How to Make a White and Green Wedding Unique
One of the most frequently requested wedding palettes I get is white and green. To be honest with you, this stresses me out a bit, because it can be very difficult to make a white and green wedding unique. I want all of my weddings to feel personalized and special, so you can see where my struggle comes in.
So today, I want to show you different wants to make a white and green wedding palette unique!
Add an Accent Colour to the Flowers
Blush has been a very popular accent for the past few seasons. In 2017, I'm tucking in shades of burgundy, caramel, lavender and blues to add a bit of dimension and interest. Adding in a delicate touch of colour doesn't mean that you suddenly have a colourful wedding. I'm talking about a ratio of about 10% colour accent and 90% white and green. With a touch of colour, you get a distinct effect depending on the accent shade chosen: light blue becomes whimsical, burgundy becomes luxe, caramel becomes fresh.
Bring in a Lot of Texture
Bringing in a lot of texture adds interest. In the ceremony arrangement below, the texture is brought in through several different types of eucalyptus. Different shapes of leaves and the introduction of seeds make this feel interesting and fresh.
Accent with Natural Elements
I also love the idea of introducing natural textures - branches, pods, twigs, vines, herbs. For some wedding ceremony installations, I have gathered sticks for months ahead of time, knowing that they were going to add in a beautiful touch.
Layer in Different Shades in Your Reception Decor
I always like to select one key foundational colour to use throughout a wedding and tie it all together. I usually prefer something that's softer and more neutral, but it doesn't have to be that way! A white and green wedding palette works well with all sorts of great foundational colours, like soft grey, brown, champagne, blush, other shades of green, mocha, light blue, burgundy, lilac...really, anything!
Choose a Different Tone of Foliage
This is definitely one of the simplest ways to make your white and green bridal bouquet look differently than all the other white and green bridal bouquets. For Katie's bouquet below, I tucked in green viburnum (which is actually a flower!) and the fresh, bright green was a great choice. Or, you can go a completely different route with a different colour of foliage altogether! Magnolia is a gorgeous choice with those big, velvety, coppery leaves and copper beech foliage is also awesome. This would be amazing for a fall or winter wedding.
kampphotography
How to Choose a Gorgeous Wedding Colour Palette
Your colour palette is one of the most important things when it comes to the visual experience of your wedding, and there are a number of things to consider when you're first choosing the right combination. I'm going to briefly walk you through a few of the top things to consider, and then tell you where I think a lot of couples go wrong.
1) Your venue. Let's face it, a lot of venues have some BIZARRE and very noticeable colour palettes already going on. Purple and orange carpet, anyone? I've seen it (at more than one venue...barf). You definitely have to keep the built-in colour palette of your venue in mind when selecting your colour combination.
2) Your favourite colours! Are you drawn to warm tones or cool tones? Neutrals or bright colours? Do you like contrasting colours or complimentary colours? Pulling out a colour wheel is a great way to identify some possible accent colours. Check out this post for some great help.
3) How you can tie these together in a way that is unique, interesting, and not boring? Like all trends, colour combinations tend to go in cycles. And like everything that pops up on Pinterest, most colour combinations become VERY overdone. That doesn't mean these colours aren't great...it just means that the chances of your wedding looking a LOT like everyone else's are pretty high. Take, for example, navy/blush/gold. It's a great combination, but because of how overused it is, it doesn't lend anything personal or unique to your wedding style.
Okay, so what is it that I find most people do wrong when it comes to choosing a gorgeous wedding colour palette? They play it too safe! There's no need for you to stick to just 1 or 2 colours, or a palette which is predictable, or sticking to a combination that is overly seasonal (you don't need to use only white and green in winter...just do whatever you want!).
HERE'S MY TOP TIP FOR DEVELOPING A GORGEOUS WEDDING COLOUR PALETTE:
Don't be afraid to expand on your colour palette to find the right accents.
1. Take the colour palette progression photos above as an example. I started with a pretty basic colour palette: white and green. Now, there's nothing wrong with white and green but it's really hard to make a white and green bouquet different from the last white and green bouquet.
2. So, I added in a touch of burgundy foliage and berries. This added a bit of depth and texture at the same time, but it's not too much and if you're a bit afraid of colour, this is a great level for you.
