The Wedding Colors Chose Me

Do you ever feel like wedding planning is turning you into someone unrecognizable? I look in the mirror and I hardly know myself these days.Okay, maybe it's not quite so dramatic, but I do want to state for the record that I've never been a big fan of the colors pink or orange. Then one day I was browsing one of the big wedding blogs when I saw an inspiration shoot that awoke all the silly girlishness within me. Suddenly I had to incorporate the color pink into our wedding. PINK. And peach. And salmon. And a lovely cornflower blue I'm a little obsessed with at the moment. Who was this person who wanted pink and orange tones popping up on her wedding day?

Our color scheme! (personal photo) 

So what images inspired this about-face in color preference? Well, let me share them with you!

Image via: StyleMePretty / Photography by: Corbin Gurkin / Event Design by:  Maine Seasons Events

This image has it all -- gorgeous ruffled garden roses in peachy, pinky hues, and that pop of blue from the delphinium. When you see the rest of the inspiration shoot, you will weep silently to yourself. At least, that's what I did when I first saw them. You see, they seem to be the perfect inspiration for my Marie Antoinette countryside wedding theme. 

Let's ogle some more images, shall we? Mmm. . . wedding inspiration. . . 

Image via: StyleMePretty / Photography by: Corbin Gurkin / Event Design by:  Maine Seasons Events

These images sent me on an insane hunt for the elusive blue milk glass you see in these photos. I now have a collection of around six or seven pieces. Ideally, I'd like to have one blue piece for each table. These images also had me second-guessing my choice to avoid using gold in our wedding palette. I am going to try to switch the gold out for small silver accents, but I'm worried it won't have the same rich glow that these images evoke. Either way, gold is one of those colors you have to treat carefully. I don't think I have the designer skill to balance it right without it looking garish. Besides, I think stepping away from the gold allows more of that casual countryside feel to shine through and less of the rococo gilded opulence you often think of when you think of Versailles. 

Right now our centerpieces will be a mix of white milk glass, blue milk glass, and little tarnished silver pieces made up of sugar and creamer containers, and a few odds and ends I've found at local antique stores or the flea market. I've also collected some vanity trays and mirrors to use as a base for our centerpieces. 

Oh, and did I mention we are going to DIY our flowers? Yeah, that too. Because apparently I am insane. I'm hoping the whimsical country feel of the wedding will mask my lack of experience when it comes to flower arranging.

So while the above inspiration images are my ideal, my Holy Grail of inspiration so to speak, I think the reality will look something more like this (obviously with more blue and less yellow): 

Image via: StyleMePretty / Photography by: Amie Schroeder / Floral Design by: Hana & Posy

I am actually quite proud of the collection of white and blue milk glass Mr. C and I have amassed over the past few months. That collection will require an entry of its own soon!

Did you find that wedding planning caused you to seek out colors or inspiration that you would have otherwise ignored or disliked?

Wedding Inspiration Fit for a Queen

In my last post I described my wedding vision: Marie Antoinette at the Petit Trianon. But how exactly does that translate to wedding decor? I think it's time for a montage. Yes, a wedding inspiration montage. (cue inspirational 80's music)

Sources: Cakes, Cupcake Toppers, Flowers, Art, Tablescape

This is where I started, with some of the classic colors associated with Marie Antoinette: bright pinks and sky blues. Unfortunately I think it would be way too easy to go over the top with pinks and blues, so I decided to find a way to tone these colors down and get back to my original inspiration. Here is the result:

Sources: Ribbon Garland, Milk Glass Vases, Bouquet, Marie Antoinette (personal photo), Tablescape

As you can see, I added softer pinks and blues and found images that included peach and cream tones as well. I keep coming back to that iconic portrait of Marie Antoinette--the slate blue of her dress, the delicate cream lace, that blushing pink rose in her hand which echoes the color of her cheeks. It evokes all the lovely colors I hope to represent at our wedding. And with that, here is our wedding color scheme: 

Color scheme by me!

I never would have imagined that I would include any pink or orange tones in my wedding, but one inspiration shoot changed everything and set me on a mad hunt for blue milk glass. But I will save that for another entry!

One thing that will definitely not show up in any of our decor, paper goods, or signage is the phrase, "Let them eat cake." Marie Antoinette never uttered this famous phrase so often associated with her, but she has been branded with it in every high school history text book. In fact, as soon as you mention Marie Antoinette, people immediately think of the spoiled, out-of-touch queen of the French Revolution, snubbing her nose at the starving peasants by insisting that they eat cake if they can't find bread. You can read more about it here. 

How did your wedding inspiration evolve over time?