My friend Christine just got engaged and is in the early stages of planning her wedding. She’s still nailing down a venue, date, etc but as she’s a designer by trade, her mind is already squarely on the fun, pretty stuff!! And that is fine by me because I love all that stuff and am always ready with an opinion and 900 inspiring images (only a slight exaggeration when I open my iPhoto!)
So here’s what we know so far:
The season – next fall
The likely venue – an art museum
The overall aesthetic – modern with pops of color and a nod to the seasonality (note I said “nod”…pumpkins need not apply)
As a designer, color is important to her and she’s leaning toward a bright, cheerful yellow paired with a cool gray. Definitely a popular color combo these days. BUT the addition of a pomegranate hue keeps it fresh and slightly more fall-ish and organic. I also love the idea of these pops of color in a more modern, stark space like the art museum.
With a color palette in mind, I always turn to nature for inspiration first (made even easier in this case because of the pomegranate!) I think one of the most difficult things as a new bride-to-be is figuring out what flowers work with your color palette and what the heck they’re called so you can communicate it to your florist of choice. Luckily I am obsessed with flowers and know way more even obscure varieties than a normal person should.
First up – yellow. Abundant in nature and available in tons of different flowers, this is definitely the easiest color to source for florals. But I was looking for something that would work for both color and overall modern feel. Bonus points if I could find them combined with that maroon-y, pomegranate color. Enter Billy Balls. They look great solo (for a really streamlined look) but in conjunction with other more ruffly flowers, they add the perfect graphical element and keep the whole thing from looking too deconstructed. And of course, they come in the perfect shade of yellow.
{images via Green Wedding Chica, A Many Splendored Thing, Holly Chapple Flowers, JL Designs}
Next – the pomegranate hue. This could be tough to match and quickly get into the maroon mum realm when really what we’re looking for is a more vibrant color. I think several varieties of garden roses, cymbidium and vanda orchids could work, but for some interesting texture in just the right shade, try kangaroo paw. It adds the perfect amount of looseness to a bouquet, juxtaposes the tight Billy Balls nicely and again, is just the right shade. AND it also comes in a lovely yellow. Brilliant!
{images via edhat, Geelong Advertiser, The Knot, Apartment Therapy, Photo.net}
Finally silvery gray. Finding this shade in the floral world might seem downright impossible. But it’s actually not and there are options that range from modern to romantic to organic. If a minimal look is your thing, silver brunia is perfect. Similar to Billy Balls in it’s orb-like composition, I love it by itself or side by side with a more traditional, textured flower. A ring of dusty miller around the circumference of a bouquet can also add the perfect amount of gray as well as a girly frillyness that I love. And scabiosa pods can look a little greenish but I think it’s all about how you combine them with other flowers. I love their interesting texture and shape. The more I look at them, the more I love them.
And let’s not forget pomegranates themselves. No, I’m not suggesting we pop them into bouquets! This is just an accent color so perhaps they make an appearance at the reception in gorgeous little pyramid piles or glass bowls interspersed with white and yellow florals. I also love that they symbolize hope and eternal life. What could be more appropriate for a young couple beginning their journey together?!
This is just the beginning! I can’t wait to brainstorm more on Christine’s wedding and share all the prettiness here. Frankly, it’s a nice distraction from the fact that I’m 35 weeks pregnant and about to tip over.
