Picking your wedding colors? It's kind of a big thing, isn't it? Color has to be decided for the bridesmaid dresses, the flowers, the napkins, cake, and the invitations, among other things. Much has changed since your mother made your father wear a powder blue tuxedo to their 1976 wedding. Read on.
The Basics of Wedding Color
Pick a color scheme and stick with it. Receptions look amazing when things are coordinated. (Note, coordinated is not the same as "matchy-matchy." Don't go totally overboard making things match.)
There are NO rules on how many colors you can have for your wedding. Go monochromatic, or have the whole rainbow. It’s entirely up to you. Also, color can be a focal point, or it can be completely understated. Either option can be totally beautiful.
The elusive "Understated Multi-color Look". So beautiful!
I would advise that you keep some white or ivory or some muted color in the decoration scheme. Some brides have brightly colored or black tablecloths and it ends up looking like a prom instead of a wedding. (Unless "Enchantment Under the Sea" is the wedding theme you are shooting for.)
So, how to choose your wedding colors?
Some brides just KNOW what colors they want, and others have a really difficult time making a decision. I've come up with several ways to choose wedding colors. Which one works for you?
1. Consider my post on choosing two wedding words and how your two words can impact your color choice. Your color can really help the mood you are trying to create for your wedding.
2. Consult your bridesmaids on what color dress they would like, or alternatively, what they would HATE. Or at least think about their skin tone/hair color when choosing a dress color. With their preferences in mind, choose a dress. Then use that dress color as the main color for the wedding, or pick one or more colors that coordinate with that color. Those colors are your official wedding colors. Good to Note: all the dresses don't have to be the same color. I saw a stunning bridal store display with alternating bridesmaid dresses in green and yellow, surrounding a white clad bride. Talk about a striking combination!
3. Look at your venue for the ceremony or reception. If the entire church is salmon colored, don’t pick bright orange for your flowers and bridesmaid dresses. Talk about clashing! Gross. If your reception is at a college, and school colors dominate the room, choose colors that are the same as those, OR that coordinate with those, OR at least don’t clash with those. The colors of your reception space could really help with the overall design of your reception, IF you work with it and not against it. For example, if your reception site has navy chairs, go with a color scheme that incorporates navy. Then there is zero need to buy chair covers and your decorations will really coordinate with the space. Also, if you are having a destination wedding, such as at the beach, go with “beachy” colors like blue, white, and tan. Or if your destination is New Orleans
4. Consider the season. Great choices for particular seasons are:
· Winter
o Navy and silver
o Icy blue and white
o Crimson and green
o Green and ivory
o White and silver and ivory
o Gold and red
o Purple
o Black and white
· Spring
o Yellow and green
o Yellow and red – think tulips, not McDonald's
o Green – different shades
o Light blue and green
o Pastels – think charming English garden bouquet
o Pink
o Light blue, yellow, white
· Summer
o Bright multi-color – all the brightest summer flowers
o Red, orange, yellow, green
o Blue
o Pink and green
o Yellow and ivory
o Grey and any bright accent color
· Fall
o Brown and lime green
o Brown, orange, red/yellow
o Your football team’s colors
o Wheat and green/cream/orange/brown
o Sky blue
o Purple
o Red
If you have any more ideas on favorite color combos for a particular season, please leave them in the comments!
Good to Note - the Two-Color-Combo trend is kind of over. When you want two dominant colors, like say, yellow and blue, don't stick with one bright yellow and one shade of blue for everything from flowers to dresses to bows. Consider doing a mix of lemon yellow, pale yellow, navy, baby blue, beige, and white. This really takes your pallette to the next level in terms of sophistication.
5. Speak with a florist. Talk to your florist about what kinds of flowers she recommends, especially for the time of year of the wedding. If she can show you a must-have, fabulous bouquet for your wedding, just go with that color scheme for everything else. They have bridesmaid dresses in every single color of the rainbow, so I’m sure you’ll be able to coordinate.
6. Is there a color that is meaningful to you and your spouse? For example, the colors of the school where you met, or maybe your unique engagement rings has emeralds and you want to go with an emerald color scheme. Which color makes you HAPPY?
7. Head to the paint store with your fiancé and choose a few colors that you both like. It’s not rocket science! Maybe you’ll think up some amazing combinations together. Do you want to go with pale blue, midnight blue, a swampy green, or all three?
8. Be practical. Your best friend got married last year and is willing to give you all of her red, black, and white centerpieces, candles, and gorgeous table runners. The money you will save on decorations might be enough to convince you that red, black, and white are your new favorite colors!
Charming DIY paper and cloth decorations by bride Shannon Reitz Nye gave her late
summer wedding a fun burst of color. Photo by Eileen Magno Grubb.
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