Your wedding day is the one day it can and should be ALL ABOUT YOU. Every detail, from the centerpieces to your wedding party attire, should be reflect the bride and groom's styles and personalities. Not only should the physical elements of the wedding scream your names, but also the overall mood. One of the most powerful ways to accomplish this is through the use of color.
Not only are the colors you choose for your wedding the heart from which your décor, flowers and attire originate, but they also set the mood and personality for the entire event. If you have a message to deliver, or want your guests to feel a certain way when they enter the venue, you don't necessarily have to pick a theme, just pick a color scheme the promotes that kind of energy.
And because your wedding day is, after all, the day that is ALL about you and your fiancé, you'll want to choose colors that display your personalities as a couple! Whether you're outgoing, laidback, adventurous or traditional, you'll want to choose a wedding color scheme that relays that message to your guests. There are a handful of ways you can coordinate colors to match your personality.
Larry and Fernando's big red wedding included hundreds of different shades of red roses and carnations, plus a dozen other red accents. It was the only color they used and it set the tone for a raging reception!
For example, a bride and groom who are outgoing may choose a bright color like red because red is associated with energy as well as passion, desire and love. Guests at a red wedding can most likely expect a lively party!
A couple who chooses to use pale pink and ivory sets more of an elegant, soft-spoken vibe. Their guests can expect simplistic details and a more mellow celebration.
On the theme side of things, if a bride and groom want to make their guests feel like they're on the ocean, they could choose a beach or tropical theme. They might go with colors such as aqua, sand and white, or bright orange, hot pink and parrot green. Bright tropical colors send the message that guests can expect a lively and joyous party, while shades of sea glass imply something more soothing and serious.
If a bride and groom decided to go with a garden theme, they might choose a more natural look such as whites and ivories, along with specks of greens and browns. These colors deliver an elegant and comforting feeling. The popularity of using succulents in bouquets and décor has exploded in garden themes.
As the bride and groom, you need to decide what you want the vibe of your wedding to be. The next step would be to choose either a theme or a color palette that can assist you in accomplishing just that. Since I didn't know what all the colors meant when I started this blog, I can only assume that quite a few brides and grooms are in the same position. Here is a breakdown of what emotions some specific colors may evoke:
Shades of Pink
Light Pink: Happy, Playful, Fun
Hot Pink: Bold, Energized
Shades of Purple
Purple: Mysterious, Glamorous, Grown-up
Lavender: Softy, Dainty, Ladylike
Shades of Blue
Aqua: Fun-loving, Fresh, Vibrant, Tropical
Royal Blue: Grand, Traditional, Happily-Ever-After
Navy: Ultra-classic, Alternative to Black
Shades of Green
Lighter Green: Reminiscent of Nature, Calm, Laidback, Relaxed
Brighter Green: Energetic, Fun, Creative
Shades of Red
Passionate, Dramatic, Desire, Romantic, Energetic
Shades of Yellow
Optimism, Cheerfulness, Appreciation for Friendship
Shades of Orange
Creative, Fun-loving, Joyfulness, Enthusiasm, Optimism
White
Pure, privileged, modern, Innocence, Cleanliness
Ivory
Elegant, Old-World, Soft-Spoken
Gold
Lavishness, Luxury, Warmth, Tradition
Silver
Restrained Wealth, Glamour, Sophistication
Gray
Modern, Understated, Sleek, Peace
Black
Timeless, Stylish, Sophisticated (but beware – it's also considered the color of mourning in much of the world and not all of your older guests may considerate an "appropriate" wedding color despite the fact it has been in style for years)
Brown
Comforting, Patience, Conservative, Reliable
Remember, most elements of your wedding such as the flowers, décor, attire, and cake use the color as the basis. You may use as much or as little color as you wish. The more color you use, the stronger the mood will be.
There are some things to keep in mind as you choose your colors or theme. If you have already chosen a venue, you may want to take its decor into consideration (i.e. If the venue has a color scheme of purple and green you probably won't want to go with red and navy blue as your colors. If the venue you're using features bold colors, it's likely that some color palettes may clash).
Depending on where you're getting married, keep the season in mind. Seasonal colors vary and you are definitely not limited to using what reflects the weather outside wherever you're getting married, but it's good to have an idea of how to play it up if you like. Spring colors usually consist of pastels and colors that resemble those first flowers poking out of the ground after winter. Consider muted pinks, greens, purples, blues, browns, white, ivory and grays.
Bright, fun, pops of color can be associated with summer weddings. The hot colors resemble summer: popsicles, sun, bright flowers, fruit, the beach, etc. Think bright pinks, oranges, yellows, corals and various shades of blue.
Autumn weddings call for earthy tones. The dramatic change of the season can be a huge help when planning an autumn wedding. Picture the falling leaves: oranges, reds, yellows, mossy greens, purples, and browns.
Although winter is a season of frigid cold, it makes for beautiful weddings. Winter is a time where metallic colors are especially popular! Because there are so many inspiring holidays in winter, there are a slew of colors to choose from in your theme. Think reds, greens, purples, blues, pinks, grays, gold, silver, white, ivory, black, and tans.
When in doubt, start with a color that you've always loved and work from there. Or look at using neutrals. Neutrals, despite what some may say, are not boring. They are extremely easy to add splashes of color to and look great in every venue!
The most important thing to remember is that there is no set of rules that you have to follow when choosing your wedding colors, it's your day!
Cheers!
Chelsey Commins, Intern at Weddings in Vieques
Sunset Beach Weddings http://www.sunsetbeachwed.com - Destin, Panama City Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach, wedding packages, wedding photography, beach wedding photography.
The B&Bs and vineyards in Fredericksburg, Texas, help get people in the mood. "A lot of people have gotten engaged here," says Nicole Bendele of Becker Vineyards.
