Paint the Picture

Sometimes it’s difficult to truly see the big picture of your wedding design. In your travels, you find individual elements that catch your eye that you would love to incorporate into your event vision. However, it can be difficult to see the things you love objectively.

For a way to get a better sense of what your wedding will look like, I recommend purchasing a collage board.

Pick up paint chips of colors that call to you from Home Depot. Purchase a fat quarter of fabric that you fall in love with at Joann’s. Tear out photos of various décor elements from your favorite magazines. Print out ideas you have come across on the internet (including photos of your ceremony and reception locations).

Place all of these images and materials on the board to create your own wedding day collage. Spend some time standing a few feet away from it, adding new pieces and removing others.

As you inspect your wedding design collage, ask yourself some questions:

1. Do these colors complement each other? Matchy-matchy is not the goal of wedding design, but the various colors should play off each other and bring out the rest of the décor.

2. Do the items flow together? You do not necessarily need a theme, but the aspects of your wedding should provide a consistency throughout the entire event.

3. Do the items really speak to your personalities? The event should be a true display to your guests of what is in your hearts on the day you celebrate your marriage with them.

4. Are you selecting wedding elements simply because you feel obligated out of tradition? Jordan almonds are not a necessity. They may be the standard favor for a lot of weddings… but this is your time to think outside of the box.

5. Is this vision realistic in comparison to my budget? We all love the lush floral arrangements you see spotlighted at a wedding planned by Preston Bailey- but it’s not a reality for many people (myself included). However, there are ways to recreate this look. Take some time reviewing the more extravagant details you admire and brainstorm ways to invoke the same feeling for less money.

What are some methods you use to envision your event design as you make decor decisions?

[photo source: Crafty.Quirky.Fun Blog]