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 ...
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- 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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Angel, i know brown is used alot but it goes beautifully with ivory and gold and gives a elegant look to it. plus it is a staple color in a closet your girls would love you for a wear again dress. you could choose a shade of green like sage, rose, taupe, apricot or shade of orange that looks good on girls. just about anything would work. first check out your venue and narrow down complimentary colors and as a must! find colors that suit your bm complexions, consider something they could wear again, and choose one color and let them choose their style ( davids has this) they will look pulled together but not so matchy matchy. (red or deeper green would be beautiful but look christmasy) neutrals would be a good place to start unless your looking for a pop of color.
Thanks Stacey, I’ll work around peach as you adviced. But what colur should I choose for my GM’s, and what will you advice for my choice of gown, I’m like 5feet tall, hope to hear from you soon.
stacey
you seem to be a pro at this could you give me some ideas on olive green theme for a in door wedding
My wedding dress is Ivory/with gold and our wedding is in October. What color should I use for the bridesmaid dresses. I would like to use gold as my secondary/third color.
bianca, here are 2 pics, the colors may not be exact but you can adjust that and still have the same look. pink and orange are very beautiful together. and have been used in weddings alot. okay for more pics, i couldnt list all the pics too many!!
i’d like you to google image pink and orange wedding this should give even more for you to look at!! dont you just love the outdoor wedding. i didnt notice the brown linens but it really anchors it. hmmmm. pretty. write back if you need more help!! if not, then have a great wedding and best wishes!!:D
Hi
I’m planning on getting married in summer 2010….. stil a while to go!
I have decided on a colour scheme ( chery pink & burnt orange), but I’m not quite sure if it will work well together. could you please give me advise on this
thnx
Bianca
hey guys need help im planning to weddings one for my friend colours orange,brown and olive green or orange peach and brown.and the other one is olive green and silver
gwynhyfar, go to snippetandink.com check out everything!! new and older posts.
gwynhyfar, sounds like your unsure of your colors why not mix the two. have a mostly white wedding. choose either the brown and white or black and white. i used word to copy and paste bouquet pics below and combined with with black and white then brown and white. i love the brown scheme with accents of pale blue and pink. but black looked great too. i just wouldnt add so much black to the reception its so overpowering. i am thinking subtle, soft, romantic.i have always read bold colors should be paired with neutral backdrop and combined with a softer color. if you like the idea of pale pink and blue against either combo then use it in ribbons, cake scroll work, etc. like you have the pink and white bouquet below and use a blue ribbon. have groom in classic black or brown and white and put girls in brown or black, with simple white roses tied with brown or black ribbon. use greenery everywhere. candlelight. add the gold accents which looks just as good with black. it will also warm it up. dont fret, if you are determined for the royal blue combo. you can still add pale pink and the light blue to it. google image pink and blue weddings for an idea, it looks so good together. royal blue and black is very bold i think it needs softening. i am not sure i would use royal blue, i think it could be alot unless you let the bm wear that color only. just a suggestion. : check out stylemepretty.com they have tons of pics/ideas just click on the dates on the left. i sure hope this helps.
gwynhyfar,
http://www.growithus.com/gwu/secondary-pages/weddings.html (check out the pink and white bouquet and the pink and blue)
gwynhyfar,
http://www.truebluebridal.com/store/Personalized-Bridal-Bouquet-Insert-pr-1369.html (love this bouquet white with blue ribbon)
brown gold and white would have been elegant and kinda different with touches of blue. your 1st color scheme you could have put him in a white tie with pink boutonniere or white bout. with a pink accent.
Helloo everyone
I started out wanting deep pink, chocolate, white and gold, but my fiance wasn’t thrilled about the possibility of wearing a pink tie. So now we’re doing a Black and White wedding with Royal Blue and Pale Blue accents. The only problem is everything is black and pink or blue and brown!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
temi, almost forgot have a cake that glitters. scroll down on this website and ella has a mood board with a glitter cake. see the tree in background and peach color of champagne. good luck!!:P
temi, more pics. i read article on the inspiration to winter flowers on favor ideas and it said one color is good for winter. i looked everywhere for a pic i saw a while ago, i think its by martha stewart. it was a table set in peach and ivory. with a big christmas tree in the background in peach and ivory. lots of candlelight and sparkle from crystals etc. and white twinkling lights. temi it was soooo beautiful. the table cloth was simple white i dont remember the centerpiece but i know it was peach set in green pine boughs. it was sooo elegant. and simple to do. this is the inspiration i was looking for, for your wedding. just do ideas from what i described and add peach bouquets except for you have a white one with peach ribbon flowing. add greens to bouquets too. putting girls in black, brown, or green would be amazing. peach would work too, just do a darker peach. you could also have them carry white flowers and you could carry peach. so dont change a thing have you ever seen a peach christmas tree? wow!! its pretty. go with this color and dont look back!! this color is definitley associated with winter, look at christmas decor books. hope this helps!!
hi temi, here is some pics. looked everywhere but still looking hope ya like what i have sent.
ella, you are very welcome!!
i am so glad you sister liked it. i love this color scheme for october. isnt it beautiful!! post pics after the wedding. take care and to your sister the best of luck!!
Thank u, Stacey. U have really been very helpful. She’s( My sister) very delighted abt it.
Looking forward to more detailed help from u when am planning my own wedding, soon……Thank you.
Ella
I’m getting married in december this year, I’m totally confussed with the colurs to choose for the day, I like peach though, and I also have problems with my choice of gown, I’m like 5.2 tall, hope to read from you soon.
I want to know if anyone knows were to find the lime green and lavander bridesmaid dresses pictured on this webpage, I’m getting married July4th 09 and these are the color bridesmaid dresses that I want for my weddig party. I have looked everywere and I can not find these colors, please help me !!!!!
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.