Wedding Ideas and Inspiration Blog

Posts tagged colors

Customizable Shoes from Chromatic Gallerie

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So you’ve decided on your dream color palette and found the perfect poppy-colored bridesmaid dresses. If you’re anything like me, you are determined not to have mismatched shoes that could feel distracting from the main attraction – you and your groom. Which colors will complement your look? Are your girls the sky high heels type or do they want to be closer to the ground in a classic flat? Do they want round, pointy or peep toes? That is just too many decisions for any one woman to make for another.

Beyond that, shoes just don’t always fit everyone the same. I don’t know about you, but there are always certain styles that I will try to squeeze my feet into again and again until finally accepting that it is not anatomically possible (the years of dancing ballet on pointe couldn’t have helped).

You can pick any of the 45 colors that Chromatic Gallerie offers and give your bridesmaids the options of four different styles, three heel heights and three fits. Whether they are Pumpkin it Up 4” pumps or Ocean Drive flats, you can ensure a gorgeously consistent color palette and your bridesmaids will have a pair of shoes that fit their size and style. Win-win.

Refining Your Wedding Colors

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So, let’s say you know the colors you want in your wedding, but now you’ve found out just how many shades of light blue exist (for reals, this can make your head spin). Finding just the right hue can be tedious. Here are some ways to make your decision easier:

Assess what you like. One of the best ways to find the shade you like is to take your ladies bridesmaid dress shopping. Their dresses will be where your wedding colors are most obvious. What shades look good on them? What shades represent the color you want?

Another place to consider is any wedding details that you really want in your wedding, such as a particular flower or pattern. Make sure that you like that element against the color you have chosen.

Once you find the right shade, use Pantone to make a perfect match for future reference.

Play around with combinations. Sites like Dessy have great tools to play around with color combos until you find just the right one. And color boards and real weddings can also have terrific ideas of different color palettes. These examples are also helpful because you get to see the colors in “real” life. A navy and yellow wedding looks very different than a navy and cream wedding, for example. Which effect do you like better? Looking at examples and utilizing online tools will help you decide.

Think about where your colors are most showcased. The main color in your palette are most often highlighted in the attire of your wedding party, flowers and centerpieces, and your invitations. When you are contemplating the shades, consider what you want these elements to look like. If you know you want pink as your primary color, do you like something bold or something lightly sweet?

Whatever you do, don’t get sucked into some sort of color wormhole. No good can come from that. Just find what you love and stick to it.

Photo Credit: Zac Wolf Photography

A Little Bit Blue Inspiration Board

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Pale blues make such an excellent addition to vintage weddings! Whether in a gray or aqua hue, they can give a dreamy quality to any wedding day.

Bridesmaid dress This pale blue dress really makes the bouquets pop!

Bouquet This wildflower-inspired bouquet is filled with all different shades of blue.

Invitation Pale blue holds up perfectly in a color combo, such as the variety of yellows shown here.

Flower girl Just a touch of blue in a sash emphasizes your color palette.

Suit Why should the gals have all the fun? This groom looks dashing in his blue suit.

Place settings Pale blue napkins stand out beautifully against the creamy tablecloth.

Table decor Love the inventive blue touches here–especially the candles!

Color Palettes to Inspire You

Last week we started to discuss tips on how to choose your color palette. This week, we wanted to give you some examples to provide a little context about how colors can shape the mood of your wedding. Here are 10 of our favorite color palettes!

An aqua wedding (shown here with pops of pink) is peaceful and dreamy. Not overly bright, this is a great choice for brides that want a feminine and genteel wedding, but don’t want a lot of pink.

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Speaking of brides that love pink (or the “Steel Magnolias” classic–blush and bashful), an all-pink wedding can range from summery and vintage to girly and fun. Pick paler pinks for the more vintage affairs, and brighter pinks when going more retro-cool.

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Green is the color of the year, especially this awesome emerald tone. Green can be classically paired with pops of orange or pink. You can also go with different shades of green for a more modern look.

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Coral and pink is a fantastic option for a summer wedding that aims for a festive and lighthearted atmosphere. If you love this palette, but want a vintage or rustic wedding, go towards paler shades and accentuate with antique details.

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Sherbets are not for the meek bride. If coral and pink wasn’t quite bright enough for you, go for a palette that packs a lot of punch. This combo of tangerine, aqua, pink, and lemon is a perfect match for a contemporary summer wedding.

