Choosing Your Wedding Colors: A Guide for Designing Brides
And even if you're getting the cake from Ron Ben-Israel, he's not going to ask you whether your wedding theme draws elements from 14th century Venetian court dress ... he'll ask you about your colors.
A mere generation ago, planning the wedding was a lot easier. It expressed your social class, and your parents' tastes. Even if they had particular ideas, the market couldn't offer much in terms of individual design. But these days, your wedding expresses your personal style in a way it never has before. Translation? The pressure's on!
Sussing Out Your Style
Some brides can solve the color question without thinking too much about style. They might have a life-long love for purple. Or, their venue might have strong hues they need to coordinate with. Or, when they picture their wedding, they already see their bridesmaids awash in certain colors. Easiest of all: sometimes they already have a theme in mind.For others, it's not that simple. Still, you can quickly pin down the styles that get your heart beating almost as fast as your fiancé does. Does Martha Stewart's relaxed, preppy look command your undying devotion? Do you pray you can someday actually subscribe to H&M magazine? Did Vera Wang's modern, moody Bolshevik collection for fall 2007 incite heavy breathing? This gives you some major clues.
Destination: Home, Sweet Home
Still, even if you don't consider yourself a fashionista or a Martha devotee, all's not lost. Instead, let's turn our eyes back to home and hearth.Many brides aren't just looking forward to a wedding, they're also buzzing with anticipation over the dream house they plan to share with their beloved. And in the process of hunting down this love nest, most spent lots time mulling over their personal style. What did you picture in your mind's eye as the right setting for your new life together? A rangy colonial with a gabled roof? A warm, log-sided farmhouse with a wood stove in the kitchen? Or did you dream of finding a downtown loft bursting with recessed lighting and monochromatics, and flip through the new IKEA catalog to pick out your cabinets?
Or consider: do you dream of filling your home with antiques you can pass down to your children? Look to seasonal-inspired color schemes and ballrooms. Plan to drape your bedroom ceiling in yards of mosquito netting? A fairytale wedding drenched in candelabras, gold braid and gauzy swags might fit the bill. Collect exotic objects from all over the planet? Try an art museum for your setting, and a sophisticated or daring palette.
And if you're one of those eclectic types who pairs Amish rocking chairs with aboriginal artifacts, use this old designer trick: think of the last bit of art or furniture you bought to spruce up your house. That tells you what's on your mind lately.
Your Secret Romantic Style
So, you know your domestic style is Eclectic Contemporary. Congratulations: that means you're holding a black-and-white wedding with chartreuse accents and ostrich feathers in a huge SoHo loft, right?Hold it: not so fast. Why? Because many brides have a special romantic style that exists in a universe by itself. You might be thrilled picking out Art Deco style spaceships for your pendant lighting. And yet, when it comes your wedding, you might picture something a lot more traditional.
So even if you're the most fashion-forward girl on the block, take a moment to consider whether your wedding vision doesn't actually go back in time by few hundred years. You might secretly harbor a special place in your heart for New England autumns, Victorian elegance, English cottage style, or even timeless fairy tales. And if that's true, rest assured you've got plenty of company.
The Gown's the Guide
But how do you tell if this stylistic gotcha's operating in your case? Here's the secret: go get your dress.For many brides, The Dress is a journey that starts with many preconceptions, but ends in the unexpected. Finding the dress is usually a case of recognizing it once you've tried it on, not knowing ahead of time what you'll wear.
And once you've found it, the dress will offer some big clues about your Romantic style. Captured by a demure ivory gown covered in Alençon lace, with a button-back closure? Start your search with pastels and neutrals that suit a 1930's vintage or feminine garden wedding. Fell hard for a sleek, diamond white v-neck that's all about the lines? Investigate the crisper, more playful palettes we see today, such as black and white, aqua, bright pinks, lime green and corals.
Adjust for Geography, Venue and Season
Now that you've unearthed your personal style, it's time to look outward. If your style's traditional, for example, start with a hotel ballroom. If you want a strong seasonal feel for fall, try a rustic barn. Cultivated gardens go well with traditional, Martha-esque tints. Tents weddings are a blank slate: you can make them as classic or brazenly modern as your heart desires.Geography, too, plays a role in your colors. Tropical affairs in the blinding sun are often showcases for the brightest hues of all: coral and orchid, for example, or aqua and orange. Evening white-tie affairs in New York City? Not so much.
Many brides are in the middle, and want to weave in at least a seasonal hint. Fortunately for them, most seasons have palettes both traditional and modern. For example, a classic summer wedding might feature cornflower blue or sage, where a modern one draws on fuchsia and lime green, or orange, pink and black.
