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Choosing your wedding colors can be one of the most frustrating decisions you will have to make. Nothing else can really be determined until you have selected a scheme. So, we hope to take away some of the frustration by offering you some inspiring ways to come up with your palette.
A good place to start is with paint companies. Every year most paint manufacturers will come out with their annual color trends brochure. In the brochure they will offer a series of three or four different (usually trendy) colors that compliment each other. You can find the brochures in their stores or online. Choose the color in the combination that you like the most, and make it the dominant color. This is the color you will use for bridesmaid dresses, groom men's ties, invitation envelopes, wedding cake icing, etc. Choose one or two of the other colors as accents for flowers in bouquets, centerpieces, table napkins and so forth. Two paint vendors to try are http://www.behr.com (choose the "Color Smart" option) and http://www.benjaminmoore.com (click on Colors, then Style, then 2007 Colors).
Patterned ribbon and decorative paper, such as those used in scrap booking, offer beautiful color palette for brides. Decorative paper vendor http://www.papermojo.com has a great section on their website under their "Inspiration Gallery" that gives you several palette ideas – from purple and copper to cocoa and turquoise. If you find find decorative ribbon and paper that you like for a color scheme, an added benefit is that it can also be used as part of your decorations. The ribbons can be used to tie place cards to napkins, tie up wedding favor bags and the paper can be used as a back to a white invitation or dinner menus. Check out more beautiful ribbons and decorative paper at http://www.paperstudio.com .
Print fabric and wallpaper are other sources of inspiration. What is great is that you can swatches for free, and then carry these around to match up other aspects. It does not mean you have to use the fabric in your wedding, just use the colors as a guide. The more dominant color in the pattern is probably the one you will want to make dominant as well.
A lot of the home décor stores, such as Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and Pier 1®, have great catalogs that show table set ups to display their dishes and tableware. There are many great ideas for color combinations here. Also, be sure to check out table linens such as pattern cloth napkins, tablecloths and placemats, also known for interesting color groupings.
If you have decided that you want to go with pastel or soft colors, check out baby and children's clothing for pretty soft color combos, particularly from places like the Gap or Gymboree®. It may sound crazy, but another great source for a pastel palette is eye shadow sets. One of our favorites is Maybelline's Eye Shadow Trio in Almond Truffles – beautiful coordinating shades of silver gray, lavender and blush.
If you are having a Christmas wedding, check out high end Christmas cards or gift wrap to get that right mix of elegant seasonal colors. If you are looking for jewel tones, check out costume jeweled brooches, which usually have a mix of colors that work well together or at least shades that go well with gold and silver, which as great accents colors. View some beautiful jeweled brooches at http://www.pugster.com . For a beach wedding a great starting point would be looking at vibrant swimwear or sarongs.
Another powerful tool you can try is the Color Guide Panel feature in the new release of Adobe Illustrator® CS3. You select a color you like and it will automatically give you three or four harmonious color combinations.
You also do not have to use more than one color in your wedding. Just choose a color and use two or three different shades of it. But if you do want a color combination, you will want one dominant color with no more than one to two accent colors. It would also help to have white, cream or ivory somewhere in the mix. You also do not have to go with the old adage of lighter pastels for spring and summer and darker shades for fall and winter, except, for example, your wedding photos will be in front of fall foliage and you are worried about your wedding party's attire clashing with the background.
Find more great ideas, suggestions, & advice in our book, Weddings with Style, or visit our website at http://www.dcpublishing.com .
Copyright © 2007 Gail Oliver and Gisele Sullivan. All rights reserved.
All trademarks, trade names, services marks and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.
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Source by Gail Oliver
