The Meanings of Colors in Weddings
When brides are struggling to pick colors at the beginning of the planning process, one thing they wonder is, what do the colors "mean?" What vibe do they give off? What traditions and sensibilities are they grouped with?I'm going to try to answer that. Given, some colors stay pretty stable from year to year, while others shift along with the bigger fashion upheavals. And despite their close ties to the catwalk, some hues have a meaning and feeling all their own when it comes to weddings.
Diamond-White. When brides around the world think "Western wedding," they picture this. Ever since Queen Victoria, bright diamond-white has enjoyed strong associations with purity and the privileged, but these days, white may have (a lot) more to do with modernity. This is the same breeze that brings us minimalist Calla bouquets and lace-free-zone Vera gowns.
Ivory. Ivory is elegant, old-world and soft-spoken. Ivory speaks of hand-polished silver and ironed linen. Or in Economist-speak, ivory is New York's Brooke Astor to Leona Helmsley's scarlet.
Champagne. Refined and traditional, rich and conservative. A gentle look with a slightly vintage feel.
Lavender. Soft, dainty and ladylike, this color often appears in weddings that hark to the past, with traditional-looking cakes and florals.
Pale Pink: The lighter shades of pink speak to happiness, playfulness, and a sense of fun, not to mention a special fondness for love's super-sweet early years.
Hot Pink. Energized, "girl power" hue with an almost-punk edge. Think Gwen Stefani, and as possible accents, black, brown or vibrant green.
Red: Passionate, dramatic, and dripping with desire, this romantic hue hints at deep lows, higher highs, and a triumphant peak (which of course coincides with the wedding). Often paired with crisp white and black in gorgeous toiles or other classic patterns, and sure to show up in tandem with tons of rose petals. What else? 1) It's no coincidence that Longoria-Parker's red wedding took place in Paris. 2) You're a chocolates and champagne kind of gal. 3) When the wedding's over, he'd best not forget your anniversary.
Coral: In weddings, this color often has an indie vibe. It might have a Latino, East Indian or Caribbean feel, or just a strong designer foundation. You see it show up in fresh pairings like coral and rust or coral and teal, or more conventionally, with chocolate brown, pink or yellow.
Going to a coral wedding? Don't be surprised to see a bit of mendhi on the bride's hands, paisley patterns, custom stationery courtesy of a hotshot graphic designer, luscious linens with lots of shimmer and tassels, or cinnamon-chocolate truffles. Oh, and don't forget to bring me.
Yellow: Optimism, cheerfulness, a strong appreciation for friendship. Yellow is 100% angst-free. It's also Martha Stewart's signature color, so yellow often goes hand-in-hand with that clean, grounded New England look, with lots of buttery porcelain and handmade papers.
Gold: Lavishness, luxury, warmth, tradition. As platinum continues to make inroads in the jewelry world, "yellow gold" is more of a statement than ever. Think Louis XIV, "The Sun King," warm Italian weddings, and unstinting shows of abundance.
Aqua: Fun-loving, fresh and vibrant. A favorite of beach brides, especially tropical ones, and an anchor for poolside weddings. But aqua shows up in plenty of other places, too. It's a favorite paired with chocolate brown for brides who want a fun and modern palette, and aqua and pink aren't uncommon.
Royal Blue: Grand, traditional, and casting an eye toward an idealized past. Evokes ballrooms, Cinderella stories and happily-ever-after. Often combined with a paler blue, yellow or gold.
Navy: This ultra-classic color signals a preppy wedding. Often paired with mint green or dusty orange, and loads of crisp white, this color puts tradition first, and adds a certain masculine gravitas to the palette.
Purple: Purple has strong, historical associations with royalty, especially in sacred contexts (think: Lent's purple to mark the royal approach). But thanks to lots of shakeups in the fashion world, purple's taken on a whole new life, and become challenging and mysterious, glamorous and grown-up, and ever-so-slightly Euro star, especially when paired with other complex hues like charcoal or even black. Rock this latter look with feathers, brooding florals, and few Goth-Edwardian touches.
Silver: Restrained wealth and glamour, sophistication. Silver says, "I can afford it, but prefer not to flaunt it."
