How to Make a Killer Wedding Mood Board

Wedding editor confession: I don't have a Pinterest wedding mood board that I've been slowly curating (and culling) since I was 13. But for lovebirds fresh off a proposal, it's essential to assemble a wedding mood board before you begin any other planning tasks to figure out exactly what you do and *don't* like. Nailing the right look and energy for your nuptials is key to defining the wedding you want (so is our Style Quiz, BTW), and there's truly no better way to make a game plan than to craft a collage of interesting elements and vibey visuals that you can refer back to as you plan and share with your vendors. (Trust us, they'll appreciate it.)

Whether you plan to go with a digital wedding vision board or kick it old school with a poster board, scissors, glue and the latest issue of The Knot Magazine (which is full of inspiration and practical ideas to get your creative wheels turning), assembling an aesthetic "getting married" vision board is so worth it. After you've pulled your ideas together, look for wedding vendors on The Knot Vendor Marketplace that match your desired aesthetic.

In this article: Definition | Where to Make One | How to Make One | What to Include | Wedding Mood Board Ideas | Wedding Mood Board Examples

What's a Wedding Vision Board or Wedding Mood Board?

A vision board for a wedding is a collaged collection of wedding-related photos that depict elements, aesthetic touches and details that you'd like to replicate (or come close to replicating) at your own nuptials. A mood board for a wedding, on the other hand, might combine inspirational images that aren't necessarily wedding related, but emulate the mood or wedding vibe that you're seeking to capture for your wedding. Do note that the terms vision board and mood board are somewhat used interchangeably, especially in the case of wedding photo boards, so you could combine the two definitions. For example, you could include images of tangible wedding details as well as quotes, close ups of textures, architectural details and so on.

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Wedding inspo boards are great tools to consult as you figure out how to plan a wedding, since you can see how the details that you're drawn to work together and note if a common thread emerges. Plus, you can gather visual examples of all of your ideas in one place and then narrow them down to what really resonates. When you put all of your ideas side-by-side, it's easier to distinguish what works together and what doesn't, which will help the rest of your decisions fall into place.

Wedding inspiration boards are also super helpful when conveying your ideas to a team of wedding pros, because you'll be asked frequently for examples of what you like. The phrase, "a picture is worth a thousand words" rings true here—it's one thing to describe what you envision for your wedding day, but real-life examples of what you're trying to achieve will eliminate confusion and help your vendors bring everything to life. And once everyone has a firm starting point, you can move on to the rest of your wedding planning checklist.

Where to Make a Digital Wedding Mood Board

First things first: You need a canvas for your sure-to-be-gorgeous wedding vision board. Going the poster board and glue stick route is fine by us (we love a throwback collage moment), but if you'd prefer the ease of digital, we've got options for you—including one you can use intuitively as your browse inspiration on The Knot. Check out our go-to online tools for creating wedding mood boards below.

The Knot Your Favorites

The Your Favorites section is one of the simplest, most intuitive tools to use when it comes to wedding board planning, since it's integrated into your The Knot account. (You'll find it if you click the heart in the upper-right corner of your account home page, just make sure you're logged in to access it.) Think of Your Favorites as both a living wedding mood board as well as a tracking tool for The Knot articles as well as any gorgeous images, helpful infographics, cool vendors, pretty wedding stationery and stunning attire that strikes your fancy. You can either dive into, say, our extensive Real Weddings gallery and begin clicking the little heart that appears in the corner of each image you love to save them to your wedding inspiration board, or just explore The Knot organically and click hearts as you look around over time. Either way, all of your likes will be stored in one convenient spot.

The best part: If you click into a liked image, you'll be able to see the real vendors who made the wedding details displayed in that photo come to life. And if you really want to hire the florist who created that stunning calla-lily garland, but you're located five states away, no worries: just click the magnifying glass to activate the Make it Yours function to get vendor recs that match the aesthetic in your location.

