Creating A Wedding Theme Board: A Step-By-Step Guide

A wedding theme board is a crucial part of planning a memorable wedding. It is a carefully curated collection of photos that convey the look and feel you hope to create through your wedding design. It can be designed on platforms like Pinterest, Photoshop, or Canva. Creating a wedding theme board helps you evaluate colour choices and floral arrangements, and nail down the overall vibe of your ceremony. It is also an essential tool for achieving the perfect wedding aesthetic and keeping track of your wedding ideas.

Define the style and theme

Before you start putting together your wedding theme board, it's important to define the style and theme of your wedding. This will be the overarching idea that ties every aspect of your celebration together, from the invitations to the cake, setting the tone for your nuptials and creating a specific visual and emotional experience for you and your guests.

The first step in defining the style and theme of your wedding is to discuss your wedding dreams with your partner. Set aside some time to talk about your vision and non-negotiables, and make sure you have a pen and paper handy to jot down your ideas. Here are some questions to get you started:

• What do we enjoy doing together as a couple? Are we laid-back, or do we enjoy being the life of the party—or both?
• Where has been our favourite vacation, date, or place to spend time together? How did that location make us feel?
• What season makes sense for our wedding? Does the season impact the mood of the day?
• What type of wedding do we not want? What are the things that don't feel like "us"?

Come up with a list of words to describe your wedding vibe, such as intimate, adventurous, carefree, nostalgic, silly, cheerful, cozy, laid-back, romantic, wild, vivacious, or warm.

Once you have a general idea of the style and theme you want for your wedding, it's time to start exploring specific themes. A wedding theme is a visual concept that anchors your wedding design and guides the overall design direction of the big day, from colours and motifs to flowers and food. It's important to think of themes in terms of aesthetics and how this will determine the rest of your choices, from decorations to details.

There are many different wedding themes to choose from, and you can also create your own to make your wedding unique and personalised. Here are some popular ideas to get you started:

• Bohemian: A bohemian wedding theme is carefree and natural, often featuring an outdoor setting with twinkling lights and decorations made from wildflowers or dried grasses.
• Rustic: This theme is a classic country look that features burlap, handcrafted decorations, and a warm colour palette of browns, reds, and oranges.
• Garden Party: A garden party theme is an elevated take on the boho theme, featuring formal dinner service set amongst lush foliage, hanging chandeliers, and charming floral decor.
• Vintage/Retro: A vintage or retro wedding blends past and present, combining fun retro touches with modern trends such as neon signs or woodgrain table settings.
• Beachside Chic: This theme is perfect for those looking to host their celebration by the sea, focusing on light colours and airy textures like driftwood accents and natural fibres like linen or rattan.
• Winter Wonderland: A winter wonderland theme creates a festive atmosphere full of sparkling lights and snowflakes, perfect for cosy winter gatherings.

When choosing a theme, it's important to reflect your and your partner's style and personalities. If you're having an intimate gathering, look for ideas that reflect the personalities and interests of your guests to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Choose a Venue

After you've defined the style and theme of your wedding, it's time to start thinking about the venue. Here are some things to consider when compiling venue options on your wedding mood board:

• Size and Space: Make sure the venue has enough space for your expected guests and any entertainment or activities you have planned.
• Location: Decide if you want your wedding to be indoors or outdoors and whether landscapes are important to you. If you're dreaming of a beach or mountain wedding, be sure to include imagery of that location on your mood board.
• Amenities and Services: Check if the venue provides enough support staff and includes tables, chairs, linens, etc. in the rental package. If there are certain amenities that are important to you, be sure to include them on your wedding mood board.

Collect and organise inspiration

Once you have a rough idea of your wedding vision, it's time to start collecting and organising inspiration. This is where the fun begins!

Step One: Create a Pinterest Board

If you don't already have one, now is the time to create a Pinterest account and start pinning images to your wedding inspiration board. Feel free to keep your existing board, but it's a good idea to start a new one with fresh pins that align with your current vision. At this stage, don't worry too much about sticking to a specific theme or colour scheme. Pin anything that speaks to you, even if it doesn't perfectly match your initial ideas. Think outside the box and look beyond wedding-related images – nature, fashion, architecture, and interior design can all be great sources of inspiration.

Step Two: Look for Trends

Once you've pinned a large number of images, take a step back and look for common themes. Are you repeatedly pinning images with a certain colour scheme, or a particular aesthetic, such as ultra-modern or rustic? Do you keep coming back to the same flower, venue style, or design element? This will help you identify the overall style and mood you want to create.

Step Three: Choose Your Images

Now it's time to be more selective. Choose 15-20 images that really stand out to you and that fit with the trends you've identified. Try to pick a variety of photos, rather than focusing on just one aspect of your wedding, like flowers or attire. You can then narrow these down further to 6-10 images that complement each other and work well together. These will be the final photos that you use to create your mood board.