Gray: Modern, understated, retro-informed and sleek. Lately, gray has deposed champagne as one of the hottest neutrals in weddings. Bridesmaids in gray with deco-rhinestone buckled sashes look up-to-the-minute ... and stunning. Pair with wheat or heather for the ultimate urban, slightly Swedish palette.
Chocolate Brown: So everywhere, it's hard to pin down, but chocolate brown is the cornerstone to most of today's modern palettes: brown with pink or aqua, or increasingly, coral, mint green or purple.
Green: In weddings, green reveals a modern sensibility, and often comes with inventive, non-traditional florals (think green button mums or wheatgrass). Thanks to the increasing volume of eco-talk, green's also a prominent hue at environmentally-conscious weddings. Lime green + hot pink says "pop princess." Olive or bright green combined with black & white looks downright regal, in that new-millenium way.
Black: Sophisticated, mysterious, assertive or even nostalgic, black shows up when couples have strong opinions about design. Black might lend a clean, graphic look to the wedding, or show up in evocative, Victorianesque forms, such as black Callas and rooster-feather collars.
Legions of black-draped bridesmaids continue to make a showing from summer to winter, with more attention to detail than in seasons past (contrasting sashes, more elaborate hemlines, or bouquets designed to pop against a black background).
I need help picking out my colors for my wedding..I love blues and corals and some shades of orange and I don’t want pinks because I used a pale pink in my first wedding and do not want to use that color b/c of karma..I want to play it safe.LOL!! Any suggestions would be great.
hi holly!
* Meghan & Graham in Philadelphia, PA
* Lesley & Robert in Morningside, FL
* Charity & Mark in San Francisco, CA
* Christine & Rhett in Austin, TX
* Teal & Peach Wedding
* Coral Wedding Color Palettes
* a summer wedding…
I’m using marine blue and Palm Beach Coral. Or similar shades to those. I’m finding that it’s kinda hard to find colors that are exact matches for everything, but I’m using several shades of orange with the marine. Most of my color is going to be from the oranges with a little bit of marine for the main color of the brides maid dresses. Just a thought for you!
Hi to all! I need help. I m thinking of a wedding theme colour for our wedding… I want to know whether light and dark ble in combination with silver would be great or the night. This colour concerns me for the flowers? I m open to other color ideas too for a Novem ber 09 wedding!
mabel, i read that royal blue actually shows up very well at night. your colors are beautiful. and a combo of light and dark blue would be gorgeous!
* Lucky In Love’s Color Guide: Something Blue
* Wedding Reception Decorations, Pictures and Ideas
* Wedding Wednesday Celebration – Part 4
* Wedding Wednesday Celebration – Part 2
* Wedding Wednesday – Elegant Blue & Gold Event
( this would show up!!)
* Nicki & Andy in Charleston, SC
( another gorgeous wedding, this is the color i am talking about!!)
* Jennie & Dan in New York, NY
I am getting married in Feb. 2010 in Puerto Rico- We chose the purple and blue colors because these are our favorite colors. However, not sure if I should use a darker or lighter color of each because of the location. Its in the 70′s in PR during that time of the year….. Anyone have any suggestions or idea how to make these colors work?? Thanks!
Ivette,
* Project Wedding: Color combination – Purple and ….???? ( i really love the white with pops of purple set against the blue dresses image)
* Something Blue: Catherine Pharris & Matthew Anderson ( look at this wedding wow!! it has the linens same blue as bm dresses in above link) this is my fave!! have a mix of the blues and purples!! you wont have to concern yourself with so much matching!! smile!! you can simplify this if ya want by using the blue cloths, with 2 colors( light and dark purples set against it, more light than dark)
* A purple wedding…
* Becky & Mike in Duck, NC
* Mala & Mason in San Francisco, CA
* Brienne & Daniel are married!
I need some help please!!! I need colors for my wedding! We want orange but i dont kinow what other color! Can someone pleae help me. i get married june
lisa, why not go with different tones of orange and add green. first take a look at this and if you dont like it we will go from there. smile. this popped out at me!!
