Beautiful...or Busy?

[E B]

Last night as I was falling asleep, I had an idea. When one plans a wedding, usually they plan around a theme and in most cases, certain "wedding colors" (i.e. beach theme: blue and green). If we indeed have a garden wedding (and we''re leaning strongly towards it), I thought about doing something a bit different...tying centerpieces and table assignments together, which in turn ties into the theme I''m asking about.

Instead of numbers, each table will have a flower theme. At the "Rose" table, the centerpiece will be beautiful roses and the table will be sprinkled with rose petals. At the "Peony" table, the same, and so on. Using all sorts of different flowers, I was thinking of not just having two colors (such as blue and green) but all sorts of different colors. My bouquet would be a beautiful mixture of in-season (Spring) flowers and table runners will be pastel blues, greens, pinks, yellows, and oranges. In essence, my theme is flowers and my colors are all.
So....

Does this sound tacky and thrown together, or do you think it could work? Be completely honest! I haven''t planned anything yet.

 

[JCJD]

It sounds wonderful! I hope you decide to go for it!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

I think it sounds very unique, and not at all thrown together!

You can do some kind of flower seed wedding favor.

 

[cutes814]

I think it sounds very special! But I don''t know how everything will look once put together. It sounds like a beautiful idea, but maybe a little busy. I don''t know how to comment on the idea unless I can see it. But it does sounds wonderful! And it''s your wedding, so you should have it however you like it.

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 5:57:25 PM
Author: Milly
I think it sounds very special! But I don't know how everything will look once put together. It sounds like a beautiful idea, but maybe a little busy. I don't know how to comment on the idea unless I can see it. But it does sounds wonderful! And it's your wedding, so you should have it however you like it.

It looking busy is what I'd be worried about. However, if I coordinated the table runner with the flower's color (lavender table runner for Irises, pastel yellow for Daffodils), it might look better and more pulled together vs. thrown together, which it won't be.

I'm just not sure though.

 

[JCJD]

You could try keeping all the flowers in the same color scheme, pastels for instance, as you hinted at, and tying in the color of the table runner with the flowers should do the trick. How many tables do you think you''ll have?

Are you having more than 1 attendant each? If so, don''t make their dresses/tuxes different, cause if you do it will definitly be too busy. Maybe have them wear taupe or cream, very neutral and light to coordinate with the pastel flower, garden theme.

My wedding was a berry theme, and what I loved about it the most is that I didn''t care a bit that the red tux vests didn''t match the red BM dresses, because berries come in all different colors! This really gives you flexibility to do what you want, not just what will match.

 

[Blue824]

I think the different centerpieces sound pretty, I love having arrangements stuffed full of one type of flower at home, so I'm sure I'd love it on a grander scale. But I guess I'm picturing walking into a rainbow room, especially with the matching runners...My initial reaction was to just do basic linens the same at every table to sort of balance the range of colors everywhere so it isn't so overwhelming. Or if you want colorful linens to do different flowers but in a more limited range of colors.

Oops, similar sentiments as JCJD, posting at the same time.

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 6:15:36 PM
Author: JCJD

Are you having more than 1 attendant each? If so, don''t make their dresses/tuxes different, cause if you do it will definitly be too busy. Maybe have them wear taupe or cream, very neutral and light to coordinate with the pastel flower, garden theme.

As of right now, we aren''t having any attendants, so the biggest concern is the look of the room.

p.s. I love your berry idea!

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 6:16:02 PM
Author: Blue824
I think the different centerpieces sound pretty, I love having arrangements stuffed full of one type of flower at home, so I''m sure I''d love it on a grander scale. But I guess I''m picturing walking into a rainbow room, especially with the matching runners...My initial reaction was to just do basic linens the same at every table to sort of balance the range of colors everywhere so it isn''t so overwhelming. Or if you want colorful linens to do different flowers but in a more limited range of colors.

Oops, similar sentiments as JCJD, posting at the same time.

The rainbow room doesn''t sound appealing, eh? Is it because it''s too many colors at once, or because it''ll resemble a child''s birthday party? Worries, worries, worries. If done right though, I can''t help but think it''ll look amazing.

If I''m going to do a limited range, I''m going to stick to one or two colors, probably pink and green. But that''s a whole new planning scheme.

 

[CareBear]

I love the idea of different types of flowers at each table. but I don't know if I like the idea of many different colors for each table. I guess it depends on how much flowers you decide on put on each table. It you have a table full of flowers of all different colors, it might look really busy. Or you can have only 1 color at each table. I would pick maybe 2-3 colors and alternate between the tables.

 

[sunkist]

I''m seconding Blue''s idea of having nuetral table linens and then go for the range of colored flowers. Or maybe not even nuetral table linens, but just a subtle solid color, like green or pink. Then have beautiful boquets of different flowers on each table. I think it sounds lovely!!

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 6:48:23 PM
Author: CareBear
I love the idea of different types of flowers at each table. but I don''t know if I like the idea of many different colors for each table. I guess it depends on how much flowers you decide on put on each table. It you have a table full of flowers of all different colors, it might look really busy. Or you can have only 1 color at each table. I would pick maybe 2-3 colors and alternate between the tables.

I''d only do one color per table. My bouquet would be the only multi-color arrangement.

 

[glaucomflecken]

I know this is probably nothing at all what you were thinking of, but all the talk of "rainbow" rooms reminded me of a girl who did a rainbow themed wedding when I was on my local knot.com board. i think hers looked neat!



http://talk.theknot.com/boards/User/Profile.aspx?bioname=toledobride2b

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 6:51:33 PM
Author: sunkist
I'm seconding Blue's idea of having nuetral table linens and then go for the range of colored flowers. Or maybe not even nuetral table linens, but just a subtle solid color, like green or pink. Then have beautiful boquets of different flowers on each table. I think it sounds lovely!!