Step Four: Add Colour and Fonts

Choosing the right colours can have a big impact on how people remember your wedding, so it's worth putting some thought into your colour palette. Consider the mood and tone you want to create, and don't be afraid to choose multiple shades of the same colour to add visual interest and prevent things from looking too 'matchy-matchy'. You can also add fonts that reflect the style and atmosphere you want to convey, whether it's formal, vintage, rustic, or modern.

Step Five: Keep it Flexible

Remember, your wedding planning process is likely to evolve, and you may come across new ideas or trends along the way. Don't be afraid to update your mood board as your vision develops – it should be a living, breathing document that reflects your current ideas and inspirations.

Choose a format

There are several formats you can choose from when creating a wedding theme board. The most popular options are listed below:

Pinterest

Pinterest is a great tool for gathering ideas and streamlining your vision. Many couples use it to find ideas for their decor and looks, and to create mood boards that bring their vision to life. It's also a handy way to show suppliers what you have in mind. You can create a board and start pinning images that inspire you, whether they are of wedding dresses, floral arrangements, or table settings. You can also use Pinterest to search for specific themes, such as "rustic wedding" or "boho wedding".

Instagram Saved Folders

Instagram saved folders are another handy way to save ideas. To save a post, tap the tag/ribbon icon below it. To save an image into a private folder, tap and hold the tag/ribbon icon and select an existing collection or create a new one. However, this feature is not ideal for sharing lots of images with your suppliers, as the collections are private. You would need to screengrab or use the paper plane icon to share via DM.

Digital Wedding Mood Board

There are several sites and apps that offer digital mood board templates, such as Canva, Adobe Spark, PicMonkey by Shutterstock, Milanote, and Fotor. These tools allow you to create a digital collage and choose from various design options. Some even offer the ability to add colours and fonts to enhance your board. Once you're happy with your digital board, you can easily share it with your wedding team and suppliers.

Traditional Mood Board

If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can create a traditional, physical mood board. Print off images from the internet, magazines, or books, and cut out elements that inspire you, such as textured paper or silk ribbons. Then, grab a large bulletin board or foam board and start pinning, gluing, or taping your images and elements onto it. This format allows you to play around with your ideas and see them side by side, helping you visualise your wedding day.

Gather visuals

Gathering visuals for your wedding theme board is an important step in the process. This is where you get to be creative and have fun!

Start by creating a collection of images that reflect the look and feel of your dream wedding. Look for photos that capture the right colour scheme, overall theme, preferred venue details, and dress style. You can use images from Pinterest, Instagram, or your phone's photo library. Don't be afraid to think outside the box and look beyond wedding-related images. Nature, fashion, architecture, and interior design can all be great sources of inspiration.

If you're having a hard time finding inspiration, try stepping away from the screen. Browse through design and style books, magazines, or check out stylish local hangouts like boutiques, museums, and cocktail bars. Collect textured elements like a restaurant's matchbook or silk ribbon from gift wrapping. These tactile elements will add depth to your theme board.

Once you've gathered a variety of images, it's time to review and edit. Look for a common theme or colour scheme among the images you've chosen. Select 10-20 images that truly speak to you and that portray the look and feel you want. Make sure to include a variety of photos, such as venue details, dress styles, place settings, cake designs, and decor.

Now, arrange your visuals into categories such as shapes, textures, and colours, and fit them together like a jigsaw to create a complete picture of your desired look and feel. Don't be afraid to move elements around until you're happy with the overall composition.

Remember, your wedding theme board should be a reflection of your dream day, so take your time and let your creativity flow!

Share your board

Now that you've created your wedding mood board, it's time to share it with the world (or at least your wedding team). Here are some tips on how to do that:

Share with your vendors

Your wedding mood board is a great tool to communicate your vision to your vendors and keep everyone working towards a cohesive look and feel. Bring a printed copy or have a digital version ready to share at vendor meetings. This will help them understand your desired style, colours, and overall aesthetic without having to explain it verbally. It will also prevent them from constantly reaching out with questions, making the planning process smoother.

Share with your partner

Creating a wedding mood board is a fun activity to do with your partner. It allows both of you to explore your relationship, discuss your dreams, and determine your non-negotiables. This process ensures that your wedding day reflects both of your personalities and styles.

Share with your wedding party

If you have a wedding party, sharing your mood board with them can get them excited about the upcoming celebration. It can help them understand the overall vision and their role in making your dream wedding a reality. They may also be able to provide helpful suggestions or connections to make your day even more special.

Share on social media

If you're feeling creative, you can share your wedding mood board on social media platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Not only will it showcase your aesthetic taste, but it can also be a fun way to count down to your big day. You can even make it into a series of posts, revealing different aspects of the wedding, like the theme, colours, or decor. Don't forget to use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience!

Share with your guests

Lastly, consider sharing your wedding mood board with your guests, especially if you have a wedding website or blog. This can build excitement among your guests and give them a sneak peek into what they can expect on your special day. It can also be a fun way to involve them in the planning process and make them feel part of the celebration from the very beginning.

Frequently asked questions