Choosing a Colour Scheme for your Wedding

Blog Post Written by Heather

The Stylish Wedding Company

Looking at our colour palette for our website got me thinking and I thought for this blog, why don’t I talk a little bit about choosing colour schemes for your wedding.

It’s different for everyone. Of course, there are always the brides who have been fantasising about their big day since the moment they were born and have planned every aspect down to the most minute detail. That’s not a bad thing. If you’re clear on what you want and can picture it all then crack on! However, I have to say, more often than not colour schemes and styling can be a bit of a stumbling block for a lot of couples. In many ways, there is just too much choice! Especially now with amazing sites like Pinterest and all the fabulous stylists on Instagram that you can follow, it’s so hard to refine down your ideas and stick to one stream of thought! I remember for my own wedding, I had not one, but multiple Pinterest boards and they were epic! I mean, maybe borderline obsessive, but epic none the less!

So where do you start with choosing a colour scheme?

Rather than just simply picking the first colour that comes to your head, I would always think about what kind of atmosphere or feel you would like your wedding to have and what would you like the lasting impression to be for your guests. For example, do you want a really elegant and sophisticated affair or is it more important that the whole day feels fun and exciting? If you can capture the atmosphere in one word, what would it be? Once you’ve done this, you can think about what colours might coincide and help to make it an actuality. Pastel shades like blush pink, peach, lilac and mint always look stunning when teamed with ivory and can create a fresh, elegant look easily. The great thing about those shades as well is that they will never go out of fashion or look dated (so long as they’re done subtly!! Don’t go crazy with huge peach meringue bridesmaid dresses!). On the other hand, rich shades of red, orange, pink and purple will give a more opulent and warming effect whilst primary colours can be more fun and exuberant and perfect for a festival feel.

Whatever atmosphere you are looking to create, my one rule would be: ALWAYS have a colour palette of more than just one colour. Two to three shades are ideal for making your colour scheme look thought out and multi-dimensional. It gives you more possibilities for all your décor items and makes everything look that bit more coordinated. When only using one colour, you run the risk of everything looking a little bit ‘overkill’. Like here’s my colour scheme, I’m going to make damn sure you don’t miss it! You may also look back on your photos in years to come and think, “Why did I pick that colour, I hate it!”.

To help you think about your colour choices, I’ve included some colour harmony definitions and colour wheels below. Any qualified florist will know ALL about these colour harmonies as they were probably the bane of their life at one point! I know I spent many an hour having to study these, sigh! How chuffed am I that they’re actually being put to good use in this blog then! Hurrah! Anyway, these are principles that most florists go by and really help you pick combinations that are not always obvious but will look stunning.

ANALOGOUS

An analogous colour harmony is based on using several colours that lay directly next to each other on the colour wheel. They normally match well and are extremely pleasing to the eye.

COMPLEMENTARY

A complementary colour harmony makes use of two colours that lay directly across from each other on the colour wheel. Examples of complementary colour harmonies are red and green or blue and orange. Be careful with these as they can be a bit garish if you’re using primary colours.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY

A split complementary colour harmony is similar to a complementary colour harmony but with a slight twist. A base colour is chosen and then the two colours opposite on the colour wheel are used as its complement. By doing this it results in a less harsh effect than the complementary harmony.

NEAR COMPLEMENTARY

A near complementary colour harmony makes use of a main colour and then another colour that lays directly next to it. The effect is subtle and provides interest to a design rather than just one colour.

Think about materials

If the thought of several colour shades scares you or those colour harmonies have put you off, a clever way to make your styling more interesting is to include different textures and materials. Often these aspects are overlooked when really, they’re the key! For example, think about whether you want to use lots of rustic wood or hessian to help you get your natural, pared back look. Wood alone has a million different shades depending on if you’re using oak or mahogany or white-washed timber etc. Another texture that’s really popular at the moment and is having a bit of a come-back is velvet! Velvet tablecloths or soft velvet ribbons tied around your napkins can help make your wedding so opulent and like you’re really considered every aspect.

Your florist is your friend!

Lastly, it might sound like I’m just saying this, seeing as I am in fact a florist – but your florist is your main ally! They can help you coordinate your colour scheme and with hundreds, if not thousands of bloom varieties, they will know exactly the right flowers and shades to choose to help capture your look! Flowers can be used anywhere and everywhere – in your centrepieces, on your cake, round the doorways – so in that sense they are great for bringing everything together and making sure your colour scheme is reflected in all the nooks and crannies of your venue space.

Someone said to me once and I found it to be so true, that flowers are the one thing at your wedding that are completely and absolutely YOU and individual! Noone else will have flowers exactly like you did with the exact same combination of shades, flower types, sizes etc because flowers change season to season and from supplier to supplier. There are also flowers to represent different times of the year, different birth months, different qualities such as prosperity, happiness etc. So in many respects, they are the easiest way of showing your personality and likes/dislikes. I know one of the main arguments against spending money on flowers is that they are a waste and will die. Of course, they will die, that’s true (although you could give them to your guests to take home or dry-press your bouquet as a souvenir?). But in my opinion, if you spend the money anywhere, I would say flowers are the way to go. It’s one of the only true bespoke aspects of your day and let’s face it – are beautiful and smell divine!