One of the first questions that any bride-to-be will hear from friends is, "What are your wedding colours?' And girls, let me tell you something awesome: gone are the days of picking one (maximum two!) colour, pairing it with white, and plastering that single shade everywhere. Let me tell you why this isn't a good idea: 

1) It's totally boring.
2) There is absolutely no life to the aesthetic side of your wedding.
3) If the various shades of that pre-determined colour don't match from item to item (ie. from invitation to flowers to tablecloths), then it's going to look like barf - and some colours are harder to find than others.

So, here's what I think you should do when designing your palette:

1) Select 2-3 main shades. Yep, 3. These are the colours that you're going to be using most often - stationery, bridal party attire, flowers, tablescapes, etc. 

2) Add in 2-3 complimentary colours, which coordinate with your main palette. These will be used as accents to tie the rest of your palette together, in smaller details: ribbons, place cards, table numbers, and so on. 

3) Add in a texture or two - this is what's really going to give your palette life! Whether you lean towards a metallic or love the whimsy of watercolour, want to bring the richness of velvet or prefer the organic, raw touch of linen, this texture is going to ensure that the rest of your colour palette and overall design actually make your aesthetic choices FEEL how you want them to. The texture is what will give your guests a tactile experience.

So go for it! Try on some major colour and see how much easier it's going to be to pull everything together. Some shades I'm craving right now? Burgundies with peach and a golden caramel, complimented with deep plum foliage, the softest pink, and the ever-popular metallic gold, and of course, lots of jewel-tone greeneries!

Need help with your palette? I also offer Event Design services for a limited number of weddings each year. I'd love to talk with you about your wedding! Shoot me an email at stonehouseweddings@gmail.com and we'll chat!