Basically, Your Favorites is the first place you should go when you're looking for a wedding vision board template, since it's super user friendly and gives you access to a bevy of wedding resources beyond just pretty pictures (though we have no shortage of those either). Bonus: Even if you've already started with a different wedding inspo board, you can use the tool to track everything you like on The Knot and then add those likes to the additional platform you're using later on.

• Pros: You can create your wedding vision with more than just images, easy to use, functionality to show you the actual wedding vendors depicted in the photos you add, embedded tech to give you recommendations of local vendors that match the look of your favorite images.
• Best for: aggregating both inspiration and information; using that inspiration to find vendors, attire and more.

Pinterest

A Pinterest wedding mood board is a classic option—so classic that you might already have one from your imaginary wedding in middle school. (Your color scheme is teal and black, right?) Pinterest is a great option to find inspiration and keep it organized into different boards. For example, you could create separate wedding inspiration boards for flowers, tablescapes, venue ideas and more. You could even create a wedding guest mood board to send to attendees for attire inspo. (Don't forget to add the photos you sourced on The Knot from Your Favorites.)

• Pros: You can do research and get granular as you organize your ideas.
• Best for: Making multiple boards for different facets of wedding planning.

Canva

A Canva wedding mood board allows you to collage different visual elements together on one digital "canvas." You can also add text and annotations to your wedding vision board to keep track of why you liked a particular item, or leave notes for your partner to review. This option feels the most like the old-fashioned method of cutting out magazine shots and gluing them on a big piece of poster board, so it totally has some nostalgic appeal.

• Pros: You can move elements around, like a flexible collage.
• Best for: Designing alongside your partner, as you can invite collaborators to your board.

How to Make a Wedding Vision Board

Consider this list of steps your go-to guide on how to make a wedding mood board. So read these instructions, queue up your podcast du jour and don't forget to have fun during the process.

1. Get a Sense of Your Style

Not sure where to begin when it comes to how to create a wedding vision board? Take The Knot Style Quiz to find your wedding vibe. You'll select from a series of Real Wedding photos (amongst other prompts) to narrow down the wedding details that feel most like you. By the end of the quiz, which is honestly so fun to take we wouldn't mind if there were a few more questions, you'll have a wonderful jumping off point to assemble your vision board.

2. Choose Your Canvas

The next step in how to create a mood board for a wedding is to decide if you want to use a physical or digital canvas. If you enjoy crafts and working with your hands, we love the approach of using a cork board with push pins and thumbtacks to piece all of your ideas together and move things around as needed. Creating a tangible mood board also comes in handy for physical items you want to add, such as fabric scraps, pages torn from magazines or paper samples. When it's time to meet with vendors, you can bring the board itself or simply snap a few photos. On the other hand, a digital vision board may feel more seamless and easier to share—plus, you can instantly save ideas that you come across while browsing the internet, which is helpful if you want to bookmark specific vendors or product pages.

3. Collect Your Inspiration

Don't worry about picking ideas that do or don't "work" together as you work through how to make a wedding planning board—just start saving things that feel like you, that feel like your love. It can be tempting to crank out the finished product in just a few hours, but we recommend slowly gathering ideas from a range of sources over the span of a few weeks. This will help you figure out what you subconsciously gravitate toward rather than whatever is most appealing or available at the moment or at the top of your algorithm.

Look at photos from travel blogs, browse through fashion magazines, visit an art museum, stop by the flower section on your next grocery store trip or scroll through your camera roll to find anything that sparks a feeling. Don't trip over trends and remember that inspiration can come from anywhere. Maybe you come across beautiful skincare packaging with an example of a font or color palette you'd love to use. (Add it to the board!) It doesn't all have to make sense just yet—trusting the process is all part of the approach. There will be time to curate everything when you're finished gathering ideas.

