Well, I didn’t mean for this to be a two-part post, but dang, I think Year 2011 (a little bit late, I know) is going to be the Year of Colour for me!
After attending an International Society of Event Specialists (Calgary chapter) event featuring celebrity wedding planner and colour guru Sasha Souza, I have just been bit by the colour bug. Sasha Souza is a master at using many shades/tints of colour and finding a balance between these colours to create delicious, seamless events — something that is easier said than done. Part of this skill is understanding colour theory, and how colour is used to create feelings and evoke the senses. As a bit of a colour-a-phobe myself when it comes to weddings, I really needed this kick in the rear to challenge my design skills and learn to balance what is seemingly a riot of colour and create a cohesive and joyous event that isn’t the same old “white, cream, ivory, etc”. Note, however, if you as a bride or event host happen to loooooove whites, creams, ivories, (etc.), then by all means, you are meant to have an event that reflects these favourite things! I just know that I tend to shy away from bold colours for fear of straying from “classic” or “timeless” design…which I learned is so the wrong approach as classic design can most definitely have colour — it is just more of how you approach the colour and how the overall design feels.
To flex these new colour skills and desires, I have decided to try and re-design my own 2008 wedding so that it reflects my favourite colours as opposed to what “would be appropriate and timeless”. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the colours I chose and a lot of the basic elements of the design remains, but I chose a lot of white because I wanted that “classic” and timeless feeling as well a “fresh” factor, and I omitted my favourite colour, purple, because I thought purple and green would be too “dinosaur”-y…A little ridiculous, perhaps, but at the time, I was really worried about looking back at my photos and cringing. My wedding colours were:
I most definitely did not see this photo back then, because I would have changed my mind in a heartbeat!
Photo via W-Wedding Flowers
My heart is a-flutter with that rich, saturated colour!
My bouquet was also a little more traditional, with more ivory and white than I had originally wanted, actually…if it were today, I would HAVE to have this creation by Aileen Tran:
And guess what? Those are hot pink carnations…yes, carnations, the dreaded flower most brides hate. (Sasha Souza actually talked about how carnations get a bad rap but they are such a versatile and also inexpensive flower — remove the greenery, of course, and they become instant petal-y, pretty flowers).
This is what my storyboard would like for my wedding if I had had the guts to go bigger!
Gorgeous, non? Again, please notice that I kept some of the same design — I would still use green apples and pink flowers but I would definitely go bigger with the colour! But did I cheat a little bit by adding silver chiavari chairs (which were out of our budget at the time) and upgraded purple linens, which would have stretched the budget as well? Yes, absolutely. However, the same basic ideas are still being used and I could have definitely wormed my way around to budget for that extra bit of cash required for purple linens and found ways to use more silver and mirrors. (P.S. Side note: I am dying to get a mirrored end table for my home!) Uplighting was always a desire of mine, but my limited search skills as a non-wedding-industry person did not make it happen.
So what is there to take away from this? Don’t be afraid to incorporate lots of colour, especially your favourites, and don’t be afraid to mix and match with your wedding so that all of your personal elements are incorporated! Not skilled in this area and need some help? Don’t be afraid to ask.
