Fit for a Queen: The Purple Theme
But we're likely to see even more of it — especially as fall layouts and design collections induce the rest of us to bow down to its many charms.
Of course, it's difficult to use a single word like 'purple' to describe such a broad range of colors. Much more so than with colors like pink or yellow, purple comes in dramatically different hues ... and moods.
On the dark and sophisticated end, there's royal purple, suitable for low-lit ballrooms and floor-length gowns.
Royal Purple's ideal for formal events.
Then, bringing a completely different feel to the table: orchid. Feminine yet not untraditional, this suggests flirty frocks on bridesmaids under a tropical sun, or a garden affair that slowly unrolls over an enchanted afternoon.
Purple's at its flirtiest in its Orchid or Heliotrope hues.
Purple's lighter shades that lean toward red have a more playful, romantic feel, reminiscent of pink. And the pinker types of purple look just as striking as pure pinks when you pair them with fresh shades of green.
But choose a purple that leans more toward blue, and you've got the perfect excuse to indulge in armfuls of hydrangeas ... and a great country-casual feel for your wedding (think wide-open fields and apple trees, farmhouses, porcelain sinks and powder blue.)
On the blue end of the spectrum, purple gets an ultra-romantic and fresh country feel.
Purple's hardly a shy color, though. And in its most saturated forms, it can almost spin out of control. So for bridesmaids gowns or table linens, look for less vivid shades ... or just go ultra-purple with the sashes and runners.
The best foil for purple overall? Often, it's lots of diamond-white, which makes purple look crisp and tailored. Plus, other near-neutrals do just as well: try a deep chocolate brown, charcoal gray, or shiny platinum.
Chic, energizing Aubergine's a favorite of fashion editors everywhere.
Talk Back on Purple
What flavor of purple captured your heart? How did you possibly decide between its many personalities?And did you always love purple, or was it the season's gorgeous new collections inspire you to give this classic hue a second look?
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What accent colors would you suggest for a eggplant/lapis shade of purple? My wedding is in August and in Texas. What about ideas for flowers. I like bright and bold colors. We want our wedding to be fun but semi-formal.
elise, i headed to theknot.com (go here click wedding photos then it will bring to color details for more weddings)for all these ideas. i love the 1st wedding i posted (becky and like and incorporating the grapevine wow! i love that they used instead of other colors a vivid spectrum of purples including magenta, which brought it to life. actually i think that is what i would do is bring in other purples. you will get the bright/bold your after. but it will be great for a semi formal affair and still be fun.
*Audra & Bob: A Formal Wedding in Wheeling, WV
*Becky & Mike in Duck, NC
I’m using a dark purple with silver, and yellow as an accent, mainly in flowers. yellow makes purple pop!
Hi,
I am getting married in September 2009 and my dress is champagne and ivory in color and my bridesmaids dresses are an eggplant color. I am having trouble finding flowers that would look well with that color scheme. does anyone have any suggestions? I thought about purple and pink, but I am not sure how that would go with my dress. Any help is appreciated…Thanks!
rebecca, beautiful color scheme!! i am posting a few pics that will work. add a darker ribbon to the calla lily bouquet. in the bridal party pic, this is another color you can put with this. a champagne and green bouquet which will stand out and look sooo elegant! ( the one in bridal party pic is orchids and has a tinge of color in center) i just love the pale green and champagne agaisnt the eggplant, i think its my fave!!
rebecca, now for the green. breathtaking!!
I like these pictures and ideas. My problem right now is finding the actual flowers to go in the bouquet. Purple must not be in season for silk flowers right now. The green is something different. I may have to try that and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the suggestion!
Picasso Calla Lily’s are my new favorite flower. Dark purple and cream.
Has anyone seen any royal purple/gold/champagne inspiration boards?
Thanks!
cc,
* Inspiration Board: Purple & Gold
i couldnt find alot on the color scheme. but it is spectacular! i hope this board helps! i will keep looking and post more if i find them
cc, these are not exactly the colors but maybe they will give ideas. also google image purple and gold wedding then head over to theknot.com click wedding photos…purple wedding details
* Aubergine Applied
* Board #313: Dinner at the Vineyard
Was wondering what you all thought of eggplant and royal blue? I was going to go withturquoise but the fh dosn’tlike the combo.
hi again melissa!! i hate to hear he didnt like it!!
no problem!) i will do what i can to help!! eggplant and royal blue will be beautiful also! i hope you can find something you like here, lots of beautiful ideas!!