4. Keep an Eye Out for a Common Theme

Once you've added a few dozen ideas to your wedding mood board, take a step back and try to pick out any recurring elements or motifs. Is there a specific color that keeps showing up? Or a certain type of flower or decor detail that you've saved over and over again? Look closely for patterns, similarities and an overarching energy throughout your ideas, then make a list of the most prevalent details to then identify a few buzzwords that describe your style. You might be surprised by what you find.

5. Edit and Organize Your Ideas

To make sure that your wedding inspiration board is well curated and intentional, challenge yourself to remove some things. That's right—you should eliminate a few of your ideas during the process of how to make a wedding mood board. To quote Coco Chanel: "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." The same concept applies to your wedding vision. If there are too many things going on, your inspiration board might overwhelm you (and the vendors you work with) rather than help you hone in on a cohesive design or theme.

Start by removing anything with a duplicate, such as two similar versions of a wedding dress or near-identical examples of place settings. Aim to only include things on your wedding mood board that you genuinely love—and the best version of it. The end goal isn't to create exact replicas of the ideas you save, but rather to find your overall style and vibe.

6. Share Your Board

Give yourself a round of applause for working so hard on your vision board. Now, it's time to share your ideas with your vendors, especially those who will have a hand in the visual details of your wedding day, such as your planner, florist and photographer. You can add or remove some ideas here and there, but you should generally avoid making drastic changes to the vision board once you've passed it along to your wider circle. And when in doubt, don't be shy about asking your vendors' opinions. Their professional input can be a huge help if you're torn between ideas.

What Should Be Included on a Wedding Vision Board?

Your wedding board can include truly anything that inspires you. Five elements you'll definitely want to consider are: 1.) Photos from actual weddings 2.) Photos from dinner parties or other interesting events 3.) Fonts and branding elements 4.) Materials and textures 5.) Images that evoke the vibe or energy you want to capture. If you're working out how to make a wedding mood board the analog way, consider using magazine clippings, sketches and artwork, color swatches and fabric samples as well. You can even include your wedding mission statement if it feels right to nail down your overall ethos along with your aesthetic vision. It can be an actual board with tangible objects (think old-school bulletin boards) or a virtual creation, like a Pinterest board or Canva illustration. Your vision board doesn't need to be overcomplicated, so don't worry too much about what to include on it. Even if all you do is tape a handful of photos to a piece of posterboard, you've got the right idea.

Wedding Mood Board Ideas

Nothing is off-limits when it comes to creating a mood board for wedding planning—get as heady as you'd like. Most importantly, it's okay to use a mix of wedding and non-wedding ideas for your vision board (especially when thinking of unique ways to personalize your day). Still not sure where to begin? Try these mood board wedding photography and non-wedding image ideas.

Color Palettes and Patterns

Photos: Stocksy, Getty, JLB Wedding Photography,Design: Tiana Crispino

Using paint chips or fabric swatches might seem like an old-fashioned way to figure out your wedding color scheme, but both options can be helpful in your initial planning stages. Head to a local home improvement or craft store to browse through wallpaper samples, paint colors and upholstery fabrics and see what speaks to you. Most stores will let you purchase samples for a small fee. Additionally, look around your home to see what color-pairing common threads emerge, then take snapshots of any hues that resonate and add them to your wedding vision board template. Because chances are if you keep combining pink and purple in your home decor, the pairing might make for stellar wedding colors.

Decor and Interior Design Details

Photos: Stocksy, Getty,Design: Tiana Crispino

Wedding decor trends often stem from whatever is en vogue in the interior design world. When you're trying to nail down your style for the wedding day, home decor can be a great place to get ideas for wedding rental furniture, tabletop details and more. Spend an afternoon flipping through interior design magazines (hit up your local Barnes & Noble if you're wondering where to get magazines for your wedding vision board) or rewatching movies with amazing interior sets (hi, Nancy Meyers) to pick up some unexpected ideas. Because truly, one of the only common mistakes to avoid while creating a wedding mood board that we can think of is limiting your inspiration to just wedding style and decor.

