Choosing a colour palette is one of the first steps in planning your wedding flowers, and one of the most enjoyable. Colour has a wonderful way of setting the tone for a wedding, bringing together the details of the day and creating an atmosphere that feels entirely your own.
From the softest, most delicate shades to rich, expressive tones, there are so many ways to approach colour. The key is finding a palette that feels natural to you, while complementing your venue, the season and the overall feeling you hope to create. Here are a few things to consider as you begin to explore the possibilities.
Your personal style
Before looking too closely at colour trends or gathering endless inspiration on Pinterest, take a moment to consider what you are naturally drawn to. Your wedding flowers should feel like an extension of your personal style, rather than a reflection of what happens to be popular.
Look to the colours you surround yourself with every day, from the pieces in your wardrobe to the interiors of your home. Are you drawn to soft, understated neutrals, or do you find yourself reaching for brighter, more expressive shades? Perhaps you love the warmth of earthy tones, layered with deeper burgundy or plum to bring a little depth and contrast.
There is no right or wrong approach. Sometimes the most beautiful palettes are those that combine colours you might not initially have considered together. Allow yourself a little freedom to explore, and notice which combinations you keep coming back to.
The atmosphere you want to create
Think about how you want your wedding day to feel. It is often one of the first things we discuss with couples during a consultation, as the atmosphere you hope to create can offer a wonderful starting point for the floral design.
For something timeless and understated, a palette of soft whites, delicate greens and gentle neutrals can feel effortlessly elegant. The addition of blush pink, powder blue or muted butter yellow can introduce a little softness and interest without overwhelming the overall look.
For a celebration that feels more expressive and full of character, you might be drawn to richer colours, unexpected combinations and a little more contrast. Deep berry tones, warm terracotta, vivid pinks or flashes of vibrant orange can bring energy and personality to a space.
Consider your venue, too, and what first drew you to it. Whether it was the grandeur of a historic country house, the quiet beauty of a garden setting or the character of an intimate country estate, these details can help guide your choices and bring a sense of cohesion to the day.
The beauty of the season
While there are no rules when it comes to seasonal colour palettes, the time of year can be a lovely source of inspiration.
It is easy to fall in love with the fresh greens and delicate pastels of spring while planning a wedding months away, only to find yourself drawn to warmer, richer colours as autumn approaches. Our surroundings have a subtle influence on the colours we enjoy, and the changing seasons can offer a natural starting point for your palette.
Spring lends itself beautifully to fresh greens, soft yellows, delicate blues and the gentle tones of the season’s first blooms. Summer can bring a sense of abundance, with everything from romantic pastels to sun-warmed pinks and vibrant, garden-inspired combinations. As autumn arrives, the landscape takes on a deeper richness, with warm rusts, cinnamon, plum and berry tones. Winter offers its own quiet beauty, from crisp whites and silvery greens to deeper, more dramatic shades.
These are simply starting points, rather than rules to follow. The most important thing is choosing colours that resonate with you, whether that means embracing the season or creating something entirely unexpected.
Your venue and its interiors
Your venue can offer some of the most useful clues when choosing a colour palette. Take time to look at the spaces where your ceremony and wedding breakfast will take place, paying attention to the colours, textures and architectural details already present.
Historic country houses, in particular, often have beautifully distinctive interiors, from richly coloured walls and antique furnishings to ornate panelling and patterned fabrics. These details can provide a wonderful foundation for your floral design. In a dining room with deep red walls and traditional furnishings, for example, richer jewel tones and warm, complementary shades may feel more at home than a palette of cool, pale neutrals.
Equally, a light-filled space with understated interiors may lend itself to a softer, more delicate palette, or provide the freedom to introduce bolder colours without competing with the surroundings.
Rather than thinking of the venue as something to work around, consider how the flowers might sit within it, complementing its character and bringing the space to life.
Finding inspiration
Gathering inspiration is a lovely part of the process, and Pinterest and Instagram can be wonderful places to begin exploring ideas. Try looking beyond wedding flowers alone, too. Art, interiors, fashion, gardens and the natural landscape can all offer interesting colour combinations and textures that feel a little more personal.
As you collect images, look for the common threads. Perhaps you are repeatedly drawn to a particular shade, the contrast between light and dark, or the way certain colours sit together. You may find that the images you love most have very different palettes but share a similar feeling.
Rather than trying to recreate one image exactly, use your inspiration as a way to communicate the atmosphere you are drawn to. This gives your florist the freedom to interpret those ideas in a way that feels considered, cohesive and suited to your wedding.
Trust your florist
If you are finding it difficult to settle on a palette, your florist can help bring your ideas together. We work with colour in many different ways, considering not only which shades complement one another, but how they will sit within a particular venue, how the flowers change with the seasons and how the overall design will feel when everything comes together.
You do not need to arrive at your consultation with every detail decided. Sometimes a few images, a handful of colours or simply a sense of the atmosphere you would love to create are more than enough to begin.
At Mollie & Mauve, we believe the most beautiful floral designs are those that feel personal, thoughtful and entirely in keeping with the day. Once you have a sense of the colours and atmosphere that feel right for you, the rest of the floral design can begin to unfold naturally.
