Bookmark and Share

Real, Genuine, Actually Useful Advice on Picking Your Wedding Colors

Let’s talk about choosing wedding colors.

This is one item on the “to do” list that drives brides crazy. Even we tomboy brides who had no nine-year-old concept of the ultimate wedding — somehow, we instinctively know that nothing can be done until we choose. Those. Colors.

And the cake, wedding party attire, flowers — they’re all totally out of the question until we get it straight.

Let’s admit it, most of the advice on choosing wedding colors is awful. How many times can you read that red’s energizing and blue’s soothing without wanting to gouge out your eyes with a toothbrush? And didn’t simply picking your favorite colors lose some of its appeal around the time you stopped eating rubber cement?

Interestingly, there’s a trend afoot to pick the colors that make you look good. For example, if you’re an ash blonde, you’ll probably look fantastic against a backdrop of charcoal or navy blue, and not so great against canary yellow. But maybe you want to save that sort of Machiavellian planning for your first home instead.

Because when it comes to picking colors, you probably want one thing. You don’t necessarily want the colors you’ve loved since Bobby kissed Kimmy in the third grade, assigning Kimmy to your personal hit list forever.

And you probably don’t care about any 17th-century symbolism. You probably don’t need the colors you’d choose from Rorschach blots if Rorschach blots weren’t black. You simply want your colors to be hot. You know, like if Paris Hilton wandered into your reception, that’s what she’d say. Right?

Seeing’s Believing

To choose hot colors, most of us have to see them. Together. Fortunately, we live in an increasingly design-centric society that makes this dead simple — anyone can go to Target and pick up some sublimely designed stuff for under 30 bucks. Even better for we wired brides, we don’t even have to get out of our butt-cradling chairs.

Start from the top — think like a designer. Go to Pantone’s Trends section, and look over the color picks they’re predicting for this season and next.

For example, Pantone says 2007 shows a softening of the strong, bright colors that have dominated for seasons past, and what’s happening now is “surprising neutrals” with bright accents … really bright. Really high-energy. Tarragon and Cafe Creme for bases. Hollyhock Purple and Green Sheen (think Granny Smith apples on acid) as accents.

Tuck that in your brainpan, because now it’s time to go shopping for all these colors in action. Although what you’ll see in the catalogs are the ghosts of seasons past, it’s true. Because it takes time for colors to materialize into the flesh of draperies, slip covers and wall paint. That doesn’t matter — the colors you’ll find look fresh, and they’ll still look fresh for your wedding even if your big day’s in 2008.

Ready? Let’s go.

“In”-spiration

Highly designed cards and custom stationery are totally fun way to get a bird’s eye view of what’s hot. Designers have fun with cards. They give into whims. They’re not restricted by what people can stand on their couches. Get a quick color infusion by checking out stationary sites like the aptly-named Fabulous Stationery.

“Brown’s the New Black” — Even for 2007

You continue to hear that everywhere. Even in weddings — especially in weddings. Want instant confirmation? Let’s go shopping at the right kind of online home furnishings catalogs. Not the ones that are so out there, they’re selling you pink faux-fur cozies for your screwdrivers, and not the ones that are so generic that the only color scheme you can really pick out is red, white and blue.

You need to check out companies that are stylish but not freaky, like Pottery Barn and Chiasso. You’ll develop your own techniques, but I think the fastest way to see hot color combos in action is to look at the bedding. Comforters and duvets and quilts are huge canvases on which designers get bold, unlike curtains and couches which are usually safe, neutral and conservative. Let’s check out the brown and blue combo which is hot in any scene, most definitely including weddings.

See the similarities? Inhabit shows you a super-mod interpretation of the same scheme Domain has, only Domain is nostalgic and soft about it. Your wedding could lean one way or the other. You could doll up your cake with any one of these patterns. The colors would be similar, but the looks would be wildly different. You could steal those great op-art shapes from Inhabit and weave them into your invites, your plate chargers, your napkins.

Now let’s peek behind the door at some seasonal color swatches.

Pottery Barn shows a lot of bold reds paired with wheats and golds. Oh, and hey, there’s espresso and blue again.

Want something funkier? Let’s check out the fresh, fruity hues of West Elm. Hey! Brown and blue again! But you also see another hot color combo that isn’t quite as obvious: apple green and coral. (Or in West Elm’s playbook, “leek” and “copperplate.” Coral and apple are hot. And they’re hot in weddings, too.

Great. But Could You Just Spell it Out For Me?

Sure. Try this:

But I’m Having a Spring Wedding. What Now?

It’s simple: go for taupe. You want pastel version of the season’s full-strength brights.

Try taupe bridesmaid gowns with chartreuse or baby pink sashes for springtime sophistication. And consider adding some feminine, floral patterns.

Lift Up Those Wings, Little Sparrow

Okay, this could go on and on, but you get the point. So it’s time to set you free with some of our favorite spots to steal inspirations from.

When you’re done, come back here and report what color schemes stole your heart.

Bookmark and Share

214 Comments in 150 Threads.  Add a New Comment »

Customize your Icon | Make a Mood Board

Pages: « 8 7 6 5 [4] 3 2 1 » Show All

wrote
on March 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm

Hi Yesi, lots of options here, but you don’t say what time of year you’re having it or what kind of feel you’re going for (evening/formal, daytime/casual).

Here’s a great red and yellow combination … very high-energy and exciting.

Try here for some great red & pink color ideas. Super-sweet, feminine look!

Red with patterned black and white (like damasks, paisleys) is a very hot, modern look, check our Black & White page for lots of takes on this.

