by Chantel Valentene

Moodboards are the foundation of your wedding. They are the map you will go back to when your Mother-In-Law is asking to wear burgundy on the big day, when you explicitly planned for shades of champagne. Whenever I begin any project, I always start by compiling photos into a clean and cohesive moodboard. I recommend Pinterest, because it’s the best online filing cabinet for ideas. But if you have a better method please use it. Other options are Canva or Milanote. Make sure the final product is on the computer, because you’ll need to share.

Start by pulling together photos that make you swoon! You know when Marie Kondo asks “Does it spark joy?” It’s the feeling you get when your heart is wishing you could step into the photo, but your brain it saying that s!%* is unaffordable. Pin it anyway.

How to make a wedding moodboard?

1.     Visual Brainstorm. Let the process be organic.

Just because your favorite color is red doesn’t mean your big day has to have red splashed everywhere for you to be in love with the outcome. Avoid tying yourself to specific colors and ideas and be open to photos sparks joy.

2.     Gather. Choose a few top directions & gather imagery.

It’s ok to fantasize at this point. If you need, pick two or three separate directions and put them each into their own folder. Examples would be Casual Garden Party, Bohemian, Great Gatsby, Tropical, Romantic etc. Collect inspiring photos IRL and from around the web. Don’t just get stuck in the computer. If you see something while you are at a restaurant or party, take a picture and add it to your collection.

3.     Curate. Review and simplify your board.

·       At this point you should have more than enough material in your folders. You’ll notice that you may have started to gravitate to one idea over the others. When you pick one, start removing pictures that aren’t cohesive. You want to keep together the photos that work in harmony. A cohesive color palette is the easiest way to start this process, so discard anything that clashes. If there is an element you just have to have but it’s in another folder, add it. It might not fit perfectly but it’s your day.

Make sure that your partner is involved in the process. Remember you aren’t marring yourself.

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Chantel