Fashion Runways and Red Carpets

Photos: Stocksy, Getty,Design: Tiana Crispino

We've got you covered when it comes to wedding dress trends and wedding dress code basics, but you can also turn to celebrity fashion, retro style and couture runways to inspire your wedding wardrobe. Even if you don't end up replicating the actual looks, including outfit ideas as vision board inspo will help you determine whether you're going for a classic approach or breaking the mold with fashion-forward attire.

Typefaces, Fonts and Logos

Photos: Madeleine Collins Photography, Unique Lapin Photography, Sean Koski, Todd Danforth Photography, Anna Zajac Weddings, Getty,Design: Tiana Crispino

Whether it's a box of matches from a trendy cocktail bar, a motivational quote you found while scrolling through Pinterest or an envelope with handwritten calligraphy, interesting examples of paper products and graphic design are worthy wedding planning board ideas. You can use these to inspire your wedding invitations and stationery items like bar signage, place cards, menu cards or a custom wedding monogram. (And by the way, The Knot wedding website designs can fall into this category too.)

Locations or Settings

Photos: Stocksy, Getty, Jules Bower, Design: Tiana Crispino

Do you envision your wedding unfolding alfresco in a flower-filled garden or in an opulent, upscale ballroom? Add photos of places you love to travel and locations that inspire you—whether that's the beach, the mountains, the city or something in between—to set the scene for your marriage vision board. It's a helpful step if you're deciding where to get married and struggling to choose a type of wedding venue.

Flower Arrangements

Photos: Stocksy, Getty,Design: Tiana Crispino

Flowers evoke emotion, so they're key to include as you create a wedding mood board. Add examples of arrangements to help translate your vision to your florist. Photos of English gardens and wildflowers convey a laid-back, countryside vibe, while ikebana-style arrangements convey a sense of whimsey, and stately callalillies or orchids skew minimalist.

Real Wedding Photos

Photos: Todd Danforth Photography, Kami Arant Creative, JLB Wedding Photography, Max Cleary, Emily Loeppke, Design: Tiana Crispino

Take a look through our Real Wedding galleries to source ideas from other couples. The best part? You can instantly save each photo to your own wedding vision board on The Knot by clicking the small heart in the upper right-hand corner. Your favorites will be organized by category, and you can edit them anytime (and even upload your own ideas) to a shareable online wedding vision board template.

The Knot Magazine

Photos: Courtesy of The Knot Magazine, Design: Tiana Crispino

We saved the best for last. Call us biased, but we'd argue that The Knot Magazine is a prime source for wedding board ideas. Every issue is filled with ideas you can incorporate into your special day, plus helpful tips to support you through the planning process. When you're finished flipping through the latest issue, cut out your favorite pages or photos and pin them up on your IRL picture board for your wedding.

Wedding Mood Board Examples

Now that you've got a good understanding of what to add to your wedding planning vision board, it's time to see what your finished product might look like. You can have a single or many wedding mood boards (perhaps one dedicated to each aspect of your day), and they can be as large or small as you see fit. Though, we would recommend piecing them all together eventually if you have a few. See below for some wedding vision board examples inspired by cultural celebrations and popular wedding themes. By the way, don't forget to click the little heart in the upper-right corner of any of the below wedding mood boards that feel like you. They'll go right to Your Favorites for you to build around.

Beach Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Jose Villa Photography, Jill Devries Photography, Chellise Michael Photography, Jes Workman Photography, Rebecca Yale Photography, Onrhod Zonio

If you're saying "I do" in the summer months, you might consider a beach wedding. As you start to create your wedding mood board, you should first think about what kind of seaside vibe you're after. There's a big difference between the craggy Cali shoreline, a classic New England beach, the dramatic Amalfi Coast nuptials and a tropical island. Set your setting, then dive into the details. Look for coastal colors that fit your desired seaside coastal locale, then consider the objects and textures that would help drive the theme home, like strings of pearls or elegant silver shell-shaped dishes that appear plucked from a pirate's treasure chest.