* Wedding Wednesday: Dramatic Purple and Silver
( i love the way this has touches of the blue with the main wedding in purple)
* A Palette of Blue ( lovin’ this!! hydrangeas so easy to pull in this scheme, cause 1 flower head could blend blue and purple)
* Kathleen & Casey in Bay Head, NJ
( not exactly your colors but easily doable)
* Wedding Photography by Christine Taylor
( i know this is purple bm dresses but in certain light it looks more blue, thought you could visualize how it could look)
melissa, check this out!! i wasnt sure about your main color or what type of wedding your having month etc. ?!? so i just pulled all i could, in what colors i could! smile!! sorry for lots of posts! i came across these after i sent the 1st one!
* A Knot Wedding
( beautiful, i love the ranges of purples with “blue”, this is closest to your colors, i think different shades of the purple with pops of blu would be stunning!!) i also have some pics 4 ya!! in bouquet pic, i thought the hydrangea should be a deeper blue like in urns. i got a couple more pics! be right back!
melissa, heh! royal blue dress is from jcrew.com they have eggplant dresses too. very reasonable!! good luck!!
hi girls..a spring wedding with purple dresses, the flowers could be like easter spring colors,iris,in purples,and yellows,whites..
for the fall the color purple dresses,your could use ivory color flowers and purple mums..or jewel tone gerber daisies…
with deep purple,any combination can go.
purple and light blue also look nice together,and the flower to go with that could be the blue and purple shade hydranga.that flower is and really nice arrangement..
when my sister got maried in 1974 she had lavender and lt blue, and her flowers were daisys, the men had blk tuxedos and ther shirts matched the dresses.. it was very pretty…
Hi I am getting married on 25th September 2009 in Sorrento, Italy. I am having a purple, silver and white theme as my Dress is white with silver detailing embroidered on. What can you suggest for the men to wear? The Bm’s are wearing purple dresses with a silver waistband with a bow at the back.
Thanks, I look forward to your response
siobhan, wow italy!omg!! what a beautiful setting!!
if this is a more formal occasion a dark grey tux with a lighter grey r silver tie and vest. if more semi formal style have a simple charcoal grey suit with silver or grey tie . if its super casual a great charcoal suit or pair of slacks with white shirt.
* Black Tuxedos
* We rent business suits, too! ( i love the black/silver here as well)
* 3 Button Italian Super 140’s Black Tuxedo, Hand Tailored, Satin Lapels
* $650 CHIANTI Italian Grey Charcoal Men’s Suit
gogle image charcoal grey suit and also charcoal grey tux. as far as suits go check out the italian suits (google image) see how they are made( i have always loved the cut of these the best) they really are sharp. i chose charcoal grey because it will blend with silver and even if you use a lighter grey vest and tie it will blend with the silver so well.
also google image silver vest and tie(lots of pics) you wont have to worry about adding silver to the suit/tux unless you choose.have a purple bout. or better yet, a purple pocket square would look even more classy( these are my faves over flowers) good luck!!
Hi
Great site!
I am getting married I July 2009 (outdoor wedding, ballroom reception)and stumbled across this site looking for some purple, burgundy (red) and champagne inspiration… Could really use some help please. Can I pull this color scheme off in the heart of summer?
Thanks
LeMoni, short answer is, these are POPULAR colors for elegant summer vineyard weddings, so yes, you can definitely pull this off. And they look so beautiful against green. Well, you need Stacey’s expert help but I just wanted to say that those colors will be gorgeous.
lemoni,
BLAKE was right on target with ideas and the green. it will be very beautiful!! and THANKS BLAKE!!
i sure hope all of these ideas help you!! if you need xtra help i am here and will do whatever i can!!go to theknot.com under wedding photo heading click purple wedding details you will find so man ideas it aint even funny!! i didnt know what shade of purple you were using but a deeper lavender with burgundy would be beautiful!!
i am thinking an all champagne linens with the shade of purple you are using as accents,(like table in pic i posted) have lots of greenery to make it summery, add the purple flowers and tinges of burgundy among them. also think about grapes or summer berries to add that burgundy touch doesnt have to be flowers. put your bm in either champagne or a shade of plum, aubergine, eggplant or lavender depending on shade your using. for xtra ideas google image burgundy and green wedding board also purple and green wedding board. keep it simple greenery will make it super lush. for a standout cake table have a luxurious purple tablecloth, i love the eggplant color of bm dresses in pic. they are from lynnlugobridal.com also check out jimhjelm.com for inspiration. your main colors will be the champagne/purple with tinges of burgundy and lots of green.