3. Now, if you're ready to go a touch farther, layer in a bit of soft pink. This can be just an accent, or it can be bolder, too. Bonus points if your pink blooms have a touch of that burgundy tone, like the centre of these gorgeous lisianthus.
4. And finally, if the idea of adding in colour doesn't stress you out, then just go for it: add in some yellow. In almost every palette, I find that a delicate hint of yellow brings life and excitement.
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Here's another example, with a fall palette!
If you're unsure of how to develop your wedding colour palette, flowers are a great place to work in accent colours without needing to have different tones splashed throughout the decor. And if you need a second opinion or some different suggestions, I'd love to talk with you.
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Wedding Event Design 3.0 - Designing a Beautiful Ceremony Space
Over this last year, my favourite thing to design has definitely become a gorgeous ceremony space, and I've found this to be a really major part of the event design process.
Sometimes, despite the intimate words that are spoken during the ceremony, I find that the setting still feels impersonal. Chances are pretty good that the place where you're saying your vows wasn't built just for the two of you -- most likely, countless other couples have gotten married there, too. There's no problem with that at all, but it does mean that we have to work a little harder to make the space feel personalized to the two of you.
So, I aim to design a space for the two of you - maybe it's defined by an installation hanging above the two of you, or I create something to mark around the space where you'll say your vows. Maybe I can incorporate plenty of foliage and flowers to create a piece that appears that it's been growing there for years, enveloping you in it's secret garden-esque feel. I love getting my hands dirty here, working with more than just flowers and foliage! I'm not afraid to get out the power tools and build something, either!
Crafting a space that allows the couple to feel grounded and connected, a place that allows them to cherish each other and remind themselves of the focus of the day, is such a special opportunity and one that I love to have.
Video made by Prairie Film Co.
Below are some examples of different ceremony spaces that I've designed, all in the beautiful chapel at Cielo's Garden, but each feels different. I want my couples to know that I'm going to get creative and inventive for them, designing something different for them than they've seen before or different from what their friends have had. I'm working on some incredible designs for the same space next year, and can't wait for them to become real!
Photo by Pantel Photography / Designing this piece was one of the happiest projects of my wedding season this year!
Photo by Simply Rosie Photography / Loved bringing a garden feel indoors here.
Photo by Rachwal Photography / I was so happy when the bride told me butterflies were attracted to the flowers throughout the ceremony!
Photo by Keila Marie Photography / Designed with Amanda Douglas Events
Photo by Victoria Anne Photography / Setting designed by bride with Stone House flowers
Photo by Mackenzie Jean Photography / I collected the branches to build this piece for months!
If you'd like me to create a beautiful ceremony space for you, please don't hesitate to reach out.
What is Event Design, and What Does it Have to Do With Weddings?
What is event design? Good question - it's one that a lot of brides ask me as the whole category of "wedding event design" isn't something that's really moved north of the border yet!
Photo: Brittany Mahood Photography Stationery: Keeks Paper Co, Design: Stone House Creative
Think of me as an interior designer for your wedding: I don't build the house, but I make it look and feel good. Reeeeallly good. As an architect has to figure out which walls are supporting and where to put the plumbing, so a wedding planner deals with logistics (budgets, guest counts, timelines, etc). So, as an interior designer helps a house become a home, so an event designer helps a couple to create a vision for their wedding that is unique, considerately planned, and thoughtfully styled and executed in a personal way. Through the event design process, I deal with the way your wedding looks and feels.
I love taking all of the bits and pieces that a couple has imagined and lend my experienced eye to bring it together into a cohesive, well-designed event. Developing your style, figuring out what it is that will make your day special, unique and personal, and then pulling together all of the vendors who will be a part of that - linens and decor rentals, lighting, stationery, cake design - is all part of the process.
I very firmly believe that a unique design does not come from already produced work. Rather than spend hours scrolling through Pinterest to see what every other bride has already done, I'm going to walk with your through your venue, pointing out the best parts of it and the areas that we want to minimize. We're going to talk about the best floor plan options, and determine how we can use lighting strategically to enhance the atmosphere. I'm going to take your favourite colours and expand them into a cohesive palette that evokes a specific mood. I'm going to help you communicate this vision to your wedding vendor team: linens, stationery, decor rentals, lighting, and so on - anything that's visual plays a big part! And yes, I'll help you find those perfect vendors, too :) I'll be there on the day of your wedding to oversee your set up, ensuring that everything is going according to our visual plan.
