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Much of your wedding day decor gets affected by the color palette you choose, so it’s an important and early decision to be made in wedding planning. It helps you create the vibe for your wedding, whether fun and energetic or formal and timeless. Many people find inspiration for wedding color palettes through Pinterest, google, and trends, but there are so many different places to be inspired when creating your color mood board to make it more personal.
The pressure’s off.
Guess what? Your palette doesn’t have to be reflected in every element of your wedding. That’s right. If you end up with a bright and bold color palette, but you’re worried it might be overwhelming to have everything in those colors, here’s what to do. Go neutral on most items and pick where you want your colors to shine. For example, go neutral with your linens, stationary, dishes, bridal party clothing, and candles, but let the color come out in the flowers!
Flowers
Linens (table clothes, napkins)
Stationary (invites, menus, place cards)
Signage (table numbers, welcome sign, ceremony sign)
Clothing (bridesmaids, groomsmen, mothers, fathers, ring bearer, flower child)
Candles
Dishes (chargers, plates, cups, utensils)
Food (deserts, dinner, appetizers, cocktails)
Now that you know what items you need to know your palette for, let’s get lost in where to find color inspiration for your wedding. Inspiration can be found through trends, art, psychology, food, travel, seasons, nature, clothing, home decor, and so much more! Your color palette should be personal to you and your spouse, so pick things that you love and are inspired by. You can also find mistakes to avoid when picking your colors here.
This is by far the easiest and safest way to find color palettes, albeit not the most creative.
You can find trends by following wedding professionals on Instagram or their websites, browsing Pinterest (although it’s possible these will be a few years behind), viewing Pantone colors of the year, and reading bridal magazines and blogs.
This one is as simple as looking in your closet and around your house. You have been drawn to specific colors for years, and if you’re drawing a blank for what colors already make you happy, the quickest way to see that is by looking at what color clothing, furniture, and decor you have surrounding you.
Looking at pictures of food is a fun way to see what colors and moods you are drawn to. Here are a few examples of styles and colors by food palettes.
Feminine- whites, blush, lavender: macaroons
Fresh- green, yellow, cream, ivory, beige: salad
Bright- green, yellow, orange, red, purple: fruit bowl
Homey- white, red, beige, blue: pie
Zesty- green, yellow, orange, peach: citrus
Earthy- cream, beige, rust, olive, mustard: charcuterie
Cozy- rust, brown, orange, beige: spice cake
You can also check out this site for more examples of how food can turn into a color palette.
This can either be a reflection of the season you are getting married in or your favorite season.
Here’s how the different seasons inspire different color choices:
Spring- pastels, whites, light colors, feminine
Summer- bright, happy colors, neutrals
Fall- bold, vibrant, earthy
Winter- moody, deep, white, ethereal, icy
Did you know that certain colors have an actual impact on mood and emotion? Here are some of the positive emotional effects of different colors:
White- purity, tradition, clean, simple, safe, modernity
Black- class, status, sophistication, power, elegance, serious
Red- passion, love, excitement, excitement, energy, memorable
Pink- reserved, love, femininity, nurturing, affection, sweetness
Purple- glamor, luxury, romantic, tranquil, wise, trust, reliability, intuitive, spiritual
Yellow- hope, joy, happiness, creativity, enthusiasm, originality, clarity, intellectual
Orange- Warmth, kindness, uplifting, lively, welcoming, fun, confident, encouraging
Green- nature, growth, quiet, restful, abundance, grounded, balance, youth
Blue- peace, calm, relaxed, productive, focused, compassionate, sincerity, imagination
Whether it’s a sunset, beach, tropical forest, or mountain view, many have found inspiration in the natural colors of the earth. Here are a few examples of nature-inspired color palettes:
Beach sunset: beige, peach, blue, yellow, purple
Night Sky: deep blue, purple, white, lavender
Woods: brown, beige, green, white, blue
Wildflower: red, orange, yellow, pink, blue
Remember that one vacation that just spoke to your soul? Look back at the colors of the country and what your memory of that location looks like in color. Here are some examples.
Greece: blue, white, hot pink
Japan: red, white, pink, blue, green, orange
Peru: hot pink, yellow, blue, red, green, teal, orange, purple
China- red, yellow, orange
Italy- beige, yellow, teal, red, green
More examples can be found here.
Look at what types of art you are inspired by. Is it a mess of colors thrown together on a page, a simple Rothko that focuses on a few colors, bright, pastel, beachy? The art you are drawn to can also be an indicator of the colors you love to be surrounded by.
If you’re hiring professionals like a wedding planner or a florist, have an open mind for them to expand your color palette. A palette with only 2-3 contrasting colors can look stiff or like a soccer ball, but by allowing them to pick in between colors that will blend the existing ones better, you can have a much more cohesive look.
Let us guide you to a flawless celebration adorned with captivating flowers. Book your free consultation today and step into a world where your wedding dreams bloom into reality.
Bronte
Bronte is a seasoned floral designer with over 13 years of experience and a degree in horticulture and floral design. She has been featured in prestigious bridal magazines and has worked with hundreds of couples. Bronte is dedicated to simplifying the wedding process for her clients and promoting the use of locally sourced flowers, combining her passion for blooms with sustainability efforts in the industry.
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