2026 Mood Board Inspirations
You said yes—arguably the most important part of kicking off a wedding plan. But now you’ve got to actually go about planning the thing. Some say this part is the most fun, outside of saying ‘I Do’, of course! But you’re starting with a completely blank slate, and unless you’ve been planning your wedding day longer than you’ve been an adult, you might even be a little lost as to where to start. You might enlist the help of family and friends, scour Pinterest, and start your idea boards. You can also turn to the professionals. Seaside Bride chatted with three of the area’s most sought-after wedding and event planners about upcoming trends for 2026, their favorite part of the planning process, and the visual mood boards they created for your personal inspiration!
Happy Hour Events: Dana Ferreri, Owner & Planner
Mood Board Inspo:
Jewel Tones, Non-traditional Interactive, & Dramatic
Q. How did you get into wedding planning?
A. “I was living in Philadelphia, working in service and hospitality, with no intention whatsoever of getting involved in weddings. But then I moved here, and there was no escaping it—especially in the catering world. So I was catering these weddings, and I would see over and over that no one was doing anything to help out with the bride's needs, or there were just crazy things happening behind the scenes that absolutely could have been avoided, and it just became clear to me that there was an unmet need. I started Happy Hour Events in 2017, and I offer full and partial wedding planning.”
Q. What is your favorite part of the event planning process?
A. “Working with the clients, I get all my energy from their happiness and appreciation, and I really do become attached to them in a way. At the end of it all, there’s often a genuine feeling of developed friendship on both ends, just from being in contact with each other so much and so often.”
Q. What does that initial deep dive into your client’s pre-planning wedding vision look like?
A. "Typically, I schedule a face-to-face meeting or Zoom call to go over the couple's budget, talk about ideas they have, and share sample photos from pin boards, etc. It's all about customizing what the client wants! I focus on what resonates, what makes sense, and then what can actually work together."
Q. Are you seeing any upcoming trends that you’re excited about?
A. “Caterpillar tables! I love the way they wind around and through the reception space—but you really need a lot of space to make it happen.”
Q. How far in advance should potential clients reach out to book you as their planner?
A. “6 months to 2 years in advance.”
Taste Events: Katie Green, Director of Events
Mood Board Inspo:
Sustainability, Botanical, Custom & Classic
Q. How did you get into wedding planning?
A. "I planned my sister's wedding, which was how I got into it all. I'm also the Director of events and Marketing for the entire Common Ground Hospitality Group, so I end up working hands-on, from start to finish, on a lot of weddings. In more recent years—since COVID—I've taken it back to one wedding a weekend, with full service catering. I'm also the primary planner and handle catering for both Seed & Sapling and Windmill Creek Winery."
Q. What is your favorite part of the event planning process?
A. "I love that initial process and going back and forth with the client and helping them find their vision. Recreating certain things from their lives—for instance, a custom bar from the Bahamas—learning about the couple, taking their inspiration and bringing it into reality."
Q. What does that initial deep dive into your client’s pre-planning wedding vision look like?
A. “After the initial conversation discussing budget and any big ideas/wants, clients often provide a Pinterest board or inspiration photos. We work together to guide them and help narrow things to a level of cohesion—especially with colors and floral, and then linens and other decorations.”
Q. Are you seeing any upcoming trends that you’re excited about?
A. "Weekday weddings are big. Couples are going for softer fabrics—cottons over poly. Color palettes in olive green, slate blue, mint (love mint), beige, and sand. Also, white-on-white and bringing in bud vases for pops of color. I'm also seeing food trends. People don't want big food displays anymore; there's a preference for smaller passed appetizers."
Q. How far in advance should potential clients reach out to book you as their planner?
A. "For full service planning, book within 12-18 months of your preferred date. For day-of coordination, book within 6-12 months."
A Sweet Affair Events: Katina Dawson, Owner & Planner
Mood Board Inspo:
Bright, Organic, Colorful, & Floral
Q. How did you get into wedding planning?
A. "My background is in hospitality—catering and food service, bartending, etc. In the early 2000s I planned my own wedding and then helped a few friends who attended when they asked for help with theirs. Of these was a close friend from college, and I helped her plan from start to finish, which was such a good experience. I started to make connections and develop relationships with vendors, and it just took off from there. I started in 2011 in Baltimore and moved to Delaware 2014. I remember when Seaside Bride first started in 2015—it was cool to be at the beginning with you all. This has been quite the journey!"
Q. What is your favorite part of the event planning process?
A. “The couples! Every wedding and event is different, so really understanding the dynamics of each couple and their planning team is important. Seeing the couple and how they work together—I enjoy meeting with both parties and truly getting to know them as two individuals who've come together. We all spend so much time together, I sometimes feel a void once it's over.”
Q. What does that initial deep dive into your client’s pre-planning wedding vision look like?
A. "I want to see any visual inspiration you might already have, even if it doesn't seem cohesive to you. A lot of times, when a client is pulling out their inspiration, the florist and I will see the commonalities in various pictures that the client isn't even aware exist. We can point those out and help you pull it all together into a complete idea."
Q. Are you seeing any upcoming trends that you’re excited about?
A. "Color. Love color! We've seen it for a bit now, and it's definitely continuing. I'm also happy that we're not seeing so many garter/bouquet tosses. I haven't had a client interested in either of those in a while."
Q. How far in advance should potential clients reach out to book you as their planner?
A. "About a year, however, if we have the date open it’s fair game. I do prefer working with full-service requests because we love the whole process and guiding people through this journey. The reality is that sometimes you actually end up spending more money without a planner. Wedding management isn’t so much day-of coordinating as it is the month-of. The couple is doing the bulk of the planning with a little guidance from us. We come in and bring everything together and help with the timeline. Partial service is really more of a collaboration. I suggest booking an initial consultation to really discuss what your needs are and how we can help."
