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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- Pink Theme Weddings
- Is Orange & Fuchsia Too Loud for a Wedding?
- A Pale Pink & Champagne Springtime Wedding
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marie. red pink and white are perfect summer colors. just look to any garden wedding theme or summer wedding theme on the internet. i once saw a picture of a peony wedding bouquet in your chosen colors for a summer wedding. OH MY GOODNESS. it was beautiful!! you are on the right track and lots of greenery would only make this pop. I am not sure of your wedding theme but you could easily make this lush, modern, rustic, etc. since weddings are my hobby i can tell you it is easiest to pick colors that will be seasonless or will work in any theme year round. and yours are. good luck!!
hi joella, red and purple do work!! I did a wedding for a friend of mine in these colors and it was gorgeous. i am an artist so…i can tell you red and purple are analogous colors on the color wheel that compliment each other. just make sure it fits in with your location. And depending on what type wedding you are having. If, a modern loft type wedding these colors with lots of candlelight will prove even worthy of a celebrity. (check out red and purple weddings on the internet) these colors can go well in a garden theme but will need a tad more white to keep it fresh, which can go from spring into summer. if its a fall wedding these colors couldnt be more ideal!! they are, in fact, colors of the changing leaves but go with more of a cranberry red and plum. Winter? this can also be easily done with red as your main colors add touches a winter purple (look to christmas decor for ideas on the right shades) so the possibilites are endless!! by the way my friends wedding was a victorian theme with red and deep purple tiny flowers on a greenery garland wrapped in tulle and white lights. if you want write back and tell me more of what you want and maybe i can help. season? location? etc. i hope this helps. also look at the color wheel and color schemes (types) for a more visual aid. happy wedding planning!!!
I was thinking about using red and some sort of purple for my wedding colors. But some people are telling me that they will clash with each other can you give me your opinions on the two colors together? Thank you very much for all the ideas.
Im getting married in 2008 not sure on date yet but mayb june 7th and was wondering if red and pink and white would go could together?? Please help
i need help. my wedding is set for march 2008. it is going to be at a garden. 7:00 pm. i am not sure what colors to use. I was thinking lavender and cornflower. i also toyed with the idea of lime green and fushia and bm’s with black dresses? help.
i am getting married this year in December and i am having a peach and olive green wedding and not so sure how it will be and not so sure what my guys will wear, wat else goes well with the two colours
A few additional color schemes I had in mind were a Brown, Cream, and Lighter Torquise to make everythign pop. Also I saw this idea from a reception online.. they used few shades of a lighter green (like celaphon) light yellow and black to make it look for crisp and formal. It tied in amazing with the whitre dress as well. Which do you ladies prefer? An idea for those trying to come up with colors… go to home depot in their paints department and grab a few swatches. You can hold the colors to see which go well together and compliment each other. This works especially well if you want more than two or three colors (which is me) Happy Planning!
Hi ladies! I love reading everyones ideas to get a few of my own. I’m getting married in 2009.. but it never hurts to start early! Here are the shades and combinations I’ve had in mind. My fiance wanted a beach wedding and I never really considered until I went to one and it was absolutly gorgeous. So I was thinking of a sunset wedding using colors to mimick the horizon, such as oranges, yellows, and soft creams ( the have beautiful red orange calla lilies that would tie this scheme in wonderfully). My only concern is wondeign if these colors would clash wiht my PURE WHITE dress :meh:.
PLEASE HELP MY WEDDING IS JUNE OF NEXT YEAR AND LIME GREEN IS MY FAV COLOR!! I EVEN GOT MY OTHER HALF TO GO WITH IT! I FOUND STUFF FOR THE MEN WITH THAT COLOR IN IT BUT NOT DRESSES FOR MY BRIDESMAIDS!! AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO MATCH WITH IT!! HELP ME PLEASE!!
Here are a few suggestions for colors that go with Navy Blue: Pink ( a lighter almost baby pink), Yellow (again lighter yellow) even a tourquise color would be pretty. I would suggest doing the bridesmaid dresses in the navy and then bringing the accent color out through flowers and table settings! white would look really sharp with any of the two colors as well. Hope this helps!
well u need something about pink and yellow b/ those are awesome colors! so :D>- out!!
HI MY NAME IS LATOYA AND I ‘M GETTIN MARRIED IN NOVEMBER AND I DON’T LIKE A LOT OF CUTE COLORS SO I WAS GOING WITH CREAM AND NAVY BLUE BUT MY BEST FRIEND SAID THAT BLUE WILL BE VERY DULL AND BORING SO WHAT I’M ASKING IS WHAT GOES WITH NAVY BLUE?
Hey Janet! I was actually trying to decide between a deep blue or mauve pink and i didn’t even think to combine them which sounds like a great idea. Maybe you can have all of the softer, shaped items in pinks like the flowers and soft fabrics or round shapes (i don’t know what you’re planning on) and the more modern, square items in the navy.
I am getting married Sept 20, 2008… I have ALWAYS wanted my wedding colors to be shades of pink. Recently I have really liked navy blue (which may be better suited for a fall wedding anyway) I want to incorporate the navy blue into decorations but pink makes way more sense to me for the favors, decorations, flowers. Any suggestions on how to combine the two colors?
I just got engaged a week ago… And we are planning on getting married September 20th… I’m trying to decide on colors.. the usual. I don’t know if I want to use the fall colors or go with something else. Any ideas?
Hi — I am also getting married September 20, 2008 the same day as Kendall and my girls are wearing chocolate brown and turquoise– beautiful combo and I just love the fall flowers!!!
hi all, im getting married in 2008. still deciding on the date. i want an ivory colored dress, and i love the colour green. but i dont want a bright green. was thinking of a nice shade of olive green, but just cant find the right shade. please help…will this be a good combination???
I’d love to save my bridesmaids some money for my wedding so I’m considering having them wear little black dresses that they find and pick themselves. The best black dress I’ve ever owned was a flirty little halter number that I bought at the mall for 30 bucks. As long as I trust my girls’ fashion sense (and I think I do), is this appropriate? I’ll be sure to give them a little guidance, as far as type of material, etc. Can this be pulled off and still look pulled together??
:?:D well, im getting married this sept/07!!! so exited, i saw that everyone was commenting on colors, mine are black red & white. were going for a dim, romantic feel. It looks beutiful for those who are scheming.
Hey guys i am getting married in 2009 i know it seems like awhile away but it so isn’t at all :D!!! I want to go with a Navy Blue and Lime Green you know something very diffrent. I was wondering what color should my brides maids wear. And also i was thinking of getting a cake with blue and green icing would that be over the top and send guest away from my cake because they dont want there mouth turning color please help!!!