A very crisp look I love for summer that is seeing a lot of play right now is white, green and red. Go here to see how fresh and crisp this can look, especially for an outdoor wedding.

One last idea that is great for a more ornate, winter-type wedding is red and gold, with textured gold brocade ribbon, fringe, etc., red velvets, and so on.

I hope that gets you started!

 
yesi
wrote
on March 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 am
Subscribed to comments via email

i’m planning my wedding can yall help me pick my color red, and i want to know what looks nice with red. Or similar to red. not aqua.
i know white but i’ll like something different

 
wrote
on March 17th, 2008 at 11:42 am

Hi Ada! Brown & burnt orange is very attractive and also quite a hit right now. If you check the polls on the chocolate brown wedding page you’ll see that orange is one of this season’s favorite colors to pair with brown.

 
wrote
on March 17th, 2008 at 11:40 am

Hi Cindy, welcome! Please see our new Chocolate brown wedding page as it has some nice pink & brown wedding pics, plus, a preview of a WONDERFUL pink & brown wedding the bride recently posted on Flickr. I think you’ll like it!

 
cindy
wrote
on March 17th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Subscribed to comments via email

hi, my wedding is in september 12 2008, I need help in choing my coulors and theme. I am thinking of pink and brown but i am afraid that it won’t look nice.
Thanx cindy

 
ada
wrote
on March 6th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

hi,
im getting married in december and i am at a loss on what colors to pick.does anyone know if burnt orange and coffee brown is ok?

 
Jodey Clements
wrote
on March 1st, 2008 at 2:32 pm

My best friends daughter is getting married in July. Her colors are coral and cream. The coral is more on the pink side than the orange however that all depends on what the swatch is put next too. I am having trouble finding “anything’ in this coral color. If anyone out there has please, please email me and let me know.
We would greatly appreciate any help!

 
lisa
wrote
on February 27th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Subscribed to comments via email

hi my wedding is in December 27 2008. Ineed help chosin colours and the theme. HELP! please.
Thanks lisa

 
wrote
on February 17th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Subscribed to comments via email

Lyndsey- I have seen some great weddings done with a light blue (almost Tiffany blue in some cases) with bright red accents. The color combination is incredibly fresh, not too overdone and would still allow you to use the rose red you would like. Nicely done accent pieces in the red would be beautiful.

I attend wedding and event planning conventions yearly, and the colors that were everywhere in January at the show were the colors mentioned above. There are tons of neutral browns, wheats, and golds with bright colored accents.

I feel the most important thing to consider when choosing your colors are the colors you feel you will still like when you look at your wedding album years from now. If lime green happens to be a fad, but you don’t like the color, don’t do it just because it is popular… choose colors that you tend to lean toward in your daily life.

 
Lyndsey Eutsler
wrote
on February 5th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Subscribed to comments via email

I am getting married is May 2009 and I want one of my wedding colors to be a rose red. Is that okay for May since its not very a very springy color? Also, what colors can I put with it to lighten it up a little?

 
shivetta
wrote
on February 1st, 2008 at 5:25 am
Subscribed to comments via email

i am getting married in NOv 08 . i change my color everyday!!!!!!! help

 
Emilie
wrote
on January 31st, 2008 at 2:19 pm

My wedding is in August, and my colors are blue and truffle brown

 
Tobie
wrote
on January 30th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

need help picking out colors for a july 19th 2008 wedding ? im very lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:(:-?

 
Michelle
wrote
on January 29th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

whats the color trend for 2008?

 
Desiree
wrote
on January 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm

my wedding is in May of 2009, i am thinking of using black sage and ivory but i need a little input on how these colors will go togeather, i am also thinking of using calla lillies, any ideas ladies????

 
Monica
wrote
on January 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

My wedding is in April 2008 my colors are fuschia and purple which color should I use more of?

 
Meera
wrote
on January 17th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

Hi, i’m getting married aug 09 at the South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago. Does anyone who’s been there have any color ideas for me? There are so many colors in there (blue’s, beige, pink, pale green, dark green) that i’m completely lost.

 
michelle
wrote
on January 15th, 2008 at 9:14 pm

I am getting married in December and my bridesmaids are wearing silver blue satin dresses and I have them carrying black baccara rose boquets..please let meknow what you think!

 
Bec
wrote
on January 10th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Subscribed to comments via email

pink green brown… can’t find pics of these colors together? anyone else do this ? have pics? or websites where i can ‘try-out’ the colors together?

 
Bec
wrote
on January 10th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Subscribed to comments via email

I am contemplating a mellow pink sage-ish green and chocolateish-brown for a Dec 08 wedding…I am having a really hard time finding pics of this color assortment? What do you think of the colors? Anyone have pics of similar?

 
Name (required)
E-mail (required, kept private!)
Web URL (optional!)


:D ;) :P :cry: :lol: :? :love2: :thinking: :idea: :mrgreen: more »

Photo Help

Add Photos (maximum of 3, GIF or JPG):

Shop for Favors by Color

What You Said

Related Posts

Popular Articles

New Blog Posts

Popular Today

New...

Shop Now For

Themes & Favor Ideas

Learn About

Bridal Freebies

FavorIdeas @Twitter


twitter / FavorIdeas

Shop for Black & White Favors Shop for Brown Favors Shop for Purple Favors Shop for Red Favors Shop for Pink Favors Shop for Orange Favors Shop for Green Favors Shop for Aqua Favors Shop for Silver Favors Shop for Gold Favors Shop for Ivory Favors