Soul & Oak: Soul & Oak Nature's Palette

I just finished a Instagram Challenge and Giveaway while we were road tripping through the Pacific Northwest and I wanted to explain more of what it was, why I did it, and the results. I created the hashtag #sonaturespalette to stand for Soul & Oak Nature's Palette. The inspiration for finding event décor color palette inspiration in nature came from my own wedding.

I am from San Luis Obispo, I think I have made that clear. :) And there is this place tucked way back in the Eastern part of that county called the California Valley which very few people know about. To be honest, a lot of people from San Luis Obispo don't even make it out that way very often. The first time I ever did was in my mid-20s. In the spring it flourishes with the most beautiful wildflowers spread out over rolls and rolls of hills. It's gorgeous. Fast forward to a few years later I was in a fabric store and noticed a fabric that was mustard yellow and grey and it brought to mind the colors of spring in the California Valley and I thought, if and when I get married, I want this to be the color palette. And a few years later, it was...

California Valley - yellow flowers, grey accents in the hills
Photo by Michael L. Baird {link to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Valley,_California#
/media/File:California_Wildflowers_off_
Bitterwater_Rd_23Mar2010.jpg

A fabric like this reminded me of the color palette found in the California Valley
Fabric is by Color Theory by V & Co.
{link to https://www.etsy.com/listing/219196799/
mustard-yellow-and-gray-floral-fabric?ref=market}

The result in our tablescapes
Photo by Sarah Kathleen {link to sarahkathleen.com}

The result in the bridal party's dress
Photo by Sarah Kahleen {link to sarahkathleen.com}

So I thought it would be fun, while traveling through some of the most beautiful nature the USA has to offer in the Pacific Northwest, to find other fun event décor color palette inspiration. Although nature is the best source, I was open to finding it in architecture or life in general. I downloaded Sherwin-Williams Color Snap app found here to help me with the process of pulling colors from the pictures of nature that I captured. It's a really fun app to play with. This challenge was a way for me to stay connected to my new business and the artistic element of it while traveling and it was a way of trying to build a following on Instagram.

Pike's Place Public Market - Seattle, WA

Totem Pole on beach in Langley - Whidbey Island, WA

The end result: I loved the challenge and the new palettes I came up with daily that I may have not ever thought of before. As I would look at them, the decorations and style and theme of the party would develop and I would get super excited about opportunities to actually incorporate these palettes into an event. As far as building an Instagram following, well, I got numerous likes on the photos but maybe only a handful of people started following me from it and only one person actually signed up for the giveaway, and it was a friend (an amazing friend!). :) So, I guess my Instagram Giveaway was not the most successful. I don't know if I just don't have a big enough following yet, if the directions weren't clear enough, if the prize wasn't awesome enough. Needless to say I still need to tweak it a bit in the future when I do one again but I think I may wait awhile.

I wanted to post all the pictures here so you can see them in all their collective glory. The first four are my favorites.