Inspiration Board vs Concept Board

Every once in a while I'm reminded that not everyone understands what I do. After all, we're the first in our area to take a technique often used in Film-making, Architecture, Fashion Design and Interior Design and incorporate it into "Wedding and Event Design". First let's talk about the new popularity of "Inspiration Board".

Inspiration Boards:

In recent years the use of Inspiration Boards has gained mass appeal in Wedding and Event Design. Once used as an empowerment tool to envision goals and help inspire, an "Inspiration Board" in wedding planning is a visual collection of "inspiration" or design ideas. A collage of images (typically from magazines, photographs, the Internet, etc.), Inspiration Boards are usually pictures from other weddings or events. The Inspiration Board is created to reflect and convey many of the general likes, looks, and styles that appeal to the Bride & Groom and usually have images of a common theme or color scheme. They can feature everything from pictures of Wedding Cakes, Invitations, Wedding Gown, Floral Arrangements/Bouquets, Accessories, etc. The downside is because an Inspiration Board is basically a collections of pictures from other people's weddings there can be a tendency of repeating the same looks over and over again. Often people may see a wide range of images "they like" but have trouble putting it all together... why? Because you can "like" a lot of different images, ideas and style but they may not necessarily be "their style" or reflect their personality. Don't get me wrong, I do love the Inspiration Board because it can be a very helpful tool to Brides & Grooms, it allows them to really examine and visually identify many of the design options that are out there.

(Above Inspiration Board by UtahBrideBlog.com)

Concept Boards:

Concept Boards or Concept Illustrations are different from Inspiration Boards. Think about the last awe-inspiring, visually breathtaking movie you saw. Think about the captivating scenery, background and even the customs that transported you into a different world. Did you know that before any camera's rolled for the filming, before sets are built for each beautiful scene in the movie, or any costumes are created for the Actors an Artist sketches and paints custom illustrations of each scene and it's the details? From their the Set Design and Crew work to create the entire scene on a sound stage or transform the location being filmed. A Concept Board or Illustration is a custom created drawing or painting of depicting a person's wedding or event design. Created to especially reflect the individual vision and details of the Bride & Groom's (or Event Host's) specific event it can be an illustration of the design entire event scene or of details of the event such as Centerpieces, Tablescapes, Bouquets, Alter Decorations, etc. They may also use special elements or items in the finished Concept Illustration. Example; If a Bride bring has a swatch of fabric from a dress or a her Grandmother's Broach I would create an original design based on that item and draw an illustration that they may present to the Bride.