“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true”
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the film release of the Wizard of Oz. With the themes of this story as our inspiration, we look at 7 tips for how to follow your own yellow brick road when planning a special occasion.
1. red – follow your heart
The colour red often signifies passion, energy and taking action. What better place to start when planning your special occasion than with what your heart desires. You can take inspiration and guidance from many different areas but make sure your event is personal. List out the things you really want to have at the occasion and what would make you happy. Think about how you want it to look, sound and feel to you and your guests (even taste and smell like too!).
Any theme can be adjusted to suit your occasion. For example, did you know that in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz book by L. Frank Braum in 1900, the shoes that Dorothy wears are actually silver? However, most people associate Dorothy with red shoes. Why? Because the film makers of the 1939 film adaptation decided to take advantage of the revolutionary use of new Technicolor. So you can tailor any occasion so that it brings your dreams to life.
2. orange – good communication
Orange is associated with optimism and communication. With this in mind, the next part of the planning process should focus on being able to communicate your vision with others. Once you have the plan of what you’d like your event to be like, share it with the people that are going to help you bring it to life.
Maybe you are involving an event planner, multiple suppliers or calling on favours from friends. Think about who needs to be involved, what they can offer, how it will come together, as well as where and when the event will take place. Also make sure you look at what budget is available and how much everything will cost.
At this stage, good relationship building is important and these friends (and colleagues) will help you along your journey. Just like in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy’s new friends give her support and the encouragement she needs to seek out the Wizard.
3. yellow – have courage 
Whilst yellow is often seen as a happy colour, it sometimes depicts cowardice. There will probably be some tough decisions to make when planning a big special occasion. Perhaps the reality of your budget means you have to rein in a few of your plans, or other people’s involvement means compromising on some thoughts, or maybe who you want to invite and have on your guest list causes headaches. So make sure you have the right people with you along the way to help with these difficult decisions.
For Dorothy, she sets her sights on finding the Wizard and stays focused on this end outcome. Her vision is clear, others join her and they stay on track despite facing obstacles along the way.
4. green – be resourceful
Don’t get green with envy. If there’s something that you can’t afford or can’t source, then consider making it yourself. Be self sufficient and do it yourself. Be resourceful to overcome set backs and perhaps consider different options.
Think about things you could borrow from friends, hire from suppliers or buy second hand rather than buying them new. There are lots of free local recycling websites to source products, online auction sites and car boot sales if you need to be clever with your budget. Or if you’re feeling crafty there’s lots of inspiration on sites like Pinterest on how to make event decorations like fan bunting, pinwheels, pom-poms or paper flowers (which are cheaper and last longer than real flowers). Involve your friends and family in making stationery as an ice breaker for different people to meet before the special occasion.
Take the lead from the main characters from the Wizard of Oz who all doubted their self reliance. They didn’t realise that they actually possessed the things that they were searching for all along.
5. blue – use support
The colour blue is said to be calming and instil a sense of peace, trust and loyalty. Keep this in mind when you are in the throes of planning your event.
At the beginning and end of your planning time, there will be a flurry of activity needed but in between it may feel like a lull of planning and decision making.
Focus on the end goal of what you want to achieve so you don’t get swept along or side tracked with irrelevant ideas. Remember that there are other things in your life as well as planning a special day and don’t lose perspective on everything else.
The support of your family and friends will be important. After all, there’s no place like home.
6. indigo – trust your head
Indigo is often thought of as the colour of idealism. However make sure you use your brains to not only visualise your dream but also to trust your intuition. Know when to include realism in your decisions too. Maybe you haven’t seen a second cousin for over 10 years that your parents think you should invite to your event but you don’t really know them. If you’d rather invite another close friend than your long lost relative then you may need the courage to address the situation with your parents to explain how you feel.
Perhaps use Dorothy’s friends (the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Woodman) as a guide to making decisions – what is your head telling you to do, do I have the courage to do it and, most importantly, how do I feel about it? Follow what your gut is telling you to do. Dorothy ventured in to the unknown and learnt to rely on her instincts and to trust her intuition to guide her on her journey.
7. violet – enjoy your creation
Don’t be a shrinking violet – let your imagination go wild! Inject personal touches in to your special occasion and you’ll be able to blend together families, friends, traditions, cultures and lots of creativity. Then enjoy it. Your earlier planning and communication with your suppliers will pay off now. You’ve put in a lot of effort, so now is the time to spend with your guests relaxing and making the most of your celebration. If you have involved a planner they can manage the special occasion for you which would mean you don’t have to worry about all the fine details on the day. Capture it too, so you have lasting memories of what you’ve achieved.
In the Wizard of Oz, the main characters all get what they really desired (a heart, brains, courage and to be able to return home) but they also ended up with much more than they first wished for.
Make your special occasion unique and tailored to meet your needs. Have the confidence to follow your own yellow brick road and your dreams can come true.
See how we went over the rainbow with our Wizard of Oz party.
Photography by Farrow Photography