Vintage Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Callaway Gable, Larisa Shorina Photography, Stocksy, Kapsule Co, Brie Thomason Photography

If you follow Pinterest wedding trends, you've probably seen your fair share of kitschy, vintage-inspired weddings, whether it's heart-shaped lambeth cakes or Gatsby-esque champagne towers popping up on your feed. As you assemble your mood board ideas for your wedding, note the type of vintage images that speak to you, because the term spans decades. Disco balls are vintage (or retro, if you're stuck on semantics) as are motifs like swans and cherries. An old money vintage wedding might pull inspiration from the '20s, while moody nuptials at an NYC martini bar might feel more '40s or '60s coded. The time period you choose will definitely inform your color palette and feel free to mix and match wedding mood board ideas from different eras to make a look all your own.

Elegant Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Nikki Daskalakis, Rachel Fosbenner Photography, Anastasia Strate Photography, Tamara Gruner Photography, FOOLISHLY RUSHING IN,Design: Natalie Romine

Sometimes, all you know about your wedding is the overall energy and level of formality. And that's definitely enough to start an evocative mood board for a wedding. Using a vibe to drive your decisions makes perfect sense, especially in the collecting-inspo stage. If elegant is your desired feel, consider details across all decades and centuries to start. Think: a shiny, white vintage Rolls Royce getaway car from the '50s alongside a gilded ceiling from a Rococo palace built in the 18th century. This way, you'll get a layered look that doesn't feel too thematic or contrived.

Fall Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Bethany & Dan Photography, Ricky Rodriguez Photography, Madi Taylor Photography, Divine Day Photography, Brett Heidebrecht Photography,Design: Natalie Romine

This fall wedding mood board totally captures the warmth, richness and moodiness of the season. If you're looking to evoke autumn, look into your florals first, but you don't necessarily have to find inspiration for full arrangements. Rather, look toward textures found in nature like bark, moss and dried petals to assemble a working color palette. Besides botanicals, adding images with your ideal lighting situation (a grossly underrated element of a wedding) to ensure your flowers and decor look how you're envisioning is a must. For a fall wedding, you probably want candles and cozy ambient lighting.

Green Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Jaimee Morse, Daniel Kim Photography

If you are still unsure of a theme or vibe as you hash out how to create a wedding mood board, focus on a color to start. For example, green remains a super popular wedding hue and if you're also into the color, assemble a collage of green elements. Feel free to mix shades or nail down a favorite and create, for instance, a sage green wedding mood board. If you're going the multi-shade route, you'll be able to identify if one or two hues prevail the most in your wedding decor mood board. Those are your most-loved shades. Don't forget to play around with some accent colors too. Red is complementary to green, so you might add pink or burgundy touches for some interesting contrast. And keep your color preferences in mind as you peruse wedding website examples.

Indian Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: Banga Studios, THE GOLD COLLECTIVE, Bailey Ann Original, Ivy Weddings,Design: Natalie Romine

A wedding mood board can be a great tool if you're planning a multi-day cultural celebration like an Indian wedding, since it gives you the opportunity to see all of your events laid out in one place. For example, you can see how your partner's baraat outfit coordinates with the ceremony flowers to ensure you have a cohesive look and feel, if that's what you're going for. Additionally, including images from all different Indian weddings you find exciting and eye-catching will give you major color palette inspiration.

Boho Wedding Mood Board Example

Photos: MC Weddings, Mandee Johnson Photography, Bo Shim, Sposto Photography, Ashley Carlascio Photography,Design: Natalie Romine

This boho wedding mood board is all about earth tones with pops of bright, juicy color. Not to mention: flower arrangements that read wispy and wild. A wedding vision board (or a few) for this theme is essential, since there are so many different directions a boho aesthetic could go in. Our advice: Think about your ideal wedding location and filter your elements through that lens, since boho in NYC would appear differently than boho in Arizona. If you don't have one yet, create separate boards for each one you're considering to help you choose.