* Rhymes with Orange
* Nasturtium & Lime
Hi all! I am recently engaged and planning my wedding for August 2009. I absolutely adore Fuchsia and Orange, but my fiance feels that will be too girly. Can you help with other color suggestions that have a more “masculine” vibe? I was also thinking Navy with Green, Yellow, and Periwinkle, but I’m just not sure. Please help!!
Thanks!
jessica, what if you had navy and hot pink?
* Hot Pink, Blue, and White Wedding Colors
Or …
* Navy & Yellow
* Blue and Yellow Preppy Wedding
( i love this!, add a little pink if you want. tie it in the flowers. for example yellow flowers with a tinge of pink in the center that would make this scheme pop!!) can do that with a navy and green wedding too. google image navy blue and green wedding also navy blue and green wedding board. navy blue and yellow wedding . i hope these help. dress in pic from j crew. i just think spring green for greenery, with bouquet colors set agianst navy blue would be gorgeous!! if you need the gorgeous color periwinkle then tie off the bouquet stems with a shade that blends well, which it will!! smile!!
here are 2 boards that have a romantic but masculine tone ( in colors)
* A Navy Blue & Copper Brown Wedding
* Board #42: Chocolate and Roses
chocolate, lattae, cream, champagne, silver, a sky blue
hi…..my fiancé and I are planning our wedding for may…we know we want to use pink nut need an accent color. We were thinking lime green or tiffany blue…any suggestions???
hi heather, here is a few posts… use pink, , lime and tiffany blue would look absolutely amazing!! but i absolutely love pink paired with yellow add accents of blue and lime. have it all!! you cant go wrong with this full color combo. if you ant a 2 color schem hands down yellow and pink against blue dresses. thats what i would do!! smile!!
* Sweet Tarts for Sweethearts
* A Preppy Pink & Green Wedding
* One Love, Two Love, Pink Love …
* Spring Fling
Hi, I just got engaged to my best friend and the love of my life. We are trying to pick colors and the only thing i can come up with is yellow. We are very happy and fun so we want our wedding colors to be a reflection of us just not too over the top. Any suggestions? Thankyou so much!
Amanda, some yellow ideas:
Black and yellow, so mod! Or gray for modern but soft …
* Black, White & Yellow Wedding!
* Ode to Kelly Wearstler . . .
* Lesley’s Chicago Wedding (black, white, yellow)
* Yellow & Gray weddings
And yellow + white and citrusy tones …
* Sunshine Fix
* Sophisticated Yellow ( i really like this one)
* Hello Yellow ( and this one!)
* When life gives you lemons … ( i love the idea of lemons for the decor so fun!)
expanding the color wheel … yellow and brights
* Brunch inspiration (yellow, white & red)
* Emerging Thoughts (green, yellow, brown)
* Red & yellow colors
* Yellow Wedding Table Top Decorations (bright white tables with citrus, yellow and a touch of red)
* Sweet Tarts for Sweethearts (bright and vibrant pastels! has yellow in it and i love it, so relaxed and fun)
* Summer sweetness (yellow, pink, peach, orange … )
* Amanda’s Blue & Yellow Wedding ( this is nice)
i hope you see something you love!! keep it simple. go with a main color scheme of yellow green and white. if you like use colored punches and food for xtra pops of colors. i love this way of decorating a wedding, like decorating your home, if ya love it use it. eclectic. but not to overboard. have bm in wear again dresses, in shades of green. better yet let your 2nd color be what the bridesmaid picks for her dress color as long as you see what goes with the venue. personally i wouldnt choose another color except the yeelow, green and white with pops of color. i just think you will be soooo happy with that!! its more fun! i found this wedding one day and it may just be the thing your looking for. it has a bit of whimsy. still staying in a simple elegance wedding.
