There are a ton of resources available to help you when you are when creating your wedding mood board. On this episode of the Bridechilla podcast, guest Oleta Collins from Flourishing Art joins Aleisha to talk about the best ways to go about creating a mood board. With pinterest, instagram, and a whole host of wedding related websites, blogs, and podcasts, there is a treasure trove of ideas that you can pull from. Sorting through and knowing which ideas are realistic and within your budget is the real challenge. Oleta shares advice from her wedding planning experience on how to create the most helpful wedding mood board.
Listen to episode 390 of Bridechilla
I want to see what they like, what they love, what their inspiration is, but I want to see the dislikes just as much as the likes.
What do you like? What don't you like?
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to planning a wedding. They can help communicate a look or design you’d like to include in your wedding. They can also stir your creative juices to help create something completely unique and original. When developing your mood board, Oleta suggests not only looking for ideas you really like, but also including some images or things that you don’t like. This will help your vendors better capture the vision you are trying to accomplish for your wedding.
Photo by Annie Gray
Don't be overwhelmed by styled shoots
One of the drawbacks of sites like pinterest and instagram is that they host staged, produced photographs. Many of these images have been painstakingly created, but are incredibly unrealistic to pull off in a real wedding. Unfortunately, these photos can create expectations that do not match the budget needed to pull off such an idea. It is important for couples to have a good understanding of their budget even as they create their mood board so they can then select ideas that are manageable. Oleta says that with an unlimited budget, anything is possible, but most couples don’t have that, so budget must be considered.
No is an option when there’s no budget. If you have a budget, anything is achievable.
Photo by Annie Spratt
Always have a contingency plan and budget!
There are two important factors to consider when working with vendors to establish wedding budgets and plans. The first factor is contingencies. Every wedding budget should include a contingency line item. Hear Oleta and Aleisha discuss the likelihood of going over budget and how to handle that during this conversation. The second consideration is bad weather or natural disasters that could potentially derail your wedding plans. Listen to this episode for tips on how to plan for these types of often unexpected events.
If you are looking at having this amazing, dramatic, wonderful night and you want to remember it for the rest of your life, make sure you have professionals that are going to cover you.
Want to know all the questions to ask your vendors? Download now.
Hiring the 'right' people to make your vision happen
When planning your wedding, it is really fun to dream big and consider what fun and exciting ideas you can include in your wedding. Oleta shares some of the most unique ideas that couples have asked her to include in their weddings. In order to accomplish these things, having the right professionals involved is essential. Going to the flower market on the morning of your wedding trying to pull together decorations is a bad idea. Hire the right people to set your dream in motion and then enjoy your day. Hear all about this and much more on the Bridechilla podcast.
Show Highlights
[0:50] Introduction of guest Oleta Collins and how she started Flourishing Art
[4:47] How to start your wedding planning process without being overwhelmed and ensuring that they are asking the right questions
[7:57] What kinds of dislikes should you be prepared to share with vendors when showing them your mood boards
[10:27] Style shoots are beautiful but can be logistically unrealistic, so expectations need to meet reality when planning
[13:41] Oleta discusses how she helps couples understand the budgetary needs to pull off their dream wedding
[16:54] Considering the wedding budget and building in a contingency line
[19:40] Make sure that your vendors have insurance so that you and your guests are covered in the event of bad weather or natural disasters
[27:48] Oleta shares some of the flashy, big ideas that couples have asked her to accomplish for their wedding
[32:50] How many images or pieces of inspiration should you include on your mood board?
[37:33] The importance of getting professional to help plan your wedding
[43:31] How people can get in touch with Oleta
Listen to episode 390 of Bridechilla
Meet this episode's guest
A passion for floral design started early for Oleta, with her first job at a family member’s flower shop at the age of 12. Although it was initially just for spending money, she quickly discovered her knack for arranging blooms and never stopped. Since those early days, Oleta has worked on TV and movie set designs, managed the largest design studio in LA, and earned her credentials from the American Institute of Floral Design. Based in Bakersfield, California, she has brought the LA flair to her rural
hometown along with her fresh, new ideas and creations.
Her dream of inspiring clients is brought to life every day, as she meets and falls in love with every couple that she encounters. Oleta dedicates herself to learning the unique quirks of each client and embedding their guests’ partnership into every detail of the wedding experience. When Oleta is a part of an event team, the love she weaves into
every aspect is palpable — guests will experience the scents, colors, textures, sounds, and tastes of each couple’s dreams.
In her spare time, you can find Oleta serving up a lob on the nearest pickleball court or snuggling her plethora of furry and feathered loved ones that she rescued with her husband. In fact, if you come by the shop, you may get to meet one of their pups!
With thanks to our Bridechilla Partners
Show image by Nikiya Christie
