Choosing Your Wedding Colors: A Guide for Designing Brides
- Sussing Out Your Style
- Destination: Home, Sweet Home
- Your Secret Romantic Style
- The Gown's the Guide
- Adjust for Geography, Venue and Season
- Essential Color-Choosing Tools
- Color Schemer
- Sherwin-Williams Color Generator
- Big Huge Labs Palette Generator
- Make a Mood Board
- Making the Most of Your Choices
- And They Lived Happily Ever After ...
- Chime In!
- Comments (3096)
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 collections 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 ...
When all's said and done, you're sure to have a great feeling about your colors, and how they fit your personal style. Even if the scheme you hit on isn't "I've loved that all my life!", it might be "I never would have thought of that, but I love these together!"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.
Blake!!!…. You and Miss Roli both are MAG-NIF-I-CENT
! The new colors and websites you suggested were right on the money! You’re like my little wedding color crisis ANGELS 
THANKS SO MUCH! 
-Ki~ki
Hi Kiki, no problem … :D>- a few suggestions. First, a pic from Brides.com which simply shows how completely dreamy purples and lilacs can look when paired with pink.
Then, here’s a brand new palette from Style Me Pretty, which is an absolutely great resource for getting a visual of color schemes, especially the more vibrant, designer modern ones. Check out this fuchsia and aqua board, which also sneaks in a bit of that canary yellow:
style me pretty fuchsia & aqua
And then a more subdued, exotic board that pairs pink with teal:
deep pinks + teal
Blake and Roli, Thank you SO much for your feedback! I am TRULY grateful, But my fiancee and I are not “green ” people. He is really a “blue” person and since I already have my color (which is pink) I feel that I should give him some kind of color that he likes ( you know,”compromise”)…. We both Agree on Teal, Oasis, Tropic,Marine Blue, Canary yellow And Orchaid purple… Will ANY of these colors work with my Azelea Pink and Champagne theme??
Hi Jen, a suggestion for the third colour is burnt orange. Other colours/combos that will suit the time/season of your wedding are: rich brown, orange and gold/ivory, crimson/deep red and buttery gold, mauve/purple and yellow, and terracotta with yellow and ivory.
So, I’m having trouble deciding on the colors for my wedding. I found this shade of green that I really like with champagne, but I have no idea what I want my third color to be. The Big Day is in August, so I wanted to try to find a bright fall color, but nothing that I can find really suits the first two colors. Also, I’m not absolutely set on the first two, so I could just throw them out and start all over. . . What do you guys think?
hello kiki, i’d go with Blake on the pastel green, it will make a perfect third colour, i can already picture it.
hi,
i am getting married in april and totally at loss on which colours to choose for the day.i dont want coffe brown and gold as those are colours of the bride and groom.can someone pls help with colours that will still blend with the coffee brown and gold?????????????
Hi Alicia, red & orange would be very lovely. Go for it!
Just note: red and orange is what I would call a designer color scheme. Obviously not a traditional color scheme. That means you will probably get a few raised eyebrows and strange looks unless all your friends and family live in Greenwich Village or something.
Don’t worry. Check out Kenzie Kate‘s new wedding invitations in these exact colors. Or these bright red lovebird mints. And finally a bouquet with oranges, reds, a bit of fuchsia, copper, and some cream to lighten it up.
You could use gerber daisies and/or gloriosa lilies for intense shots of color. Of course, you can use red and orange in a less saturated way too. But even if you go ultra-bold, it will still look great.
As for what to make what color, it depends on how bright you want it. Conservative would be to put the bridesmaids in a champagne or fawn colored gowns with a red or orange sash. Bright would be reversing it. You can always go rich and subtle by using copper-colored overlays and/or plate chargers over cream-colored linens for your base with red or orange linen napkins for accent, mixing it up between tables. Or go much, much brighter, laying red over some kind of orange damask with fringe and bright and shiny throw pillows around the room (a more moroccan look). It’s really up to you.
Im having trouble deciding what colors to choose for my wedding. I really love red and orange together but i dont know if that would be too bold. Im also having trouble deciding if i keep those colors what u make what color. Please help.
Hi Kiki, I’m not Roli, but I’d suggest trying a soft coral or pastel green as a third. For some photo ideas along this line, take a look at A Pale Pink & Champagne Springtime Wedding.
Hey Roli!… I’m still searching for a color to complete my “Trio combo” for my outdoor July “nuptuals”. I keep trying to convince myself that pink and champagne is enough color but I keep feeling like m missing a color. Can you PLEASE HELP me!!!
I attended a wedding yesterday, loved the theme, and thought to share with you all. It was an outdoor wedding, done in a single large white canopy with 6 pinnacles and mostly covered. The colour theme was rose pink and lime green with white accents. Round tables with 8-12 chairs around each of them covered with white clothes first with white and then smaller pink fabric on some tables and green fabric on others. chairs in white chiar covers with pink bows on some and green bows on others. the aisle had a red carpet and was lined with white pillars in an interesting awkward shape covered with pink and green fabric and flowers, there were a lot of white and green paper lamps and because it started in the later afternoon, and i was there till about 7pm, when the lights came on, its was magical. the table each had a fish bowls partially filled with green coloured water and pink scented candles, the BMs were in gold dresses with fuchia and lime sashes, i.e two sashes each, the Chief BM had a white dress and the same sashes, the GMs had black suits, pale pink shirts and darker pink ties. the bride’s friends and her parents friends were all adorned in pink and lime green outfits, the Nigerian Yoruba buba and iro in pink and aso oke in lime green and pink for the older women and the younger women had stylish hairpieces in the same colour theme. It was sooooooooooooo colourful and beautiful, I wish I had pics but I don’t. Even the servers and ushers had of the colour theme reflect in their outfits. The cake was mostly white with pink and green floral decor, there were loads of flowers in white, pink and green around the couples sitting area. I plan to make sure my sister uses this theme, my anniversary isn’t close at all. The groom’s family used a lavender theme. Its quite common here in Nigeria for the bride’s colours to be dominant in the entire ceremony.
