Where to Start with Wedding Design: A Step-by-Step Guide from a Hawaii Wedding Planner
Photography by Emily Turner
Wondering how to design a wedding that feels cohesive, personal, and beautiful? You’re not alone. For many couples planning a destination wedding in Hawaii, the design process can feel overwhelming. Between work responsibilities, guest logistics, and hundreds of saved Pins and screenshots, it’s a lot to manage.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to do it all by yourself. At Love Letter Weddings, we walk alongside you with a collaborative wedding design process that makes everything feel more manageable and even enjoyable.
Let’s walk through how we take your inspiration and turn it into a wedding that feels like you, step by step.
Photography by Emily Turner
Step 1: Gather Your Wedding Inspiration
We begin with inspiration. That includes:
Pinterest boards
Instagram saves
Screenshots
Magazine clippings
Color palettes you’re drawn to
Photos from other weddings that caught your eye
It doesn’t need to be organized or polished. The more honest and unfiltered, the better. Our job is to translate your visual brainstorm into something clear and intentional.
We’ll also ask about your personal story. How did you meet? What do you love doing together? Are there any meaningful places, memories, or details that should be reflected in the celebration? Maybe it’s a nod to your dog, your favorite ramen spot, or the city where you had your first date. These details help the design feel grounded in your story.
Photography by Emily Turner
Step 2: Identify Patterns and Themes
Once we’ve reviewed your inspiration, our team looks for patterns and recurring themes. Are you drawn to soft, romantic florals? Do bold color palettes catch your eye again and again? Is there a certain feeling that comes through, such as modern elegance, tropical playfulness, or an elevated garden party vibe?
We help uncover what your preferences are quietly communicating, even if you haven’t found the words for them yet.
Step 3: Curate and Refine Your Mood Board
Next, we create three mood boards based on the inspiration you’ve shared. Each one reflects a different interpretation of your vision. Although all three are aligned with your aesthetic, each board explores a distinct direction so you can compare and clarify what feels right.
After sharing the boards, we’ll meet to talk through what you’re loving and what might not be the right fit. You may find that you’re drawn to one board entirely, or that elements from each one resonate. We ask thoughtful questions to understand your style more deeply. For example, is it the texture or the shape that makes that arch stand out to you? Is it the tone, the setting, or the emotion it evokes?
From there, we refine your chosen direction by adjusting imagery, tones, and details. Our goal is to create a final mood board that feels like a true reflection of your vision and style.
Photography by Emily Turner
Step 4: Build Your Complete Wedding Design Plan
Once your mood board feels like a perfect fit, we begin building your full wedding design presentation. This is where your vision starts taking shape with tangible and visual details.
Your design presentation includes:
Ceremony styling
Wedding party attire suggestions
Bar and lounge concepts
Cocktail hour ideas
Reception tablescape mockups
We even create digital mockups of your guest tables so you can see how everything will come together in advance.
We walk you through the presentation, page by page, and gather your feedback. If anything feels off, we adjust together. This process is collaborative, supportive, and paced in a way that helps you feel confident in each decision.
Step 5: Source Every Design Detail
Photography by Emily Turner
With your finalized design in place, we begin sourcing the elements that will bring it all to life. This is where the planning becomes hands-on, but without the stress. We keep your time, preferences, and budget in mind as we recommend options that align beautifully with the vision.
We help source:
Rentals, including tables, chairs, lounge furniture, and lighting
Florals, in collaboration with our floral team or your chosen florist
Signage and paper goods, such as menus, escort cards, and welcome signs
Decor details, like candles, card boxes, and napkins, with a curated selection to choose from
You get to make the final calls, but we do the legwork and narrow it down to choices you’ll love.
Step 6: Keep Every Detail on Track
Behind the scenes, we track every item using a shared planning system. Each piece has a clear place and purpose. We document what it is, where it’s coming from, and how it will be used on the wedding day.
This step often brings couples a huge sense of relief. You don’t have to wonder if something has been ordered or who’s responsible for it. Everything is managed with care and attention so you can stay focused on the experience, not the logistics.
Designing a Destination Wedding That Feels Like You
Whether you’re planning from another state or already living in Hawaii, our design process is built to make this experience smoother, more inspired, and more personal. We help you cut through the noise, make confident decisions, and bring a thoughtful vision to life.
If you're ready to design a destination wedding in Hawaii that feels meaningful and beautiful from start to finish, we would love to support you.
Let’s chat about your dream wedding.
