Colour Palette Playbook: Adding colour to your wedding flowers
Colour palette is a totally personal choice and with so many options, it is a great opportunity to establish the aesthetic for your day. Bridal white is a beautiful and classic wedding colour palette. It will be timeless and chic 10, 20 or 50 years from now. We love it. However, injecting some colour can bring an undeniable joyfulness to your day or add a unique sophistication. If you want to do something other than white but you’re nervous about adding colour to your wedding flowers, read on to learn more.
First off, I want to explain a few key terms that will be important as this discussion evolves.
Colour wheel
Colours are arranged in a circle with closely related colours next to each other. As you move around the wheel, the colours blend in to each other.
- Colours next to each other on the colour wheel are called analogous colours. They feel very natural together.
- Colours opposite from each other are called complimentary. These colours pop off each other and feel very exciting.
Saturation
This refers to how intense a particular shade is. Think about looking at paint chips at the hardware store. Shades are arranged in a gradient from more saturated to less saturated with less saturated shades containing more white compared to more saturated shades. Think about the difference between a super ripe watermelon in a bright, deep reddish-pink colour and one that is very pale and likely watery tasting. More saturated shades (jewel tones) add richness and “taste” juicy and almost tart, less saturated shades feel bright, happy and “taste” sweeter to your eyes.
Muted Colours
“Pale pink” can vary considerable beyond just the level of saturation. This is what makes baby pink different from a muted blush. Muted colours have undertones of grey or brown mixed in with the white. Think of a dusty pink, dusty mauve or dusty blue – they all have underlying grey/brownish hue. Muted tones can feel sophisticated, calm, grounded and have a vintage-y feel to them. Muted tones are super on-trend these days!
The following are examples of colour palettes from simpler to more complex combinations. I’ve tried to give some examples that feature more crisp, “pure” colours as well as some examples with more muted tones.
Add a colour to a mostly white palette.
White/cream + X can be classic but a little more unique, feminine without being overly girly. Example: white with dusty blue accents; whites with pops of pink; whites mixed with very soft, muted pink. Images provided by: Kurtz Orpia, Jenn Kavanagh, Injoy Imagery, Wee Three Sparrows, Q+O, and Marcucci Photography.
Layer in more shades to a simpler palette.
Using the white + X palette (like the examples above) as the base, add in more shades of the main accent colour. Keeping the same colour but adding more saturated or darker tones will create depth and richness. Photos by Q+O except top left by Olive Photography.
Choose closely related colours
If you want more colour, choose closely related colours to create an analogous colour palette (pink, peach, and butter; or purple, mauve and pink; . Keep most of the shades paler (like pastels or muted hues) and add pops of more saturated tones to add excitement. Or go for most saturated tones and use pops of paler shades to help soft and transition between the colours. Even with some brighter/more saturated tones, an analogous colour palette will feel less chaotic than having colours from all around the colour wheel. Photos by Q+O except top right by Tara McMullen, middle-centre by Olive Photography and bottom right by Kendra Vandervelde.
Add splash of complimentary colour
To add more complexity (and excitement!), you can incorporate a complimentary colour (one on the opposite side of the colour wheel) to an analogous palette. Pale blue or soft lilac will add more punch to a pastel palette of peach, pink and butter tones. Photos by Kurtz Orpia, Wee Three Sparrows, Hello Inspira, Diane Askew Photography, Q+O and Jenn Kavanagh.
Interested in adding some colour to your wedding day? Get in touch for a consultation today!