By Mallory Gladman, Founder of WasteKnot Weddings and Events
Wedding trends come and go, and from time to time BOLD colours come along to make a dramatic statement, as opposed to soft or muted colours and mood boards. All colour themes are beautiful. At WasteKnot, we don’t discourage bold colours. Bring on the colour! We simply encourage natural over artificial. Let’s discuss how to help you choose how to incorporate bold colours in your wedding theme without harming the environment.
FLOWERS
Before you set a colour theme for your wedding, think about the wedding date and time of year. What type of flowers are in season at the time of your wedding? If it is important for you to have fresh cut flowers in your bouquets or arrangements, please consider what is locally in bloom. From tulips and ranunculus in spring to mums and dahlias in the fall, there are many natural options to choose from. AVOID artificially coloured, out of season, or imported flowers.

NAPKINS and RUNNERS
Some great options to create a pop of colour on the dinner table are napkins and table runners. While table runners are purely for decorative reasons, colourful napkins actually have a further purpose. They encourage guests to actually use their napkins, especially if the texture feels nice and actually cleans the mess well, like linen or cotton. However, napkins that look and feel too “pretty” or soft, like velvet or microfibre materials, might not actually clean messes well. Just some food for thought.

FRESH FRUIT
Here’s a trend we can get behind! Adding fresh fruit to the table for pops of colour is fun and whimsical. Again, try to remain in season, not just in colour scheme, and support local farms where you can. Think about strawberries or rhubarb in the spring, peaches or melon in the summer, and apples or grapes in the fall. Just make sure the fruit is WHOLE, not cut, and clean enough to eat.

ATTIRE
A more interactive approach to add colour to your special day is encouraging guests and wedding party members to wear bright or bold colours and have some fun with your theme. Reminder: they shouldn’t have to buy something new to wear to the wedding. Encourage borrowing or buying second-hand if they don’t already have a bold-coloured outfit.

No matter what you choose, make your wedding day memorable in the way that feels best for you. Balancing colours is also important, so make sure you have some neutral elements so that it doesn’t feel too busy, like neutral chairs, tablecloths, or even the walls at the venue. When you have a blank slate, it’s easy to add colour. If there is already a lot going on, adding colour can feel overwhelming. What do you want to feel when you look back on your wedding day photos in 20 years?
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