Photo by Austin Gros
Planning a wedding can seem like a daunting task with various to-dos and checklists that feel never-ending. It can be difficult to even know where to begin! So before you start making deposits and signing vendor contracts, you'll need a blueprint that illustrates exactly what your dream wedding looks like, from the color palette and stationery to the send-off ceremony and everything in between. Simply put, you'll need a wedding vision board.
In general, a wedding vision board is a visual representation of what you want your big day to look like. It can help you tap into your creativity and clarify your ideas, making the entire planning process more enjoyable and stress-free. “A vision board should be one of the first things you do,” says wedding planner Aubrey Silva. “It goes hand in hand with establishing a wedding budget.”
Meet the Expert
With more than 15 years of wedding planning experience in Northern California, Aubrey Silva is the co-founder of Curated by Grace + White. She is also the co-owner of the bridal boutique Grace + White, located in Sacramento, CA.
Ready to get those creative juices flowing? Below, here’s everything you need to know about creating your very own wedding vision board.
What Is a Wedding Vision Board?
“A wedding vision board is a board that allows all of your ideas to be put into one place,” explains Silva. “This is a reference for how you would like your wedding to look. It will keep everything cohesive and keep you and your planner on the same page.”
In terms of specifics, it should include a collection of images, colors, textures, and décor that you and your planner (if you have one) can use as inspiration for your big day. Without a wedding vision board, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of what you want, so opting to create one is a great idea for every type of bride.
If you do decide to have a wedding planner, there’s a good chance they might ask you to create a wedding vision board as one of the first things you do together. Plus, vision boards are an essential tool for wedding planners, especially if budget is a concern.
How to Create a Wedding Vision Board
In the past, brides would often take a pair of scissors to bridal magazines to find images for their vision board. Today’s brides, however, rely on social media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok for their wedding inspiration.
“We start in Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok; whatever social media platform our clients have been saving their inspiration on,” Silva says. “We then narrow it down to our favorite images and then move this into a design presentation that we have in Canva. This is a part of our wedding production plan.”
If you’re not working with a wedding planner, though, you can easily put a vision board together on your own. To get started, take screenshots of things that inspire you, including color schemes, floral arrangements, venue styles, food, and everything in between. Upload those images to a platform like Pinterest or Canva so you can see how everything looks together. Then, once all your inspiration images are in one place, decide whether or not you have multiple styles or ideas that compete or clash with the others on the board. Play around with your vision board, cutting some images and adding new ones until it reflects a cohesive theme that perfectly encapsulates your dream wedding.
What to Include in a Wedding Vision Board
Since wedding vision boards are designed to ignite your creativity and communicate an overall vibe, include anything that you could imagine seeing or having at your own nuptials, whether that’s fashion, décor, food, drinks, dress code, wedding party attire, and more. “Don’t be shy when building the vision board,” says Silva. “Include things that inspire you or a conversation that you want to have with your planner, like bridal fashion [items], bouquets, centerpieces, dessert, special food items, reception images, and signature drinks.”
Once you feel like your wedding vision board is an accurate representation of what you want your celebration to look like, feel free to share it with your wedding vendors to help make sure everyone is on the same page. That being said, your vision board is not set in stone and should continue to evolve as you get further along the planning process. As your day-of vision becomes more clear, keep updating your vision board with new images and inspiration and removing ideas that no longer resonate. “Always remember, the vision can be updated, edited, and evolve throughout the planning process,” adds Silva. “You aren’t married to the first vision!”
Finally, the most important thing is to stay true to your authentic style. Your wedding vision board should feel like it could be hung up on a wall in your home because of how well it fits your unique personality, both individually and as a couple. “Make it true to who you are as a couple and your likes,” says Silva. “Don’t get too caught up in trends and try to include something in your wedding that isn’t fitting because it is popular.”