* TheKnot: Kayla & David in Silverado, CA
* Event Designer Profile: Jung Lee, Fête
* Michelle & Tennyson in Toronto, Ontario
* Board #30: Royal Purple ( this board is amazing!! i love the touch of burgundy in the bouquet(the one in the board not one below)
* Lilac, Platinum and Aubergine
* Asheley & Cort (Peach & Plum)
* WeddingBee: Aubergine Applied
Hey i saw all the wonderful advice and i am thinking about purple for my wedding but kind of wanted to include pink. im really not quite sure exactly though. my wedding is going to be in may of 2009 so i really need some help. i saw a lot of useful advice on here was wondering if you could help me also. it would be greatly appreciated.
i really love callalilies but not quite sure what other kinds of flowers to pair with them…
help.. please!!!!
dawn, here are some links…. for pink and purple wedding!! may have a few other colors mixed in but i hope you like them!!
* FEELING PURPLE: Inspiration Board
* Trials - purple wedding bouquet for my friend Sandy
* Purple (my fave!! this is gorgeous!! definitely have wisteria haning from arch its so romantic, have your call a lilies mixed with roses and greenery for a romantic may wedding. i even love the grey suits/tux with this, actually i would pick a deep grey or charcoal grey with purple ties, have bm in deeper purple(like aubergine) to match guys ties and set lavender and pink against it talk about wow!!) would look real nice!! ( google image grey tux for a visual)
* Aubergine Applied
* Category — purple week
* j’aime l’aubergine
* [B] Inspired - Whimsy
here is a sample of what i see!! pics following!!
dawn, the attire is at dessy.com (click on purple and you will see the dresses then look at coordinated accessories) happy planning!!
dawn, i dont think these pics sent so i will repost them. mimic flower bouquet combo into centerpieces, unless you want a solid color calla lily, like this…
* Glam Up Your Table for a Party ( which is super nice!!)
Thank you so much stacy!!! i am so grateful for your help!!
hey everyone!! i am recently engaged and am thinking a august wedding!! the plan so far is at my church and i love the color purple!! i would like to have another color maybe chocolate brown or orange of some sort. are these good colors for august? or is there another color that would be good for august and purple togetheR? lol its just the beginning of planning for me so any feedback would help me out a lot!! thanks in advance!!
amber, would love to help!! and congrats on your engagement and upcoming wedding!! yes any of these colors will be excellent!! i am giving you some other ideas to ponder!
…instead of a full fall wedding i am meeting summer and fall in the middle, well leaning more to fall! 
and i hope you like what i ahve found. plus check out polyvore search purple wedding. and then theknot.com photo galleries and purple wedding. loads of info and pics!! also brown sash on on dress with the peach and lavender would be sooo unbelievable!!
* Inspiration Board: Autumn Candlelight
(gorgeous!! just add different shades of purple instead of the dusty rose color and you have a jaw dropping wedding, keep the orange!!)
* brown and plum color palette?
* Lilac, Platinum and Aubergine
( i love this board so much!!)
* Inspired: soft peach, pink and lavender
(omg! this whimsy is stunning a lighter version of purple and orange!, background decor is perfect, if you want to add fall leaves to the mix, then go for it!! would make it amazing and people would be in awe!! can deepen the colors if you wish but i wouldnt change a thing unless i deepened the bm dresses to a shade of purple, in case you wanted more purple!!)
Finally:
* Pretty In Purple
amber, i dont think pics sent gonna resend….
the dresses are from jim hjelm under occasions. check it out they have alot of purple shade dresses that are gorgeous!! you might see a color scheme you like!! again with the background of flowers i am suggesting!
hello everyone!
this is my first time posting a message….i see alot of great pictures and advice. so i am asking for some. my wedding is light purple almost a mauve color. i need some other colors added….i was thinking peach and green…..does anyone have great advice to give. it’s a march wedding. please help!!!!
tara, this is a pretty wedding check out the sage/mauve candle table.
