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.
- Chiasso
- Pottery Barn
- Domain
- Room Service Home
- West Elm (to die for)
- Inhabit (ditto)
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Hi, my Wedding is in Desember, I LOVE purple, so i went to a wedding planner and they said that black will look great with the purple, can you maybe help to ease my nerves about this combination, i want it to be a wedding not a funeral. But it looks like i’m the only one having doubts.
Purple Winter Wedding Color Palette with Matthew Mead Style
More Storyboards! (scroll down to purple Kelly & Steve)
Wedding Wednesday - Plum and Silver Wedding ( this is my fave!!)
i say do a color palette with lots of white and purple(dont be afraid to use light to dark shades of this color) and put wedding party in black cocktail dresses and guys in black suits and ties. this will be superchic. keep it fresh with lots of evergreens and shimmery whites from cake to the shimmery glass centerpiece containers!! i love it!! dont go with anything else. if purple is your fave color and you go with another you may not be as pleased?!?! it will make your day more special surrounded by your fh, family and friends and your fave color!!
write back if you need more help. these pics are absolutely gorgeous!! google image winter wedding cake for the shimmer i am talking about. and also add pearls and rhinestones to this scheme talk about wow factor!! dont forget the cider and hot cocoa i would add this too bring in a comfort of home in the reception area!!
:(( i cant pick a colors or my wedding everything I pick someone can find someting wrong with. What are the rules for an August wedding in Texas??
jennifer there are no rules go with what you love!! i am from louisiana, so being your neighbor i would recommend going with late summer colors. do you have a fave color, your fiance fave color? go with a color that means alot to you both. what type of wedding are you having? why not go with a homespun in a elegant way wedding. simple but amazing. like a family gathering. pick 1 to 2 hues.
Board 21: Homespun Charm
Board 178: Variation on a Theme
A Wedding of Good Old-Fashioned Fun ( this is a fave of mine)
google image southern wedding inspiration board (for lots of pics) dont worry about what everyone else says. its your day just go with it!! what details have you got so far?
my wedding is in may is it bad if i have rose red as one of the colors the other colors would be an ivory white and very little black i no its not spring colors but i like them????:D
Go for it your colours sound amazing . When you look back at your photos in years to come you will be glad you didnt pick colours based on that years trends. You go girl I am doing the same no trends for me just timelessness
Hello, I am planning my wedding in December, this year 2008 and one of my colours is GOLD. Is this the best colour and what would you recommend to blend the GOLD colour?
Thanks and hope to hear from you soonest.
It’s very difficult to blend gold with any other colour because of its shimmering nature. You might want to have gold as the dominant colour and sprinkle some white just to tone it down a bit. Where will the wedding be? The setting also should be considered
Please help me. I’m planning a April 17, 2010 wedding and we want to use blue and purple but we don’t know what tones and stuff. Any ideas?
i really need some help here. i have helped several of my friends plan their weddings and now that it has come to my own wedding, my mind has gone blank! we have planned to get married in august ‘09… and i really don’t even know where to begin with a color scheme! i know that i want a neutral look with oranges and greens, but as of right now, that’s all i know! please help me if you can!
when i think of tropical.. i think of bold colors… like the comment below about the pool blue and terra cotta…. or maybe teal and brown?
I’m getting married in January 2009 and still can’t decide which color to choose for my wedding. Somebody told me that it should match the color with the season or month for that year. I live in a tropical country. Please help! Thanks . . .
I think green and orange or yellow and white should be good in the beautigul tropics. Try these colors by looking and fabrics of same color and mix and match to see what pleases you.Best wishes n God’s blessings in your marriage.
I was at a wedding this weekend - and the bridesmaid colors were “Pool Blue” and “Terra Cotta” - when I first heard about the colors I could not imagine how good it would look, to me it was blue and orange. But when I saw it - I thought “WOW” it looked beautiful! The bride incorporated cream color flowers with the above colors. Absolutely stunning!