Wedding Album at This Young House
( i fell in love with this!!) it is so cost effective!! i hope you enjoy it as much as i do. if the link doesnt work google search younghouse wedding, its the backyard cost effective link, will bring ya right to it!! the planning was not ongoing, the bride spontaneously picked items, like the bouquet that morning, how great is that!! less stress!!
the pic below of outdoor wedding table,could be easily added to this, it looks like it belongs.
not sure if the pics i posted took. so i will send again. think of paper lanterns everywhere. so cost effective!!
also google image paper lantern wedding to see lots of pic ideas.
this is my second marriage (Nov 9,2009) and I havent even pick out colors yet. Im 31 and he is 28 . I rtying to find colors that wont make us look to old or to young. Can any body help me?
hi Kizzy! and congrats on your wedding!! i personally think yellow or green would be fab!! both are fresh and like a new beginning. yellow is a happy color. pink gives a wonderful glow to skintones etc. its just a great color. See Lakeside Union ( look at the reception isnt this great!!) yes it will be great for november even indoors!)
Some more ideas …
Pumpkins and Wheat ( love this!), Nasturtium & Lime (love this too), Kelly’s Vivacious Wedding.
See Greenery Scenery, Rust and Navy, Bright Orange Brunch and Sophisticated Yellow.
Then there’s Emily’s Green and Gray Wedding, When life gives you lemons…, White & Lime, Autumn Air …
And finally Rustic Cranberry and Orange, DIY Green and Yellow, a backyard wedding: inspired, and a striking purple and orange wedding (pretty amazing)
i sure hope all this helps! will give you lots of ideas. for more ideas just google image say….. yellow wedding then yellow wedding board.
I have a dress picked out that is champagne with bronze and gold. I wanted to use red roses but i am not sure how it would look. Here is a link to the dress so you can see. Thanks for any help.
http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/Collection/product-page.asp?SKU=Caroline&i=79350368464
Frances, red roses with that gold-inlayed gown would be extremely romantic! You have a traditional, rich, fairytale look when you combine them. Take a look at this board: Board #72: Romantic Red
Some red velvet in the form of ribbon or table runners would be lovely. Best of luck! Write back if you want to chat more.
which shows a bit how these two hues go together, esp. if you go softly on the red. You could let a little pink sneak into the florals. Be sure to use lots of sparkle to coordinate with the gown. Try crystal pins in a red rose bouquet, glass gems around your centerpieces. Wear a tiara like the model.
Hello My name is marieli, my wedding is on december and i am on my own with the planning. And i Have always been a dorky. So i need a color for a december wed help me please!
haha, welcome to the “do it yourself” club. I’m a member too
do you have a favorite color or a color that keeps popping into your head? White, subtle aqua blue, tables dripping in crystals? That would be really pretty for December. And then maybe another pop of color as an accent.
Marieli,
Maybe think about white, baby blue and a silver or gray (personally I would go for silver). My sister’s wed was in july and she used a sage color. Very pretty. Hope this helps.
What colors go with purple other than pink, orange or yellow?
PLEASE HELP!!! I’m getting married next June and we still can’t decide on colors!! Now we are thinking of a black and white and pink vintage theme. Can anyone suggest ideas?
Also my father can’t afford a new suit for our wedding is it okay if he doesn’t wear the same color suit as the groomsmen?
And also can anyone give me some good color schemes and pictures for colors that would work with a June wedding? Please help anyone!! thanks!!!!
i’m not sure if you already found colors or not, but june is all about newness, and bright colors. however, i am a rich, deep color type of girl (it seems more anchored to me, more traditional)…so if i were to get married in june, i would use a medium green or light coral and a neutral.
I WOULD LIKE TO CHOOSE ROYAL BLUE COMBINED WITH WHITE AND SILVER AS MY WEDDING COLOURS.
WHAT’S YOUR VIEW
Hi I also recently got engaged and my wedding is Sept. 11 2010. I am choosing royal blue and yellow. I think those colors are so beautiful togeteher!!!
Help!!! I need help on my wedding colors…our theme is Precious Moments, and my dress and veil have apple in them (this color can be located at Davids Bridal). I have no idea and cant find anything that goes with this red from Precious Moments. Can you give an idea at this point anything will help. Thanks Dawn
Hi Dawn, some ideas for you! I found lots of weddings using a similar theme/color scheme, so hopefully this will get you started.
First of all, I don’t think you necessarily need much color beyond the red & white. Those two stand on their own. Very classic. Add a little greenery with your flowers and you have balanced, attractive colors.