Even flowers help set the style. For example, a profusion of pinks in a bouquet of roses and peonies says English cottage. Mini-sunflowers and chrysanthemums says New England country. On the other hand, the color blocking in a hand-tied bouquet of purple callas is strongly modern.
Essential Color-Choosing Tools
Now you've got a style in mind, let's get to the art of actually picking colors. Here are a few can't-miss tools:Color Schemer. You'll need to create a free account, but this wonderful site has user-created palettes aplenty that you can search by keyword. Once you've registered, hit the "search schemes" button and enter words that fit your vision, like "fall,""garden," "sunset," "winter." Or free-associate with adjectives like "nautical," "peaceful," "modern," "preppy" or even "trendy." We promise, you'll be hooked.
Sherwin-Williams Color Generator. Hit their site, and choose "FIND COLOR." Click on any color that draws you, and you'll automatically pull up two accent colors that complement it. Cool.
Big Huge Labs Palette Generator. Have a photo on your hard drive that seems to capture your wedding's heart and soul? Upload it to a palette generator, which will kick out most of the main hues involved. Unless you're on the beach, use one of the more neutral, calming colors as a primary (e.g., use it for bridesmaids or table linens), and the more nervous, high-energy colors as accents (use these in table napkins, chair sashes, ribbons, and some of your flowers.)
Make a Mood Board. Once you've narrowed down some favorites, start grabbing photos (for your own personal use, of course). Make a special folder on your hard drive, and save photos that seem to fit the colors, setting and season you're going for. If you've got any photo editing software, start putting them together in one big image. This will tell you more than thousands of words how your look will play out.
Making the Most of Your Choices
Now that you've got your colors, how can you really make them shine? A problem that plagues some brides is an oversized fear of chaos. Although it's simple, most weddings aren't at their best when the groomsmen's vests and ties exactly match the bridesmaids' gowns, which in turn match the bride's sash.So, choose your colors wisely and stick with them, but strive for designing more than matching. Brown and ivory are neutrals when chosen thoughtfully, so use their many shades for a sophisticated, monochromatic look. If the bridesmaids wear mocha or persimmon, the men will look great in chocolate brown. And even if the flowers call for a palette of orange and yellow, let a little green or cream sneak in for dimension. Check for too much of a good thing: when the entire wedding party wears matching brown or black, the effect can be overpowering.
And They Lived Happily Ever After ...
Picking your colors is a journey, just like finding the dress, or knocking all those planning items off your checklist. But hitting on the right colors, theme and setting for the ultimate expression of your own Romantic style? That can be the pleasure of a lifetime.
Chime In!
Stuck on colors, and looking to chat? Upload some starter pics that shows us your venue, your dress or whatever you're working with. Tell us the season or theme, if you've got one ... then post away!You Might Also Like ...
- Month by Month: Wedding Themes and Colors for Every Season
- The Meanings of Colors in Weddings
- Dreaming of a Dazzling Green Theme Wedding
- A 5th Avenue or Beach-Style Aqua Blue Wedding
- From 40s Fantasy to Designer Deco: the New Black and White Wedding
- Pink Theme Weddings
- Is Orange & Fuchsia Too Loud for a Wedding?
- A Pale Pink & Champagne Springtime Wedding
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I am doing roses instead of feather vases. I found them in bulk at http://www.amazonflowers.com -a 100 stems that they will dye in your colors for $108 plus tax
ANd yes, I found those nylon butterflies on ebay and they were sold by bugs-n-blooms. I will check out Joanns Fabrics probably next month.
ella, one more. let me know what you think!! i love this!! great color scheme by the way. refreshing for a fall wedding!! :D:P:D>-
ella, the complete wedding board is so pretty i cant stop looking at it. http://abbyjean.typepad.com/style_me_pretty/2007/03/index.html
if it wont pull up go to stylemepretty.com click on october 2007 then go to top of page under style me pretty heading go backwards to march 2007 and scroll down to march 7,2007 elegance with a twist for more info. talk about pretty!!
ella, hope i am not resending some pics, but if so maybe it will give you even more ideas!!
ella, i would put girls in sage green and carry simple peach flower bouquet, consider adding a darker peach to warm things up for a fall season. tie off with a creamy shade of cocoa brown ribbon. i definitely would add creamy brown to this. i personally think it would look better. then carry this into your reception area. mimic the look with sage green linens and peach centerpieces, add that wonderful curly willow i rave about. put in brown containers. if you dont like the brown then you can omit it but personally i wouldnt. there is another scheme that is beautiful with peach centerpieces and that is the elegant look of champagne and cocoa brown, you mix a sage green with this and you have a sure winner.
ella, hi i found a few pics and looking for more. hope this helps!! by the way, this is the perfect colors for fall wedding!!