* Sherry and Richard -April 29, 2006
* EAD: Shades of Purple
* TheKnot: Hot Wedding Color Combos
* Board #292: Post Pink
hi all!!!!! ive been reading all the comments everyone has left to help others and im hoping ill find some help here too!!! i am planning on getting married in june 2009 - im can not choose between purple and some other color or blue and like a dark blue? i have no idea! seriuosly im lost! also, once i choose a color, do i throw it in everywhere? like it becomes the color of my floors, my centerpieces, bridesmaids dresses, all that or would that be going over board? what are some good purple colors for a june wedding? what would you suggest for a matching color with blue for a june wedding? any help will be appreciated it because im seriously at ground zero!!!
rachel, hi, for june any purple would go but i am thinking royal purple. i am gonna give you some pics and links to go to so you can look at it. for more on navy blue, google image navy blue wedding board. there are too many pics to post.
* Wedding Wednesday - Dramatic Purple Wedding
* White & Royal Purple Wedding
the table setting pic is exactly the color i was thinking!!.
with darker purple flowers and crisp green as centerpieces. you could change out the containers.another option is have lighter lavender colored or white flowers with crisp green greenery, in clear glass containers filled with purple colored water set on darker purple tablecloths surrounded by candlelight. have white plates and silverware, elegant green napkins or white box favors tied with green and purple ribbon on each setting, instead of another color with purple just have the different shades of purple. the contrast will be the same and look sooooo good. i am gonna find a couple more pics for ya and post them be right back.
rachel, this is sooo pretty!! and the details are there start to finish!!
* Brides: A Purple Party - Vibrant violets dazzle at an alfresco affair
* TheKnot: Michelle & Tennyson in Toronto, Ontario
( hands down i absolutely love the simpleness of this wedding with just the right touches of purple, check it out!!, i believe this is my fave!! but you could have white flower centerpiece (like one in link) against elegant silk looking purple table cloths and have the same effect) check out photo gallery on the knot its wedding details by color. there are alot of pics. i sure hope this helps!!
HELP!!!! I am having a wedding in June 2010. I know I want purple, but I am really worried about its strong presence for a summer wedding if it wasn’t used wisely. I read earlier posting suggest to use the purple in small doses. I am thinking having the guys wear in silver vests and ties (may be with a tint of purple). Would light yellow go with royal purple? Or is ivory better?
I also want to use the orchid in the picture with some freesies, white-ish hydrangeas… but it’s more like a pink right? I don’t want ten thousand colors in the wedding, if I add in this orchid, is it too busy with the silver, purple, and very light yellow/ivory?
I love some of you love purple as much as I do and have used the color in your happy weddings, could you please show me some pictures so that I can have some ideas in what I am going to do?
Thanks a bunch!
victoria, how beautiful!! actually this is a lilac lavender color, it will be perfect against a darker purple, i wouldnt use anything but. a plum or deep purple color and copycat this look into your reception using the flowers in your pics in silver vases, keep it simple. put on white or deep purple linens.accenting with lots of greenery if you want a more garden appeal, if its more chic then axe the greens or most of them!! hope this helps you!! if you need more help please post back!!
* Purple Birthday Dinner (scroll down)
* Purple, aqua and chartreuse
* Wedding Wednesday: Dramatic Purple and Silver
* Wedding Wednesday - Purple and Silver Wedding
* Shutterstock cake with purple roses
Hi Victoria, another pic, also google image purple wedding cakes
I am getting married in Aug 2009. I was thinking of dark purple for color. Not really sure if this is a good color for this time of year…any thoughts?
Hi Danielle!
I think dark purple is one of the most beautiful colors out there for fall. It is so royal and impressive that I think the warmer seasons have a hard time standing up to it. Perfect for fall and winter.
Not sure what colors you’re thinking, but chocolate brown and purple is lovely for fall. I worked up a quick board to show. You see these colors combined a lot with fresh little touches of green. If you want a touch of harvest flavor for the fall, you can bring in the green with green apples and clouds of pale green hydrangea.
If you want more of a dramatic, ultra-modern look, try deep chocolate mini-calla lilies, chocolate cosmos and white callas for contrast. Use lots of crisp white with chocolate brown & purple so it doesn’t get too dark overall, plus, white really sets off their beauty. Or ivory would be a richer, more old-world alternative to white. Another option: with colors these rich & luxurious you could have fun adding just a hint of middle eastern flair: sparkle, tassels, silk or fringe. Like the detailed beading on the purple gown in the board.
