunch invites from a an 05er, csorisi.

I think that is the beauty of this site ... to take bits and pieces of ideas from other girls to help create your vision for the day.

But I can say that I know how you feel about wanting your wedding to be uniquely yours ... and having 'copycats' who want to emulate your day, make it feel just a touch less 'different' or 'special' (or something .... I don't think I'm finding the right word).

I have received FMs from people asking for step by step exact instructions on how to do something ... all the way down to someone who asked me for the exact measurements for things.

I guess I posted my pictures and my review with the hopes of other brides being 'inspired' .... not to be 'copied' if that makes sense?!

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Exactly - INSPIRE not COPY. I'm glad I inspired some, but I never would have expected anyone to want to take my sister's actual designs. That kinda rubs me the wrong way...yet it is flattering.

Thanks everyone for your support! It was hard for me to admit this and post it on this site...and I still feel kinda guilty about having these feelings. But I'm glad many of you understand!

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Posted by Espo22

I understand how you feel. I have to tell you its funny you say that because i showed FH your wedding pics, knew he'd get a kick out of it since he is a die hard yankee fan. He turned to me and said 'OMG lets do everything exactly the same, the placecards, table numbers and all that' lol its weird though bc as soon as he said that i just though NO its all her own ideas i dont want to take away from it. Now we all copy things, such as color schemes and other ideas but you had alot of original ideas and that i couldn't steal. I dont know why i see a difference but I do.

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I appreciate that!

And as BoxofRocks said, yes I do set myself up for this with posting it all over this site. I still struggle with the idea of keeping it up or not...not that I'm so possessive of my ideas...but I'm starting to realize how much INFO I put out there...and all the pictures not just of my theme but my family....and how far reaching it goes...so many people see it. It's starting to creep me out! This is really hitting home all of a sudden.

Thing is, I know if you google a yankee theme wedding, the first thing that comes up is my knot contest entry...oh well. Whatever!

I understand how you feel Tara. we all wnat our weddings to be unique because we do spend time on them. My weddign was fortunately 'too modern' for most brides -grins- so most of my aspects are not copied but people so ask me all the time for step by step photoshop stuff and my actions for my albums and stuff like that and unless its something that can be found on a website, I do not like handing out all that info because they're my ideas, my colors and techniques etc and thats my side job.

Yet people will ask em for in detail steps and I do get kinda 'protective' over it so I understand your hesitancy with your Yankee theme. before your wedding I'd never seen that before.

I would say if they want to use aspects just let it go unless you're willing to remove your review. BUT they should not be involving your sis unless she is getting paid and her work is copyrighted.

here's the thing (and I kNOW you're not going to take offense to it as you know how much I adore you and would never say anything to hurt you)

You're not the first person to have a yankee- themed wedding. (or any baseball themed for that matter)

You just may be the first on this site within the last few years... Or the first that many of US have seen...

There will ALWAYS be imitation, addition to imitation, different versions..

Art imitates art in every aspect.

Be proud that you & your sister rocked it. You've inspired a lot of people, and I think in the long run, it's a better thing to be someone's inspiration than getting credit for a unique idea.

i have to admit was is really annoying is people asking can you take this 'item you designed' and add fh and my name and change the date and send it to me.

WHAT? Oh yea sure i will do that for free right away. I have no issue with a slight dup on your own time/money but don't ask me to just give you something with out compensation. I will give you directions on how to do it but don't push it.

I also love how people can trash your work after you tell them you won't do something for them. Oh you stole that or Oh if you design for a living why didn't you do it with swashes all over and raised print and diamonds, etc. Makes me giggle - yea i want sparkles all over my stuff its so me IoI

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Posted by carolinep24

here's the thing (and I kNOW you're not going to take offense to it as you know how much I adore you and would never say anything to hurt you)

You're not the first person to have a yankee- themed wedding. (or any baseball themed for that matter)

You just may be the first on this site within the last few years... Or the first that many of US have seen...

There will ALWAYS be imitation, addition to imitation, different versions..

Art imitates art in every aspect.

Be proud that you & your sister rocked it. You've inspired a lot of people, and I think in the long run, it's a better thing to be someone's inspiration than getting credit for a unique idea.

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oh it's not about being the first to do the yankee theme- I got the idea from others! I had googled it like crazy and hardly found anything- I even found out about the Bob Sheppard thing on LIW!

It's about people wanting my sisters EXACT designs, that's all. I just wanted to inspire, not for people to directly copy. Does that makes sense?

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Posted by GettinHutched

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Posted by carolinep24

here's the thing (and I kNOW you're not going to take offense to it as you know how much I adore you and would never say anything to hurt you)

You're not the first person to have a yankee- themed wedding. (or any baseball themed for that matter)

You just may be the first on this site within the last few years... Or the first that many of US have seen...

There will ALWAYS be imitation, addition to imitation, different versions..

Art imitates art in every aspect.

Be proud that you & your sister rocked it. You've inspired a lot of people, and I think in the long run, it's a better thing to be someone's inspiration than getting credit for a unique idea.

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oh it's not about being the first to do the yankee theme- I got the idea from others! I had googled it like crazy and hardly found anything- I even found out about the Bob Sheppard thing on LIW!

It's about people wanting my sisters EXACT designs, that's all. I just wanted to inspire, not for people to directly copy. Does that makes sense?

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perfect sense.