Choosing
your colours for your wedding day is an important part of the wedding planning
process. Your wedding palette is a major tool in communicating to your guests
what the theme is and overall vision you want to portray. Your colour palette
can even tell the story of your love
story. Colours have a way of speaking volumes. Imagine a wedding filled with
red, pink and white décor streaming from top to bottom of your reception hall
and ceremony space in the middle of February. Do you see a Valentine’s Day
themed wedding? Or how about a silver sequined tablecloth with delicate iced
blue snowflake candle holders and white table numbers that dazzle with a
festive shimmer. Do you see a winter wonderland wedding?
Once you have
your wedding colors, all the other stylistic decisions are relatively easy to
figure out. Colours bring your wedding to life, and choosing them wisely will
make sure that you are telling your story and communicating your vision in the
best way possible. Here are some colourful tips for choosing a wedding palette
that will brighten your planning.
1. Favorite Colours
Start off with the easiest question of all! What are your favourite colours as a couple? If
your favourite colour is lavender, while your fiancé’s is royal blue, why not
fuse them together and see how gorgeous they look? Some colours just happen to
work beautifully together, infusing your favourites will be a great way to add
a lot of personality into your wedding. 
2.
What is the theme of your wedding?
Does your wedding have a theme? If it does, finding the perfect wedding
colours will be that much easier for you! Having a 1920’s jazz age themed wedding?
You’re colours are already set to go with elegant black, and dazzling gold. How
about a beach-themed wedding? You’ll stick to hues like marine blues, sky blues,
sandy browns and white. Going for a vintage wedding? Soft pastel hues such as
blush, sage green, lavender and soft blues will suit you well. Themes
definitely will make colour choosing a bit easier. However, remember to stick
to no more than 3 colours for your palette. You want a dazzling effect that is not too busy or
over-the-top.
3.
Choose your Venue (Tips for an indoor
affair)
Think about your venue when trying to settle on wedding colours and let
the site inspire you. Go to your venue for a visit, and definitely take in its
features, its backdrops and all immediate surroundings. Is it a blank canvas
that is begging for bright colours like coral, yellow, and fuchsia? Or is it a
rustic space that neutral, pastel shades would work wonderfully with? Remember
to have an idea of what kind of lighting you will have so that the colours
you’re using in the décor and such will compliment it, instead of clash with
it. Another tip to take in while visiting your venue is what time of day your
wedding will be. Vibrant hues are gorgeous in natural light, but are not too
flattering for an evening reception. Neutrals tend to photograph better in
lower lighting, so keep this in mind when planning out the time of your soiree.
4.
What Season or Holiday Is It?
Is your wedding taking place around Valentine’s Day? How about a
Valentine’s themed wedding filled with passionate reds, pinks and whites? Your
guests will be feeling the love as they dance away and take in the surroundings
of your party that just feel so…romantic. If your wedding is taking place
around the winter holidays, a festive Christmas wedding or a winter wonderland
will allow you to use colours that are warm and jolly, as well as elegant. Deep
reds and evergreen décor will look toasty as they rest above a fireplace mantel
and you can incorporate the use of silver and gold for a real festive holiday
feel. In planning a more winter wonderland wedding, colours like soft ice
blues, whites and silver look dashing and elegant. For a New Year’s Eve
wedding, silver, whites, black and gold make for an elegant posh affair that’s
perfect for ringing in the New Year.
5.
Study Your Surroundings (Tips for an
outdoor affair)
What will be around you when your wedding takes place? Clear blue skies (you
hope!), green, grassy hills, rustic wooden chairs? Every element brings colour
to your story, and all should be considered. If dinner will be served alfresco,
the grass, trees, and surrounding greenery can work as an excellent natural
palette. Soft pastels used in your décor and table settings will only
compliment this natural look for the ultimate soft, nature feel.
6.
Be Strategic When Adding Colour
Most often, it’s colour that punctuates your details which best
communicates to your guests if your wedding is a formal affair or a more laid
back event. Think gold ink on your stationery for example. Something like this
would be more common for a black tie event. Lighter, brighter colours work well
with a wedding that’s more casual. Choose your colours wisely and don’t be
afraid to experiment to see which colours work best with each other. Try to
stay away from just one solid colour as the hue that will be used throughout
the entire wedding. For example, many brides love pink, and want only pink to
be seen throughout the wedding. However, too much pink, even in different
shades can become too girly, and slightly overbearing. On the other hand,
different shades of pink with poppy red can look beautiful together. Have at
least two colours to use throughout your stationery, attire, and décor so that
everything looks coordinated.
7.
How Do I Colour My Wedding Besides the
Use of Flowers?
Flowers are the obvious choice when deciding how to incorporate colour
into your wedding, but try to think outside the flower box. There are great
alternatives that will bring colour to life just as effectively as flowers can.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, linens, candles, paper, and other stationery can
all help to tell your story. Or how about making each of your bridesmaids wear a
different bold colour dress, and handing your guests vintage umbrellas in a
corresponding shade? Think about the other materials that you will be using
throughout your ceremony and reception space, and in your décor, and see if you
can add a pop of colour to them as well. You can also use food to add colour to
your affair. Try something exotic like a mango salsa or rainbow kale for an
appetizer and salad, or pink salmon with rich beets and veggies for dinner? For
dessert? Add a sweet table with lots of colourful candy and treats. Using food
to bring out colour is an easy and effortless way to make a statement.
