The color purple has long been associated with spirituality and creativity, and that makes it a beautiful choice for your wedding color scheme. This tulip centerpiece (photo above) which I created for a January wedding uses a tulip called ‘Purple Prince’. If you’re getting married and you love all things plum, pomegranate and mulberry, here are a few ideas for purple wedding decorations.
First, a few hue tips. Deep, rich or bright purples are generally associated with royalty and authority. Lighter purples are more delicate (think orchids and violets), and suggest romance and femininity. You may want to stick to mainly lighter shades, especially if you’re having a spring or summer wedding, and add touches here and there of bolder purples along with yellow or cream in spring, and orange in summer. For a fall or winter wedding, try combining earthy greens and sparkling silver with jewel toned purples.
Purple Wedding Flowers
The easiest way to incorporate purple is with flowers. Build your bouquet from purple irises, crocuses, orchids, clematis or tulips, freesias, roses, veronica and use a gorgeous purple ribbon to hold it together.
Here you can see how I have used the beautiful lilac freesia and purple veronica to give this bridal bouquet a beautiful fresh summer look. This bouquet also features rosemary which adds a beautiful natural fragrance to the bouquet.
If you are looking to add fragrance of course, you can always use that most famous of purple flowers…lavender. Lavender not only looks beautiful, it smells wonderful too. Other purple flowers with fragrance are freesias and stocks, both of these smell heavenly.
Lavender Provides Fragrance and Color
Lavender can also be used throughout your wedding. Bowls of dried lavender, or buds sprinkled here and there, bring a fresh, spring scent to the air. Put lavender soaps in the bathrooms, and lavender-scented candles on the tables. You can even use lavender in your food, as it has many culinary uses, and as gifts for your guests.
I loved these lavender place setting that one of our recent brides made for her wedding tables.
On Your Tables
Choose linens in purple hues, and combine them with a complimentary color or shade, such as green, or with a neutral like cream or white. Again, think of the season you are in. A bold eggplant shade would be a perfect backdrop for a fall dinner, while a spring setting would suit a lighter violet or lavender. Or, opt for purple chair bows along with neutral linens.
Purple Wedding Accessories
Lighting and centerpieces are other ways to incorporate purple wedding decorations. You can hang strings of purple LED lights that look like butterflies, orchids or flowers. Glass vases filled with purple marbles, clear stones, even jellybeans, and surrounded by candles, make your tables look both whimsical and pretty. You can even find purple confetti for your guests to throw…or, instead of confetti, have them throw dried lavender buds. They are biodegradable, and since they smell so nice you won’t mind having them stuck in your hair!
There’s really no limit on how you can use purple wedding decorations. Just stick to a shade that compliments the season, and be sure to combine it with one other complimentary or neutral color. Choose your hues right and your guests won’t even groan when your first dance is…Purple Rain!