That said, I found some PM/red & white weddings that add a bit more. For example, some black & white pattern. Or silver accents. Or if you want more of a pastel, girly look, try colors that are near red on the color wheel: reddish orange, pink, maroon.
As for flowers, you tend to see classic (roses, hydrangea) or modern (gerbers) with this look.
This (Shella) is a really sweet wedding. She’s bold with her colors, bringing in salmon, pink, orange … all those gerber hues. It really works. Her bridesmaids wear pastel pink, which I didn’t show here since you’re using strong reds, but this wedding is really fun to browse.
This one (John & Lea) is ultra-cool! Gorgeous reception, tons of creative, fun touches. In addition to red she brings in a dark maroon (look at those lucious "black" callas) which adds sophistication. That bouquet is to die for … and the stripes on the cake are adorable. The clean white satin-wrapped bouquets the bridesmaids are carrying look lovely too, especially with that bit of rhinestone detailing on their gowns.
Here is a very simple wedding (lights) with a lovely cake, and a few touches of pink, black & white. I think this wedding shows how well red & white stands on its own without too much fuss.
I love the black & white scroll pattern and gerbers with this PM-topped cake (left, Jim & Karen), and the right two pics (Lori Barbley) show how lovely silver, rose petals and a bit of bling can look with these colors.
I hope that helps, Dawn … I think you’re not going to have too much trouble making your wedding look great!
hi, i’m planning my wedding year november and i choose wine red and ivory for my main colors. Ivory for my wedding dress with a silver lining and wine red for my evening gown. I dont know what colors to use for my MOH or brides maid. My flowers girl is gonna be in a mini wedding dress similar to mine. Any ideas for the wine red and ivory and also for my brides maid and MOH.
i’m getting married in November of ’09, my colors are navy blue, periwinkle and silver….my bridesmaids are going to wear the dark blue, while my sister (junior bridesmaid) is going to wear the periwinkle and their accents will be silver. everyone is telling me i need to stick with white or cream flowers, but i like the bold rich colors of orange and red. since it’s autumn, i think those color flowers would look sharp against my colors. what do you all think?
oh wow, definitely lovin the idea of the orange flowers idea!!! you could mix a bold orange with cream as an accent.
Can you please tell me the meanings of the colours pumpkin, emerald and peach. We are trying to decide on a colour for the theme of our wedding.
Hi im getting married in august my colours are red & black my dress is red my flowers are red roses with a flash of black to pick up the colour from the bridesmaides who have black dresses and thay have red wrist flowers with red earrings & necklace my partners in a black suit with red waistcoat and cravat all my decoration is black and red including my cake everyone thinks im mad.
I do not think you are mad at all. My wedding is also in black an white as well. My family through a big fit about it but i just added some white into the flowers that we are wearing and some to the tables. Hope that might help you with your wedding.
I want the navy, grey, and white colors for my wedding but I am wondering if those colors will go good for a end of summer/beginning of fall fall wedding? We want it to fall in between our birthdays which are somewhere around 8/28 and 9/10.
I getting married in August for the second time and at first we chose peach and white. But peach anything was so difficult to find from flowers to a peach evening gown(which is what I want, no a wedding dress). So now we’ve chose periwinkle and white. I have found several periwinkle colored dress so that is out of the way. But now it’s the others things like flowers etc. Any suggestions on wear I can find periwinkle colored items for decorations, favors etc. I was wonder should I add an accent color like silver. Helpless Bride
i am having an indoor summer wedding, the wall are covered with wood and floor wooden with very huge and elegant lighting, its a big place for 350 people am inviting 200 only.the chairs have ivory and golden covers.and table with ivory cloth .
my centerpiece is a candle with flowers around it am not sure which colours should i use and what colour should my bouquet be.
please help
My wedding date is June 13 of this year and I have chosen bronze for the girls dresses. It is a more appropriate color for a fall wedding but I loved the color.
What colors can I add (eg for centerpieces)that will brighten things up for a spring wedding?