I am getting married in Aug. 2009, and I am having a problem picking my colors. I am very happy to see I am not the only one with this problem. I was thinking cream and gold but I hate having colors everyone has. This is not my first wedding and I don’t want to do white, but I am having a problem deciding what dresses my bridesmaids should wear. I can’t image either of them in a gold dress. Should i add a color like red or brown? PLEASE HELP ME !!!
hi Didi - December is great time of year to marry.. deep warm tones are wonderful for winter weddings.. cream and green is wonderful but be careful with the color wine - Wine can have a purplish tone to it - you would be safer with a very deep red. I know you may think its too much of a Christmas combination.. but i would incorporate more cream tones and winter white with just accents of other colors! Good Luck on your “Happy Day”
My wedding is on December 27th. Still a bit confused about colours. Would want a mix of cream, green and wine. Any suggestions, pls?
Has anyone ever thought of choosing colors that really accentuate your personal colors? And is it narcassitic of me to do so?
I have long dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and tan skin. I was actually considering going with silver, vermilion red, and tarragon green to compliment my natural colors. Maybe it’s me being an art-major but I know that Red and Green are opposites, therefor they compliment each other and make the other stand out. So, hoping to bring the green out of my eyes I was hoping the red/green play on each other would work.
Just like if I were blond hair, blue eyed I might go with silver, yellow and blue, or silver and navy blue to bring out my naturals. Or red hair with freckles and pale skin I might do pale Orangy-red, pale yellow, and cream.
Tell me what you think!
Devon
Blue would be great for spring. I would suggest blue with green– not sage, but like beautiful, bright grass colored green. I have an image that I found on the knot just to show what I’m talking about.
Best of luck
I am looking to get married in May of ‘09…… and I have no idea what colors to use! My guy is all for blue… but I am not really seeing how that will work with the earthy type wedding I am trying to plan. I am not a bright, flashy type of person… I like the simple, earthy tones… but not sure how that will work with spring! I saw the comment below about Blue, Brown and Ivory… would that work for a spring wedding?
hello
This is my first time here and I really need help. I’m having a beach wedding in 2009 were thinking of a spring or fall wedding. I love the color pink (it’s my fav color) and the flowers we want have pink and white, but I have been wondering if pink and white are to plain and maybe there should be a 3rd color, But I have no idea what would go with the flowers:( please help.
Susie
apple red, orange, yellow, and variations of those colors will give you a warm colored wedding. it would be like a great big flame of love haha. i think fire is sort of romantic in a way. you could use tiger lilies in your bouquets.
clover green with pink and peach flowers would be a beautiful combination! and it would definately give it that spring feeling.
Well, i’m a pro-pink or red! LOL!! I just don’t want to see red and cream flowers everywhere. The bridesmaid gowns would be apple if i go with red. However, now i’m thinking clover green dresses with peach and pink flowers!!Any suggestions. To be honest I’m not opposed to any colors, because i like a lot of combinations. My better half just doesn’t want purple as a main color. Help!!!!!!!!
miranda, try your apple red as an accent to a cream or ivory wedding gown. its my personal opinion that colors like that should be used as an accent and not really as a main color (although, brides maids dresses in this color with a cream/ivory sash would look adorable. sort of opposite of what you would be wearing.) and maybe pairing it with a blush type or pink would give it that feminine, romantic feeling, as well as a spring type feeling. i feel that softer colors like blush pink look more like spring colors, where as “harder” reds, pinks, and whatnot are more of a summer thing.
haha, just my opinion though.
im getting married in october 2009 and the colors ive picked (although not completely settled on) are not anywhere near autumn colors. im thinking that i want ivory, pool (a really pretty blue, almost but not quite like turquoise), and silver as my colors. of course with the standard black for tuxedos and whatnot. we’re getting married in the aquarium haha.
One question Miranda: are you a pro-red & pink person or not so much? :-?