How to Design a Wedding That Feels Original, Starting With Your Moodboard
All images sourced via Pinterest
You’re not here to copy someone else’s wedding day, and I’m not here to repeat weddings we’ve all seen a hundred times. My job is to take your inspiration and turn it into something that truly feels like you. So let’s get to it!
Wherever you are in the early stages of planning, here’s the truth: a wedding moodboard isn’t about pinning a perfect collection of pretty pictures. It’s about clarity. It’s the foundation that helps your design team elevate your vision into something cohesive and uniquely you.
As a floral designer working closely with planners and design-forward couples across the San Francisco Bay Area, I can tell you this: the best weddings start with a well-curated moodboard, not a chaotic pin dump.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to build a wedding moodboard that actually works.
1. Start With Feeling, Not Things
Before you open Pinterest, ask yourself: “How do I want my day to feel?”
Intimate and candlelit? Calm and inviting? Modern and architectural? Colorful and playful?
Maybe even more importantly, ask yourself: “What type of wedding do we not want? What are things that don’t feel like us?”
Your moodboard should reflect emotion and atmosphere, not just items. Focus on tone, texture, and energy. The rest will follow.
2. Curate, Don’t Collect
Pinterest can be both a dream and a black hole, right!? Start broad, then refine.
First, a pro tip: turn off AI-generated content in your profile settings.
Notice patterns in what you’re drawn to, then narrow your board down to 10–20 images that truly capture your vision. Think of this as your “north star.”
Create sub-boards for categories like florals, fashion, and paper goods, limiting each to your top 10 images. Edit ruthlessly. The fewer images you include, the easier it is for your creative team to understand your direction.
3. Use Specific Search Terms
Think beyond generic wedding imagery, and instead of searching vague phrases like “wedding flowers,” try something alternative and more descriptive:
Dramatic hanging floral installation
Color-blocked place settings
Minimalist candlelit dinner
You’ll get more refined, design-forward results and avoid the algorithm’s rinse-and-repeat aesthetic.
4. Go Beyond Social Media
Pinterest is a powerful tool, but true inspiration for weddings and events often lives elsewhere:
Architecture - What shapes and materials do you gravitate toward?
Interior design - Which home decor style feels most like you?
Fashion editorials - What silhouettes and fabrics draw your eye?
Art galleries - Who are your favorite artists, and which museums inspire you most?
Nature and travel - Which landscapes and destinations pull you in?
These sources help you develop a point of view that feels fresh and personal, not like someone else’s wedding day.
5. Be Flexible & Open to Feedback
Think of your moodboard as a starting point, not a finished product. Some images will be more aspirational than literal, and that’s where your wedding vendors will collaborate to enhance your vision.
Share your moodboard with your design-focused vendors (planner, florist, rentals, stationer) early on. Ask them to suggest adjustments or enhancements that elevate your vision. For example:
Your florist might recommend seasonal ingredient alternatives or layering textures differently.
Your lighting designer might suggest tweaks to highlight key moments.
Your planner might consider venue-specific logistics, like natural light, ceiling height, or outdoor conditions.
This iterative collaboration transforms inspiration into a cohesive design that’s both aspirational and achievable.
6. Step Away & Trust the Process
Once your board feels ready, step away. The best creative work happens when your vendors take your inspiration and push it further.
Most importantly at this stage, stop consuming content. Endless scrolling only leads to second-guessing.
The Takeaway
A great moodboard isn’t about having more, it’s about having meaning.
It’s the visual foundation that:
Sets your vendors up for success
Helps you make aligned decisions
Brings your wedding from inspiration to reality — artfully, intentionally, and without overwhelm
For planners: this approach ensures consistency across proposals, vendor briefs, and presentations so your team is working from the same visual DNA.
For couples: this is your first step in seeing your wedding not just as an event, but as a complete design experience.
More questions?
Here are a few additional wedding and event resources:
Blogpost: 5 Ways to Create a Tablescape Your Guests Will Actually Remember
Blogpost: Wedding Floral Pricing Explained
Blogpost: How We Work With Our Wedding Clients
Let’s Start a Conversation
I’m currently accepting inquiries for 2026 and love connecting with couples and planners who value bespoke, high-quality floral design. If you’re looking for a full-service Bay Area wedding florist who collaborates seamlessly with planners to create extraordinary events, let’s get started on a custom quote for you. Inquire here.
E: hello@anastasiaandenmatten.com
Anastasia Andenmatten is a private floral design studio in San Francisco, CA, specializing in custom wedding florals and luxury event design that pushes the envelope. Featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Carats + Cake, Magnolia Rouge, Wedding Sparrow, Ruffled, & Green Wedding Shoes, and named a WeddingWire Couples’ Choice® winner two years in a row.