My 2nd wedding…. my dress is ‘sunshine’ yellow – spaguetti straps, in the back the length is to ankle but in front is open around the knees down.. my question, what color(s) would you recommend for maid of honor and 2 bridesmaids (my daughters) I’m not looking for them to match their dresses but matching coordinating colors?? Help…then would be able to know flowers and centre pieces for table…
Hi everyone! My husband and I got married at a court house and we are going to renew our vowson our 5th anniversary February 27th 2009. I would like to do the colors coral and teal (aqua) and dont know exactly how to use the colors. like which one i want to be the main color or if I want to mix it up. I am open to all ideas.Throw them at me, I’m so excited!
I am wanting to have a summer wedding but am leaning towards a red, white, and black color scheme. How would I incorporate black callas and red roses?
Chioma,
Olive green and ivory are great with together. When I pictured a third color with that combination, I thought of coral. It would be festive and bright.
Brittany,
I think that although not typically summer colors, your combination would be very classic and elegant. I would try to incorporate white calla lilies as well as the black in order to make it a little less formal for summer.
My fiancee and I were planning our wedding when I realised that I haven’t picked out any colour for my family. In Nigeria, the families of the groom and bride usually wear seperate colours and it really makes the ceremony colourful.
I finally picked olive green and cream or ivory for my family. However, i need to know what other colours can go with olive green.
Secondly, we want my fiancee’s family to choose a colour that will compliment olive green so our wedding ceremony doesn’t look like a carnival.Any suggestions please?
i was just wondering if many brides choose to ware a color other than white. im not sure what color i would like but i am leaning tword a darker color…….i dont want the traditional white. i want a dark color like red, blue, or black.
Sam, why not go with a color other than white. It is your day, your allowed. I work in the industry and I have seen quite a few brides going with other colors besides the traditional white. Go for it, look fabulous in a color that makes you feel wonderful!
my daughter wants a halloween wedding but im really not crazy about the idea any suggestions to make it somewhat elegant but give her what she wants?
Dolly,
I attended a beautiful Halloween wedding that was very tasteful and elegant. Don’t think orange plastic pumpkins or ghosts made of sheets. Instead think about haunted Victorian houses. Try using candelabras and plush black and red velvet. Use jeweled goblets and dark roses. Also try to remember that it may seem unusual it is what your daughter wants
Question what about Emerald Green? What does that suggest? I am thing Emerald green with either Champange, Royal Blue, or Navy but my man is very masculine and doesn’t want it too girlie. What are some suggestions.
Raina:
I saw your comment about the emerald green. I chose emerald green and sapphire blue for my March wedding colors. I love blue and green together, but didn’t want to do anything too “springy”. I had a semi-formal art museum wedding and so I decided to go with jewel tones and it worked out nicely! I uploaded a pic of my bridesmaids, they alternated green and blue. You can see how well the colors work together. I also went with white tulips, since tulips are simple, elegant and classic, and white matched great with the multi-colored wedding. Emerald is a unique and great choice for a formal or semi-formal wedding!
p.s. our wedding was on March 17… aka St. Patrick’s Day
I’m so happy I found someone who did emerald green and sapphire blue together. My fiance chose those two colors for our May 2010 wedding. It’ll be outdoors in a garden setting. I was thinking of putting my girls in blue and the groomsman would have the green vest. If you could give me any suggestions or decorating ideas with those color I would appreciate it. I was thinking of using a peacock theme or something with the feathers to tie the two colors together.
stunning combination!!!
i need help for my wedding colors!! im gettin married in april … && i have no idea wat colors to pick… i orginally wanted chocolate..orange n gold… i dont kno if those colors look nice togethor but thats want i wanted until i realized they were more fall colors… soooo please help me wit some spril colors…one color i dont like is green…so no green..
My colors for my wedding dress is going to be Ivory with a Champagne Sash. My bridesmaids are wearing persimmons, but to make my maid of honor (moh) stand out, I wanted to put a royal or cobalt blue sash around the top (it’s strapless). One of the ladies at David’s Bridal showed me it. Well, my moh was not happy with the color combanation. What do you think of those two colors going togehter? I wanted the ribbon for the bouquets to be the same color for the bridesmaid and the moh. Mine will be champagne. The boquets for the bridesmaids and moh will mostly have cream colored flowers with some blue and orange flowers. My bouquet will have mostly orange with some blue and cream.
I am looking for a way to do my center pieces without spending so much money any ideas?