hello thandiwe, red, silver and white will definitely be lovely, indoor or outdoor, and what’s more they are all colours you love. do let it reflect in your wedding stationery, your bridal train, your bouquets, the ceremony venue, the table settings and other floral arrangements and etc .
Hey Roli i think you right about me adding another colour i had that think in mind to add other colour and my wedding is indoor wedding , i also ,love red can i combine those three( Red, White and silver)
I am getting married in May ’08. I want to go with either a royal/midnight Blue and silver or a wine color. It’s not the color of the season. I s that O.K.
hello cheryl, green and orange is a lovely combo, but may not be appealing with brown. i wll suggest the men use black and your third colour should be an accent colour that stimulates the other two, i recommend gold.
hello dais, an ideal combo that will suit the date/time of your wedding and provide elegance is the use of red (ruby,cherry,claret) and gold.
hello thandiwe, is your ceremony indoor or outdoor? all white weddings are usually more appropriate for garden and beach weddings because the natural environment(s) complement it and give it life. if yours is indoor, i would suggest you combine it with another colour, silver is a lot like white, i will suggest you pick a colour that contrasts somewhat so you have the brightness you desire.
hello blushing brides, choosing a wedding colour should start with you and your partner’s favourite or dream colours, every girl dreams of her wedding day long before it happens, when you attend other weddings and you admire the decor, flower arrngements, bridal train etc and imagine yours, what colours come to mind. personally i find it difficlt to suggest colours since i cannot ascertain what coulds you would like or not like. in a nutshell, blushing brides, dont fret or worry about what colours to use or not to, instead, ask yourself what colours do i like, what colours does he like and when you have these, then think next of what colours would make a lovely duo or trio combo. of couse i will be more than willing to help at this point. i dont beleive it should be all about the dates of the wedding, or the season, it should be about you and your spouse, its your day and you can have it look just as you always wanted it to. I had an August wedding and I used pastels – pink, mint and lavender – when i started out, i wanted burgundy and olive, (i love all shades of green) but then my husband wanted purple so it was changed to mystic purple and lime green and finally when finding bridesmaids dresses in any of these colours proved difficult, we settled for the pink (one of the top 3 easy colours to find in bridal train outfit), mint and lavender. wondering what the other two top colours are, deep crimson/burgundy/wine and gold/champagne.
Hi my wedding is going to be 10 May 2008 ohhh im already penicing about the colour, what i love is silver and white but im not sure if i need to add other colours on top , the thing is i love brigt colors so i want everything to be bright mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm please help me
I am getting married may of 09 and already trying to figure out colors! I love fall colors, can i use them in may? I really want to try to stay away from pastels too. My favorite color is green and my fiance loves orange. Do those two colors go if the guys were in brown ? I would like to have three colors. please help!
Hi, my wedding is going to be September 19, 2008. My best friend, her mother, and I were together discussing colors for the wedding, and I had decided on a satiny navy blue, and a sort of deep crimson or maroon color. However, I keep going back and forth with myself on this decision, I’m not sure it was the best one. I was told if I keep second guessing it, it’s probably not what I really want. Any suggestions would be wonderful, I am a terrible judge of colors when it comes to putting them together. :-( I want colors that both the bridesmaids AND groomsmen will be comfortable in. Help please, any suggestion of color combinations would be great!
i am getting married dec. 19 2008 and i now trying to choose a color that best fits my wedding..i want it to be elegant but i still have no idea what colors i want!can you please help me in choosing my colors?!!!!
am getting married in may, i have a problem choosing mi color for the white wedding. please help me.
hi luania, celadon and turquiose are shades of green and blue respectively that turn out beautifully.
Hi,
I’ve been asked to assist in organising my sister’s wedding. Both my sister and her partner have decided upon two colours being green (land) and blue (sea). Problem is I’m not sure what shades I should be using be it a dark shade or lighter shade for both colours!!!
HELP!!!!
Thanks
hi,
im getting married in september 2008 and im having trouble picking colours out can anyone give me some idea on colours thanks.
hi,
I’m getting married in June 08 I have pick the colors of lavender and silver should I be worried about these colors for the summer. These are the only colors that I really liked regardless of the season. please let me know if u think these would look okay for the summer
hi ,
I getting married in july 2008 so far i have come up with the colors new gold and magenta but i really love the sage and magenta , but then again i like blue too! what color combination do you think will be most elegant the magenta and sage or new gold and magenta ? please help !
I am planning to wed September 2008. My fiance’ is adamant about wearing black & white. This will be a Fall Wedding and I can’t think of any fall colors that will go with black & white. :((:((:((:((:((:((:((