You can also combine dark purple with lighter shades of purple and white for a very attractive look. HTH!
Thanks so much for the advice and all of the great ideas. One thing though…my wedding is Aug 8/09. Do you think these colors will still work for an early Aug wedding?
Sorry Danielle, I forgot that August is summer in MANY parts of the country
OK, my feeling is that if you’re having an evening wedding in a swanky ballroom, by all means roll out the royal purple, mix it with burgundy or chocolate brown, go satin, go fringe, and get as smoky and grown-up as you want, it will be perfect simply because it is a formal evening event.
BUT, if you’re having an outdoor wedding and want a fresh garden feel AND royal purple, believe me that would work. Just essentially design a white wedding with a frame of dark greenery to showcase the white. On top add lots of romantic texture: white satin ribbons, white organza panels blowing from a wedding arch, organza pew swags punctuated with dark purple hydrangea (maybe a touch of silver … like galvanized silver buckets … maybe little silver favor boxes with a romantic sheer white ribbon). Then when you add in small touches of royal purple, it will be SO modern and crisp. Total summer but also VERY sophisticated. Just use the royal purple in sharp small doses. E.g. keep your linens bright white with maybe a purple runner (NOT a purple overlay, too much).
To keep these strong colors from getting too monochromatic you can let little variations on purple creep into the florals here and there: lavenders, rosy pinks, soft greens. The bridesmaids wear the purple but maybe you break it up a bit with a sash. Please see pic attached for what I’m trying to get across.
HTH!
Thanks, that helps me loads Dawn. What would you have the men wearing if I were to go with purple and white with hints of green in the flowers?
After looking at too many purple weddings, I have definite opinions about this!
If you were using choc brown I would say black tuxes with choc brown vests, but for lighter schemes I feel the BEST colors for men is a pewter gray vest/tie combo with a little shine in the fabric against classic black tuxes. There’s something about gray that sets purple off like a jewel, it creates a quietness for the brighter colors to shine against, especially for a lighter summer wedding. When using purple, neutrals look very beautiful. Not too dark on the pewter, a lighter shade is perfect.
So take a look at the pic, ignoring the loud striped ascot in the lower right hand side … which would look nice in other settings but not here … but doesn’t the gray look great?
the colour theme im looking for is purple and ivory but i cant seem to find any decorations that aren’t to over the top
What type of decorations are you looking for? (centerpieces, linens, etc)
Is your wedding day or evening? I am getting married in April 2009 outdoors, but in the late afternoon into the evening. I have also been researching ideas for a wedding that is not over the top and I have run across some beautiful ideas. I was thinking of using different tones of purple with some ivory, greenery and lavender for the aroma. But because it is going into the evening hours, I am also using candles with my flower centerpieces. As for linens, I am just using plain ivory. I just want mine simple and romantic. Hope this helps a little.
Hi Everyone,
I am getting Married Sept. 2009 in TN. It will be an outdoor wedding and I don’t want to go with the traditional fall country theme. I am thinking multicolored Jewel tone flowers with deep plum as my main color. But I also like the clean white look with lavender, purples and pink. I am having trouble pulling it all together. Any suggestions? :-?
I have decided to go with a purple theme because ever since I was young everything I owned or ate had to be purple…
Because I am paying for this wedding myself I decided to go a more inexpensive route and found some gorgeous dresses at DEBS, they are more affordable and I found the color I love and it is a popular choice right now.
As for the decorations, I went a little crazy with the colors, but luckily my fiance is very good with matching the different shades, again a less expensive alternative with grapvine wreaths covered in greens with white and purple flowers. It has always been my dream to be able to incorporate my favorite color into my wedding and I thin it looks absolutly stunning!
If you ever happened to wonder whether purple would look fantastic with red, blue … AND gold, wonder no longer! Check out this amazing jewel-tone wedding which proves that purple was just made to go hand-in-hand with red. This from blmurch.
Inspired by the light chartreuse and deep purple shades of sweet potato vines that grow in mother’s flower bed, I hope to bring together a strikingly sophisticated contrast of color to my wedding scheme
We’re going with BM dresses in lilac and plum. However, I’m at a loss for what to do with the flowers and cake!
Hi,
Am getting married in April 2009, I have been having problems with choosing colors but am settled now, purple it will be. Please holla on any info or photos you may have on this!
Regards
Eunice