Rebecca here with a wedding update (see part one here) ! We’re nearing the big day and luckily I feel cool as a cucumber! The major decisions have been made and I’m enjoying the process of seeing all the details and components come together. There is still plenty to be done, but I feel like I have a handle on things. How is that possible?! I’m just as floored as you are! I am fully aware of the stress and anxiety that many brides-to-be often feel while engaged. Trust me, I’m no stranger to these feelings. I was anticipating being overwhelmed, even expecting it. Worrywart is my middle name. However, I’ve realized that taking a few initiatives in the very beginning of the wedding planning process have made a BIG difference. My number 1 suggestion? Make a wedding inspiration board! This is extremely helpful for a number of reasons…
Continue reading for all the tips!
Perks of a Wedding Inspiration Board
- It allows you to create a visual explanation of what you’re envisioning for your wedding. If you’re like me, you’ll have a million ideas and the process of creating an inspiration board allows you to sift through ideas and hone in on what you really like. This builds a great foundation to start planning.
- You’re dealing with lots of people when planning a wedding including caterers, florists, designers, family members, in-laws, and more. In order for everyone to have the same vision, it’s helpful to have a mood board to share so that everyone is on the same page and understands what you want. Being a people-pleaser, this is very important to me, and everyone will appreciate having a clear vision.
- Your inspiration board will become your guide through the whole process. Don’t stray from your guide! It will help keep everything cohesive, from invitations to the dress to the reception. It should all look like it belongs in the same family. And it should look like YOU! Remember that your wedding should be a reflection of who you are.
Note: I made both a Pinterest board and a real life board. I find that looking at inspiration every day helps keeps ME inspired and is a reminder to keep it cohesive. Plus, it just keeps me pumped about the wedding.
Here are a few details for my Swedish Garden Wedding:
- Blue ties for the groom and groomsmen
- DIY crepe paper flower crown for the flower girls (I created a tutorial here)
- Silk and Willow has the most gorgeous ribbon in the world. It’s all hand-dyed. This indigo blue is beyond beautiful and I’m going to use it for my bouquet.
- The little flower girl dresses I ordered from here. They tie all the colors in so well!
My wedding inspiration
I have a strong Swedish background and have always been drawn to Scandinavian aesthetic, so I knew that would be a big component of my day. I began by gathering pictures from online. Pinterest is a gold mine for this. Your pictures do not need to be of other weddings. You want visuals that represent the colors and the feel of the wedding more than anything else. For example, I chose a picture of pottery for a dutch blue color reference and a folklore door to show Scandinavian details. Once you’ve gathered some images, you can start to add in elements like fabrics, florals, and other tangible components.
I began by picking out invitations and other paper goods that captured the folky blue and white aesthetic I wanted. I created the flower girl crowns which incorporated the pops of red and pink to act as complimentary colors. The flower girl dresses kept things light and springy and were a steal of a deal. Floral and polka dot ties for the groom and groomsmen and a gorgeous marbled ribbon for the bouquet added unique texture and pattern. I want everything to have a bit of an eclectic look rather than matchy-matchy. As I have added more and more components, it’s been so helpful to have a wedding inspiration board to refer back to throughout the entire process. It has certainly eliminated a lot of stress and has kept me excited to see my vision come together! No bridezillas here! 😉
give it a theme
It’s helpful to give your wedding a title. One that summarizes the look and feel that you’re going for. I’m calling mine Swedish Garden so that whenever I am in doubt if something goes with it, I ask myself “is it Swedish Garden?” and if it’s not, it’s out of there! Giving your wedding a theme helps eliminate decisions. There is already so much you have to decide, give yourself a break!
Stay tuned for more ideas and tutorial from my wedding as well as follow-up posts on how to create style boards for your home and fashion!
Photography by Anna Killian for The House That Lars Built