We all have favorite colors. When we're choosing a pair of socks or a belt, it's easy to pick out the shades we love, but when it comes to planning our wedding, things get a bit more complicated. There are so many factors to consider. Suddenly, you have to start thinking like a designer, and it's not enough to just pick a color, any color.
A good color scheme, or palette, will tie together all the decorating choices you make for your wedding. You have to choose a primary color, and one or two secondary colors. More than two secondary colors will make your palette too busy. Some designers will even tell you that only one secondary color should be used. However, two secondary colors can work, particularly if they are two different shades of the same color, or variations of your primary color.
On the other hand, a popular trend in wedding design today is to choose two colors that contrast dramatically, like baby blue and chocolate brown, or lavender and mint green. "Visually, the effect of these contrasts is stunning," says design expert Le Rhee, of Le Rhee Bouquets, makers of high-end silk flower bouquets. "Brides who really want to make a statement about their personal style love our Sunflower and Spur Bouquet, which combines yellow sunflowers with blue larkspurs to amazing effect."
Discovering the Perfect Colors for YOU
Because color schemes so often start with a favorite flower, many brides consult with floral designers like Le Rhee in order to help them develop their palettes. A designer may begin this process by asking you to look within yourself to find the colors that best represent who you are, and that best compliment your personal colors (hair color, eye color, etc). For example, blondes should stay away from yellows that make them look washed out, however, if you have dark hair and dark skin, yellow can be a radiant addition to your palette.
Just as important as reflecting who you are is reflecting how you feel. Color can set a tone and strike a mood, so you must, must, must choose a palette that is going to put all your guests in the same mindset as you. For example, reds and oranges and yellows create a mood of excitement and fun, while pale blues and greens create a mood of peace and harmony, and metallic colors bring cool elegance to the event. By choosing the right colors, you will actually be able to direct the feel and flow of your ceremony and your reception.
Working with Your Surroundings
If the introspective color search isn't cutting it, designers suggest that marrying couples look to their surroundings to find inspiration. For example, each season has colors that compliment it best. Consider metallics and brilliant reds in the winter, and green and yellow ? the colors of growth and life ? in the summer. In autumn, Le Rhee Bouquets suggests the stunning oranges and reds of changing leaves with their Persimmon Fall Bouquet. Location will also be a consideration. Maybe you're getting married in the lodge where you first met. In this case, browns and greens should make up your palette. Or maybe the ceremony is at the butterfly conservatory where he proposed. In this case, tropical pinks, like those found in Le Rhee's gorgeous Hawaiian Wedding Bouquet, will turn the scene into a slice of paradise. The beach? Perfect for pearly whites and cool blues, like those found in Le Rhee's Pool Blue Colorful Bouquet.
The Bouquet at the Heart of Your Palette
There are as many places to start designing your palette as there are bobby pins holding your veil in place. But often, as mentioned above, the color schemes that work the best start with something as simple as a flower. The brilliant orange of a tiger lily, the passionate red of a perfect rose, the sultry shimmer of lilac, or the vibrant blue of delphinium.
When you walk down the aisle with bouquet in hand, you are the center of the universe. "The bouquet is the point where the entire color and design scheme of a wedding radiates out from," says Le Rhee. "That's why I work in silk, so the memory of that moment will last forever." And that's why it's so important to choose the right colors for your wedding. If these memories are going to last forever, in silk, on film, and in photographs, then they had better look amazing!
Do you want bright colors? Pastels? Do you want the colors to make a statement, or calm the eye? The reason color is so important is because the color scheme will bind the whole event together. Once you choose your colors it will help you make more informed decisions on everything else, from flowers, to bridesmaid dresses, to table design, to cake d'cor, and even what close family might wear.
Top event planners know that the best color choices represent the personalities of the bride and groom in some way. The colors chosen for the wedding should evoke the tastes and personalities of the main players in the event.
It's important to realize that color is one of the most powerful elements in the world around us. How we see an object is often determined, in large part, by its color. As interior designers well know, certain colors can make a room expand, other colors can make it contract. So an understanding of the basic properties of different colors is crucial to planning your event.
Red: Red, the single most dynamic and passionate color, symbolizes love, and courage. It can also symbolize anger and other strong emotions, so use it carefully!. Red demands attention, and it has great emotional impact. Red might be selected by people who are naturally aggressive or impulsive or by those who strive for success. Red, of course, is the color of Cupid, and all things Valentine. Red is considered the color of prosperity and happiness in China.
Pink: Pink, emotional in character, often connotes a sensitive heart. It is the softer side of the color red, and is considered a romantic color as well. It sometimes represents caring and sharing. Pink is considered a very feminine color.
Orange: Orange is a vibrant, energetic color. In bright tones, orange is jovial, cheerful and playful. Deepened, it becomes exotic and exciting. Orange is a color found frequently in nature, from the leaves of autumn to brilliant sunsets. It can be used in a variety of ways at an event. Often, it makes a great accent color, picked out perhaps in a floral arrangement and other accessories.
Brown: Brown is sensuous, earthy and rustic in nature, and often represents hearth and home. It is a neutral color. It symbolizes physical comfort, ease and contentment. It conveys richness and warmth, yet is more casual than black.
Yellow: Yellow is the color of sunshine, and is generally considered to be a warm, cheerful color. It can be used as a primary color, or it can be paired with red to create an exciting mood, with orange, to create a summer look, or with greens and browns for a fall, harvest look.
Green: Green is the color of life, and represents freshness, security and tranquility. Green creates an atmosphere that is calm and restful, and characterizes the intense power of nature. For your event, the right shade of green can have a cooling, calming effect. It is a wonderful color for springtime events.
Purple: Purple, in all its richness, is traditionally the color of royalty. For a wedding, the range of colors derived from purple, including lavender, liliac, violet, and so forth, creates endless possibilities, especially in the lighter, pastel part of the spectrum.
Gray: Gray is a very elegant and neutral color. It is also traditional and conservative, and may be a good choice if you want to project that kind of formal image at your event. Light grays paired with pastel shades will give a more feminine tone to an event.
Blue: Blue is the color of tranquility: it is cooling, soothing and orderly. Deep, royal blue conveys richness, even conservatism. A lighter blue, paired with pale pinks or yellows, may be more suitable for springtime events. Dark blue paired with white is a great combination for a coastal or boating-related theme.
White: White, at least in our Western culture, suggests goodness, purity and innocence. It is the predominant color at many weddings, where it often serves as the bride's chosen color. White works well with many other colors, making pastels look more lively and making darker colors more vibrant.
There is no 'right or wrong' when it comes to choosing the colors for your event. The most important thing is to start planning the color at an early stage, so other accessories can flow from the chosen scheme. Choose a color or colors that you love, and keep it clearly in your mind as you plan the colors of all the accessories you need.
Both Nathan Sire & Neil Street are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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