Why you need a wedding mood board + how to create one

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Let’s be honest for a second: the wedding world is an absolute rabbit hole of dreamy Pinterest boards, styled shoots, and TikToks claiming this is the year’s must-have color palette (spoiler alert: it was peach fuzz last year, mocha mousse this year, and next year? Who knows, probably terracotta again). If you’re finding yourself with 72 saved Instagram posts, 9 Pinterest boards with vague titles like “Romantic-ish Inspo” and “Backup Ideas,” and the overwhelming urge to plan a moody vineyard wedding and a boho desert elopement at the same time… you’re not alone.

That’s where wedding mood boards come in like the fairy godmother of organization. These handy little tools act as a visual compass, grounding your ideas and helping you identify what you actually love versus what’s just trendy right now. Mood boards are essential for keeping your planning streamlined, your budget focused, and your vendor team (hi, that’s us) all on the same page.

Think of a mood board as your wedding’s North Star. It helps you cut through the noise and spot the common threads: whether it’s a specific color story, vibe, or overall aesthetic. It’s where your vision starts to come alive outside your head, making it easier to communicate with florists, designers, and even your partner who still thinks “boho” is a kind of sandwich.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to build both tangible and digital mood boards (depending on whether you love the feel of fabrics in your hands or prefer drag-and-drop vibes in Canva), share my favorite tools, and drop a few pro-tips to make sure your board works for you and not just become another thing on your to-do list.

Let’s dive in and turn that scattered inspiration into a wedding plan you’re actually excited about.

The Tangible Wedding Mood Board

Tangible wedding mood boards are an absolute favorite when it comes to planning big projects (like your wedding!) so it’s no surprise I put this idea first. It’s so much easier to get a real feel for your wedding plans when you can touch and feel the actual pieces you’re using to complete your vision. The tangible wedding mood board allows you to play with colors and textures, without the commitment if you decide you actually prefer that grey velvet ribbon over the dark green satin one.

Creating your tangible board – Step One

Creating your tangible board is EASY and only requires a few stops. While some couples prefer to use a Dollar Store tri-fold board (like the ones we used in school for presentations), I recommend swinging past your local Target or placing an order through Amazon for a nice cork bulletin board instead. The tri-fold may be easier to store, but you can reuse the bulletin board when you’re done. Plus who can resist a new pack of pretty push pins when starting a project?

While you’re at Target, swing through the book/magazine department and snag a bridal mag or two (If you can find The Knot Magazine, it’s one of my favorites). While I’m not a fan of them for any long term wedding plans, they are great for starting inspiration. Don’t worry about reading them (the advice isn’t always the most realistic) because you’re going to cut them up. So scan through and pick the one that stands out the most photo wise.

Tangible Board – Step Two

Your second stop should be the paint department at the hardware store. You want to find one of those big displays with ALL the paint colors under the sun. My favorite place is Home Depot, mostly because they leave me alone when I’m browsing paint samples, haha! Take your time and select your favorite 3-4 colors, then pick 3-4 complimentary colors and take all of your swatches with you.

Next head to the tile and hardware departments. Make notes of the items that speak to you, colors, finishes (aka. Gold/Bronze/Silver) and textures. You might want to set aside a small budget for this ($20-40) in case you find something that really strikes your fancy and you want to purchase a sample for your board. Snag a few photos that you can print at home or at a local 1 hour photo like Walmart.

Tangible Board – Step Three

The third step in creating a tangible mood board is to swing past your local craft store. You’ll want to use one that has ribbons and fabric (This is my favorite ribbon on Amazon) so you can snag some swatches of both. If your Walmart has a 1 hour photo kiosk, now is a good time to print photos of your venue (if you have one) as well as anything you took photos of at the hardware store.

Tangible Board – Step Four

Now is the fun part, playing with your fabulous finds! Sit down with your favorite cup of coffee or tea and grab those scissors. Start cutting out photos that speak to you from the bridal magazine you purchased. Divide your board into 3-4 sections (to play with different color schemes or themes), and start literally pinning your images, color swatches and ribbons/fabrics to the board. When you’re done adjusting, snap a photo with your phone (place the board next to an open window for the best lighting!) and send it off to your planning crew. It will also help you to refer back when you’re shopping for wedding goodies.

The Digital Wedding Mood Board

The Digital wedding mood board is a much simpler process and for those who prefer minimalistic or a bit more eco friendly planning technique. While it is entirely possible to create your digital wedding mood board on your phone, I highly recommend using an actual computer for this process.

Digital Mood Board – Step One

First things first, you’re going to need a Pinterest account and a design program (if you’re a powerpoint expert, more power to you! I most definitely am NOT wonderful at powerpoint and prefer a web based program like Canva <-my referral link if you need it!).

Digital Mood Board – Step Two

Once you’ve created/logged into both accounts, start a Pinterest board of everything that inspires your wedding dreams! When you come across something you absolutely have to have, download that image and then drop it into your digital mood board. Once you feel you have enough images in your design, head to step three!

Digital Mood Board – Step Three

Now’s when you’ll rearrange, resize and organize your images. Once the board is to your liking, download it to your phone and send it off to your planning crew! You can also choose to have it printed and make it a tangible board that way.

Wedding Mood Board Final Tips

Whether you’re the kind of bride who geeks out over magazine cutouts and ribbon samples (me. it’s me.) or a modern minimalist who lives in Canva, having a mood board is seriously one of the best ways to clarify your vision and confidently make design decisions. You don’t have to be a graphic designer or craft store regular, just someone who wants to feel grounded and excited instead of overwhelmed by #weddinginspo overload.

Before I send you off to start your own board, here are a few extra tips to keep things flowing and frustration-free:
Set a “decision deadline.” Once your mood board feels 80-90% true to your vision, hit pause. It’s easy to keep tweaking forever, but at some point, you’ve got to commit so the planning can actually start.
Match your board to your priorities. Are florals your thing? Make sure your floral inspo is strong. More into fashion? Focus on attire and accessories. Let your mood board reflect your unique focus.
Update it as your decisions are made. Swap out the inspo images for your actual choices (your real cake topper > a screenshot of someone else’s). That way your board grows with your planning instead of becoming outdated.
Print a mini version for your wedding binder. Especially if you’re DIYing, this helps so much when you’re shopping or working with friends and fam helping coordinate.

At the end of the day, your mood board is a visual love letter to your dream wedding. It doesn’t have to be fancy or perfect—it just has to feel like you.

Happy mood-boarding, friend! And if you ever want a second set of eyes on your vision or need help making it all come to life (especially in photo or video form!), you know where to find us. 😉

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