Hi Stacey, my sister is getting married in october 2008. she likes the color combination of green and peach.
Would you please match both colours nicely for her to see amd show mun and her fiance’. They think i wont be nice but i think it will be great and i want her to have what she wants
Its her wedding afterall.
Jst some matching up of the colors plsssssssss
hi kayla, i replied earlier to your post. what did ya think?
i gave some links for ya to look at.
hi
i am gettin married next year. my man wants it early next year but am thinkin maybe a summer wedding late in the year. if not then we ve to compromise on having a winter weddin. his favourite color is blue. mine are green,brown and gold. i havent yet got a color code but if we are goin to use blue then am thinkin blendin it with some pink.as for the other color scheme am thinkin green, brown n gold or replace the green with a deep maroon or red.
please advise me. l keepin movin in a circle. my idea of my color would be a blend of contrasting colors.
thanks in advance
had to resen this because i havent gotten a reply up until now
Katie, peach or pink and brown is not only for fall. everything is anew the key is add some greenery and some whites, dont overlook a pale creamy yellow to add to the mix, even if it is in tinges on peach or pink flowers.the idea is a clean fresh picked look. since you are considering peach/brown or pink/brown. pink and peach are such close colors so why not take a cue from the rose pic and combine peach and pink by picking a peachy pink shade.that way you dont choose between the 2, thats what i’d do.plus its an easy color to find and looks fab with brown and not to dark that it wont be refreshing for spring. notice the wedding inspiration board that peach has the pink tint to it.for more info check out the knot under real weddings they have wedding ideas by colors, seasons etc. or check out any of the wedding websites mentioned in some of the previous posts. style me pretty, artfool, etc. write back if ya need more help!!
I need help everyone! From what I’ve seen below, all of you are very helpful. I’m getting married late spring, 2009 and I’m having trouble choosing my colors. I’ve never claimed to be a very creative person and am toying with the idea of having pink / brown as the colors. Is this too fall for a spring wedding? If not, does anyone have any pictures of this combination other than what can be found on a google image search? Also, I like a peach and brown combo as well. Any help will be mostly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
kameilia, what are you wedding colors?
kameilia, post a pic of it if you can. use your dress as the inspiration.but a shade of green or shade of purple would go. if you dare, since your dress is of a color then you could put bm in a shade of ivory or white maybe with a colored sash. even if your wedding is simple. just choose elegant for semi to formal wedding and sundress or simple dress etc for casual. it would pull out the purple. just pick a shade like lilac or periwinkle, or lavender. if you go with this shade each girl could choose the shade of purple that looks good on them. plus it will compliment the peachy base. actually that could be your color scheme white or ivory with green and touches of the purple with yellow or a peachy-apricot. wanna keep it simple just go with the ivory or white with green. would look beautiful with your dress.
My wedding dress has a peachy base with yellow and purple beads. I am clueless on what color should the bridesmaids wear!! please help!
Julia, Joanns Fabrics carries very similar butterflies as mentioned in the link below.
julia, have you tried hobby lobby? there is a website bugs and blooms but i dont know if they carry cardboard butterflies. you could diy. i know that is time consuming though. it shouldnt be that difficult just make no more than 3 sizes of “patterns” then trace and cut, embellish as you like or have great paper and keep plain. if link dont work just google search bugs and blooms it will take you right to it. good luck!! http://www.bugs-n-blooms.com/
kayla google image winter wedding snippet and ink then google image winter wedding inspiration board .i actually love the blue green gold and brown. also head on over to elegala check out the many pics!! do a gold wedding with white put girls in brown or green, have centerpieces of blue hydrangeas and white roses set in clear vases filled with fake snow, or icy looking pebbles. have an abundance of fresh winter greens. add candlelight. you could really mix this any way you want. be sure to check out wedding bee, snippet and ink, style me pretty, the brides cafe. and martha stewart.
megan just google image yellow wedding invitations. you can also go to jean m catalog online, and check under wedding invitations find all the websites. i think willow lane is the name of the cheapest one. or diy have yellow invite paper, tie with checked ribbon or twine. could do this with a simple white invite with a yellow symbol up top too.
Does anyone know if there is a website where I can get a bunch of nylon/cardboard/foil butterfly decorations, hanging etc. I won a couple bigger butterflies on ebay, but its just so hard to win a bulk size of them.
julia,
it will look GREAT!!!
you can really do alot with those colors for a quince.!