Coloring the World, One Wedding at a Time

One of the first steps for everyone in designing a wedding is color. Every wedding, from the most traditional to the most outrageous, has a color palette, and it’s something that brides and grooms wrangle and tear hair out over. Color is fundamental, one of the elements that will drive the design of your wedding, from flowers to clothes to jewelry. But one thing that you might find will drive your color palette is your wedding location.

Location. It’s Not Just a Destination on Mapquest.

Why the location? Wedding design means integration. That doesn’t mean location has to come first, but what you’re looking for is coordination. Here’s a dramatic example: Say your chosen hall, church, castle, cavern, etc. has burgundy flooring, but you had your heart set on bright orange gowns for your bridesmaids. We personally love, and heartily embrace, eclectic style, but a burgundy and orange combination may wreak havoc on your beautiful wedding pictures. Not that we don’t love a challenge.

This, by all means, doesn’t mean that you have to go and get all matchy-matchy. Using only one shade of one color is visually monotonous *yawn* that will photograph poorly too, and we don’t want your friends and family to go into a boredom-induced sleep coma while looking at your cherished wedding photos. We’re just saying that it’s usually best to take your surroundings into consideration. Maybe the guests won’t notice the burgundy carpet, but your photographs will definitely pick up the contrast in a not-good way.

Okay, you say, we’re getting married and having our reception in a hall with wood flooring. Well, not only does “wood” go with all colors, but it’s great for dancing on, too! See? Even wood is a color, and it does indeed go much better a bright orange color palette than a burgundy carpet.

Type of location can also be a consideration. If you’re planning to be married in a formal, stained-glass-filled church, you might want to consider colors that play up the solemn surroundings. Same with a garden wedding; if you’re getting married in a garden filled with lovely spring blooms, a heavy purple velvet gown might not fit as well as if you were married in the aforementioned church. Another tip—create a mood evocative of the season by using a seasonal color palette. Not only will it photograph nicely, but you’ll save money on the florals.

Colors and Shades.

The colors you choose will carry different feelings and emotions. People eat more in a red dining room. Why? Red is an active, hyper, exciting color. Think of it as a party color. It inspires doing.

What about blue? Calm, restive, relaxing. The color you choose will have an emotional tone to it, one that affects mood and attitude.

But not all reds are equal (or blues, either). Shades of a color can be vastly different. Dark or light? Gray or bright? Off-color or primary? When you’re considering color, look at different tones and shades of the colors you love--and (back to location again) be sure to look at them under the lighting at your location. Because without light, there is no color, and a change in light can completely change your colors.

The Color Wheel Is Your Friend.

Color is used to create a mood, convey an emotion, and set the stage for the type of statement you want to make. Are you all about fun, fun, fun? Or do you see your wedding day as a solemn event with an elegant, timeless beauty? Let’s use purple as an example of your favorite color—the color you’ve chosen for you wedding gown. Pairing purple with bright yellow gives you a fun, fresh, and energetic color palette by using colors that are opposite on the color wheel (complimentary colors).

Or, you can choose a triad, three colors that form a triangle in the color wheel, like purple, green, and orange. Vibrant and exciting!

Hmmm, you say you’re not that bold and you want a much more subtle color palette? Use the many different shades of purple; think lavender for the bridesmaids, white florals for your bouquet, dark purple accents, silver in your jewelry and centerpieces.

Using different shades of one color conveys a sense of subtle calm, as does using colors that are next to each other on the color wheel (adjacent or analogous colors).

Another idea is to have the bridesmaids wear all different colors: Your gown is dark purple? Then use jewel tones (red, green, blue) as accent colors to create a regal mood. A day for the princess to turn into a queen.

This gives you an idea of how the mood of your “main” color is affected by the accent colors you use. You get the picture. Color combinations, or varying shades of just one color create a much different sensation than using purple and bright yellow (or lavender and sage, or lilac and brown, etc.). Here is the easiest way to approach color palettes. Take your favorite color, then decide what type of statement you want the day to make. Fun? Elegant? Timeless? Spooky?

Sure, you can sort though magazines for pictures of bridal bouquets, cake colors and reception decorations to see what main color, or color combinations, touch you. We suggest an easier method. Go directly to your local home improvement store with their vast, mind-numbing array of paint chips and pick some. Use your primary color (i.e., purple) and hold the chip that shows the shade you want to use. Now hold it up against other color combinations to see what you really like together - the accent colors, or shades of your main color, that best determine your chosen mood and work well with your location. Go to your local fabric store and pick a bolt of fabric with colors (don’t forget textures) you like. Eeeeeek! Are you more confused than ever? Is your head spinning through the rainbow in a pull-out-your hair kinda way?

Brainstorming in Color

Think of colors evocative of a special vacation (i.e., a Tuscan sunset or Ireland’s emerald fields), or colors most associated with a cultural celebration (i.e., Japanese or Moroccan). Choose a range colors associated with a season (i.e., fall or winter) or a mood (spooky or kooky). How about the colors often associated with your favorite holiday? New Year’s Eve wedding? Use black, white, and a bit of the ol' bubbly. Okay, even more out of the box. How about the colors of candy? There are certainly times that your humble author would give her left arm for a bowl of dark M&Ms or Tangerine Jelly Bellys. Think Lifesavers and Starburst. Think Licorice. How about fresh citrus colors, with bright orange, yellow and green for a fun summer wedding? Or the cooling taste of (blood orange, yummy!) a Jones Soda? How about cool strawberries and cream on a warm summer’s day? Think wine. Think coffee. Choose the mood of a season to create a color palette. Dark stormy sky offset by bright lightening bolts? The cool colors of the moon and stars, the warm colors of a flower filled spring garden. Build a color palette around an element you love (i.e., favorite flower).

See our links page for more detailed web-based resources to help determine the palette you choose.

One last tip on color. Create a way to communicate your color to chosen vendors. Everyone’s idea of “purple” is different. Take them a flower, a paint chip, a fabric swatch so there is no doubt about shades of color. Create a design notebook, with photos of your location, dress, color chips, etc. We say bring on the gloom, or the cheer, or the elegance of the emotional impact you want to make. Pick the colors that best represent your style and personality, and you won’t go wrong. Don’t have an eye for colors or design? Let us help you color your world.