So you're saying have something like...ivory colored runners? Or maybe pastel green runners on each table, despite the flower (red roses, irises, etc.). I'm just trying to get a picture in my head. I think I might have confused some earlier by mentioning that my bouquet would be made up of different flowers. I wouldn't be doing different flowers at one table, I'd be doing different bouquets of the same flower at different tables. Table 1, Irises. Table 2, Peonies. Table 3, Daffodils.

Am I making sense?

I'm starting to confuse myself!

 

[ky6]

i like the idea of doing flower themed tables in nice springy flowers. But I think for me what I am seeing in my mind with 5 or so pastels is Easter. So IMHO it may be better to limit the number of different colors (or throw in a nice springy primary color or two to offset the whole myriad of pastel).

 

[E B]

Date: 1/17/2006 9:36:12 PM
Author: ky6
i like the idea of doing flower themed tables in nice springy flowers. But I think for me what I am seeing in my mind with 5 or so pastels is Easter. So IMHO it may be better to limit the number of different colors (or throw in a nice springy primary color or two to offset the whole myriad of pastel).

I''d only be doing the table runners in pastels. The flowers would be rich, vibrant colors! Would it still look too Easter-y?

This is a pretty horrible picture of what I''m envisioning (done in paint):

If it''s ugly, tell me! I''ve got several backup plans, including pink and green (a color combo I love).

 

[monarch64]

Ebree, I think you''re definitely on to something with the flower theme. And I think with a bit more focus towards either brights or pastels you could have something really spectacular evolve from this. Have you thought at all about brights as opposed to pastels? I was thinking gerbera daisies and how beautiful a rainbow of tables could be with all the colors they come in...
Are you set on having all different types of flowers, or could you narrow it down to one type of flower in different colors...tulips are another type that come to mind that are available in many different colors. I guess I''m just thinking that the simpler you keep things according to theme, the more visual impact it would have.

 

[qtiekiki]

I think it''s too busy with different flowers and colors plus different pastel table runners. I think it''s better to keep the table runner one neutral color (tan, mocha or champagne) and just let the flowers stand out. I love the idea of different flowers at each table. I think your bouquet tying in all the different colors is a cute idea, but I can''t really picture how it would look as a whole and don''t think that your bouquet being the only mixed colored bouquet will tie the colors together well enough.

 

[MissAva]

I am not really sure I can see in my head exactly what you are thinking. In part it would have to do with the size and style of the room. I clicked on the knot one and I thought it was a bit garish, and made me think of a circus.

 

[Mara]

hmmmm i'm thinking kaleidescope.

i like the idea of having all ivory table linens or doing a soft sage green table linen and then modify the flowers and colors per table but not matching the table linens. the reason why is that sometimes it's hard to match flower colors to cloth. flowers are nature and it's very hard to match it in my opinion. you run the risk of it looking garish or too off from the flowers imo.

i didnt really have a huge theme persay in our wedding, we did it outside but i didnt want to be married to a theme, so we did mauve rose bm dresses and my flowers were a mix of sage greens and rose mauves and whites, and the guys wore black suits with a sage green ties, tied in with the green of nature in kauai and the flowers on the tables were all white orchids. so i tried to incorporate some of the colors around us but not be tied/married to a theme and it worked out great.

personally i am not a fan of tight themes where everything has to be one color or the other, to me that's SO weddingy. i think if you have a nature outdoor wedding or similar, stick with shades close to nature or neutrals (table linens) and then use bits of color to jazz it up (flowers). same with the cake, you could do an ivory one or something and then do bunches of real flowers on it or similar.

good luck!

 

[selflove]

What if you choose just one color, a color common to many varieties of flowers, and have bunches of that colored flower on each table. If you chose pink, for example, you could have the Hydrangea table and all the hydrangea in the bouquet are pink. On the Tulip table all the tulips are pink, on the Rose table all the roses are pink, and so on. It might make for a more cohesive look.

I actually really like your idea of having different flowers at each table and then naming the tables after the flowers, instead of numbers. I hope it works out!

 

[researcher]

I agree with a lot that''s been said here.

I too suggest you stick with neutral linens, but I think it could look really neat if you had different colored runners! You just have to make sure that you tie all of the colors together.

One great way to tie in the various colors would be to have a few large floral arrangements with a mix of all the flowers, then have each table one particular type of flower. The only thing you might want to consider is using brighter flowers. If I were doing this theme I would have lighter shades of the flower colors for the table runners, but nice, vibrant flowers. For instance, you could have a violet table runner and purple mums or asters, and pale orange runners with bright orange tulips or gerber daisies.

This way you could keep your personal bouquet pastel, but make the atmosphere more vibrant and fun. Just a thought!

 

[E B]

Thank you, everyone, for your honest suggestions. I think I''m going to scrap this idea (however lovely it seemed in my head) and go for something a little more cohesive. Right now, I''ve got two ideas in mind (one of which was contributed by selflove, thank you!) and the other, inspiration from my mother''s favorite flower. I''ll go ahead and post about those later, as you ladies are my best critics and I NEED opinions!

 

[flopkins]

I don''t know if anyone mentioned this, and it sounds like you''re scrapping it anyway, but I just wanted to add that checking what flowers are in season and would be available in your area should be something to check into before you get too excited about a certain type of flower!!