Even better, as a floral designer, I'm the perfect person to trust your event design to. Flowers are a huge part of overall wedding event design - even if you want minimal florals - and I love the way that these two aspects of wedding planning come together and merge to help you create an amazing celebration.
If this resonates with you, then I'd love to connect with you. If you're already one of my floral brides, it's not too late to add event design on. I can work with what you've already got planned, or we can scrap it all if you want to. Or, if you're just starting out in the planning process, then this is the perfect time to bring me on board.
PS I loved working with Prairie Film Co on this video. If you're looking for an amazing videographer for your wedding, then check them out ASAP.
Budget Friendly Wedding Centerpiece Ideas
When it comes to wedding planning, I know: it's expensive. Every part of a wedding is expensive, and flowers are no exception. So when you're looking for ways to save a little money, I've got a few ideas for budget-friendly centrepiece ideas for you.
PILLAR CANDLES WITH UNIQUE COASTERS
Many wedding venues don't allow for open flame on the tables, for two reasons: 1) fire hazards 2) wax drips. If your venue allows for open flame, then you've got the perfect option for your centrepieces: pillar candles with unique coasters or dishes, to catch that pesky wax. Pillar candles are inexpensive to buy (hello, Ikea!), and will burn for much longer than your reception requires. Adding a coaster underneath, unique to your style and aesthetic, is a great way to pull it all together. In this case, we used marble coasters but if you're craft in any way, you could DIY something with concrete, wood, leather, glass...almost anything!
TAPER CANDLES WITH LOW-COST RENTALS
Taper candles immediately elevate the look of a table, and I personally love coloured tapers to deepen your colour palette. Clustering 3-7 taper candles together at the centre of a table is such a simple, elegant look for a reception. Here, I've popped them into vintage brass candle holders (rented for just $0.50 each) along with a low-budget cylinder vase. Easy to set up, easy to clean up, and cost-effective! If you want to create your own taper holder, I love this super easy modelling clay candle holder tutorial!
FLOATING FLOWERS
I'm not sure when or why floating flowers were forgotten about as a great option for cost-effective centrepieces. This style is easily updated depending on your style or wedding date: a single floating peony in a glass vase for a springtime wedding, or a few bright blooms in a fun copper bowl like this one from my inventory. I've also taken lined a ceremony aisle with galvanized buckets, and popped a combination of bright flowers with floating candles in them. Look for a pretty container than suits your style and test out a few different flower options (not everything floats well!).
BUDGET-FRIENDLY WEDDING CENTREPIECE TIPS
1) MIX AND MATCH: Alternate a higher cost centrepiece style with a lower cost centrepiece style to fit your overall budget. Just because you can't afford a $75+ arrangement on each of your guest tables doesn't mean you can't afford a total cost of $45 per table. You might alternate a fuller floral arrangement on half of your tables and something with candles on the other half of your tables.
2) WHEN IN DOUBT, KEEP IT SHORT: Floral arrangements that are short will almost always be more budget-friendly. The taller your centrepieces are, the more flowers that you'll need to create visual balance, and make a statement. So if you're on a tighter budget but want flowers on your tables, ask your floral designer to keep them low to the tables.
3) SINGLE-VARIETY ARRANGEMENTS: Keep centrepiece costs lower selecting arrangements that feature just one type of flower. An arrangement composed solely of stock is going to be more budget-friendly than a vase of roses, tulips, and stock. Why? Because all flowers come in bunches of 5, 10, or 25 stems and the more bunches that are ordered, the better wholesale price your floral designer gets on them. In most cases, it's also a lot quicker to design with just one type of flower than it is to work with several varieties.
4) STEM VASES ARE YOUR FRIEND: If you're looking to make a statement but want to keep you budget in line, ask your floral designer for stem vase options. You can cluster a few of these together with mini arrangements or single stems in each in the centre of a round table, or space out several stem vases down the length of a long table.
5) DON'T UNDERESTIMATE FOLIAGE: Just like stem vases are your friend, foliage is your FRIEND with a capital F. Some varieties of greenery are more expensive than others, but you'll always get WAY more of out 1 bunch of foliage than you will 1 bunch of flowers. A few stems of wispy greenery arching down the centre of a long table is beautiful, or a vase filled with foliage-only could make a unique and vibrant centrepiece.
Looking for more decor ideas for your wedding? Check these out!
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