One of the first questions we ask our clients when styling their event is, “What colours would you like to feature?” We ask this question for one reason…
Your colour palette effects every area of your event styling.
The colours you choose at the beginning stages of planning your event will determine almost every decision you make about your event styling. Your colour palette influences your choice of flowers, linen, stationery, signage and furniture. Why? Because once you choose your colour palette, every element of your event should be in alignment with these colours. Thats right, EVERY element. Your colour palette becomes a filter to determine what will be included in your styling and what won’t. It is a method for straining out the items that aren’t going to work, and ensuring that your styling is consistent through out every detail.
How to know what colours to choose
Choosing the colour palette for your event is completely up to you and what colours you love. As stylists, we LOVE using colour to make an event stand out and can make any feature colour work for your event. You might like to think about the location or venue of your event and what colours will work well in the space you are using. For example, if you are having a coastal event, you might like to use white and neutral tones with teal or dark turquoise features. Or if your venue is mostly blush and gold colours, you may want to stick to the venue’s colour palette and use white, blush and gold to ensure there are no colour clashes.
Another way to choose your colour palette is to do some research. Look through Pinterest, Instagram or a magazine to see what colours stand out to you. The goal is to choose two to four colours that you love and make these the basis of your colour palette.
Where things go wrong
The fact is that not all colours should go together. Your colour palette should be thoughtfully considered to make sure there are no nasty clashes. We all learnt in primary school that if you combine too many paint colours, you always end up with brown. A similar principle exists with your event colour palette. Choose just a few colours that complement each other. Show restraint with your choices. The alternative is a mix-match rainbow of colours that might be better suited for a tie died t-shirt. If you’re ever unsure about whether colours go together, just send us a message and we can give you some feedback.
The use of shades
Recently I have fallen in love again with the use of shades. Here is how it works. If you love one colour, add a lighter shade of the colour and a darker shade of the colour to make up your colour palette. For example, at the moment I am loving the colour known as ‘rust’. When using this colour as a feature colour for an event, I can use the rust colour as a central colour, as well as a lighter shade similar to blush and a darker shade that is a dark orange/brown colour. This would create contrast in my colour palette and add ‘light and shade’ to the styling.
Pulling it all together
So how do you use your colour palette to style your event? Start by creating a digital version of your colour palette. This can be done on Word, Pages, or even Paint! Just use whatever program you have access to. Then, when you talk with each of your vendors, send them your colour palette to ensure each vendor is providing elements based off the same colour scheme. You can send it to your florist, your stationery designer, your cake designer, your furniture hire company and even your make up artist! Ensuring every supplier you work with to stye your event is clear on your colour palette will add consistency to your event and is an easy way to take your event styling to a professional level.
BLACK, WHITE & GOLD
Photos by Lucas and Co
WHITE, BLUSH PINK, ORANGE & DARK GREEN
Photos by Cloud Catcher Studio
We hope that this post has been helpful for you. If you would like to get in contact with us about styling your next event, just send us a message!