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Gray and yellow is one of the most versatile color combos. I’ve seen it work equally well for modern and vintage weddings. You can play up the preppy factor with lots of shirting fabric, or show its unexpected femininity by using florals galore!

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Navy and yellow is another preppy, yet versatile palette. It is slightly bolder than a yellow and gray palette, but still remains classic. Bonus: Grooms usually love this combination!

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Red and gray is one of my favorite duos. For modern weddings, play up the gray by using red accents. There are so many rustic prints in red and gray that planning a vintage wedding in these shades is a breeze.

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Purple and black is a modern and striking combination. This is definitely for the modern bride who wants color to make a big impact at her wedding.

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Silver and Cream is a beautiful way to make your wedding sparkle. Although this could be used year round, it is especially stunning as a winter wedding’s palette.

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Helpful Tips for Choosing Your Wedding Colors

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Right after securing the venue and finding the dress, selecting your wedding colors is a major decision. Color can influence mood and theme (something we will discuss in a future post), setting the tone for your big event. When trying to decide on what palette to use, first consider three basic factors:

What colors do you love (and hate)?

This may sound like a really basic question, but sometimes brides are tempted to go with what is trendy over what they love. Big mistake. In ten years no one will remember that orange was the hot shade of 2012, but if you have never been fond of the color, chances are you will wince every time you see the photos of the wedding party. Go with colors that you love, regardless of the trend. Pick combos that make sense and look effortless.

Be descriptive—go Pantone.

Sure, a system of letters and numbers seem pretty unromantic (why can’t the people who name lipstick shades go work for Pantone?), but it is the best way to communicate the exact color you want. There are a gazillion shades of red. Save yourself a lot of hassle and find the exact Pantone shade that represents it (helpful hint: if you are looking at colors online, look at it on several different computers—screens can display colors differently). This will make everything from bridesmaid dress shopping to napkin rentals much easier.

What season is it?

You really can pick whatever colors you want for any time of year. However, sometimes you want your wedding to have a distinctive seasonal feel. Want your wedding to elicit the warmth of summer? Embrace sunny citruses and cheery brights. A wintery wedding filled with snowy magic? Look to whites, grays, and metallics. Would you like your guests to remember your very autumnal affair? Go with warm earth tones.

For more color inspiration, visit our inspiration boards section and our Pinterest page.

Photo Credit: Sarah Postma Photography

How Your Venue and Theme Can Influence Your Wedding Dress

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Lately we’ve been talking about finding two of the most important details in your wedding planning: the venue and the dress. But one thing we haven’t discussed yet is how much one can influence the other. For example, if you want your wedding on the beach, chances are you don’t envision yourself rocking a trumpet gown and stilettos (and if you do, I need you to take your sexiest heels and go walk on the nearest beach while picturing yourself weeble wobbling all the way to the altar). When selecting your wedding dress, don’t forget to focus your attention on not just what dress is the prettiest of them all, but also which one fits best into your wedding vision.

How Your Venue Can Influence Your Dress Selection

Where your wedding is held helps determine several elements of your dress choice. First, what is the level of formality? If your venue is upscale and traditional, going with a casual cotton dress may not be the best choice. No matter what venue your wedding is at, your goal should be for things to appear seamless; that every detail is “naturally” cohesive (you know, the same way that we spend 30 minutes on our makeup to look “naturally” this good).

Second, what is the weather like at your venue? If you are having an outdoor wedding during a summer in Georgia or an indoor wedding at a ski resort, the fabric of your dress can have a big impact on how comfortable you are at your wedding.

What About Your Theme Can Be Incorporated Into Your Dress

What is your wedding’s theme? And no, I don’t mean “theme” like your groom will be dressed up as Chewbacca or your wedding reception is an exact replica of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory (I’m thinking you would already have a thoroughly unique dress picked out for such occasions). What I am referring to is the general look and feel of your wedding. Will your guests see a lot of crafty DIY details? Do you want to go a little vintage? Is your wedding an elegant event or a crazy all-night party? Are there tons of flowers and bright colors or is everything in minimalist black and white?

Incorporate your theme into your wedding dress selection. Brides with modern weddings should look towards sleek dresses, whereas vintage brides ought to consider some lace and perhaps even consider (gasp!) a blush dress. Brides with a less-traditional vision should seek out dresses that have unique silhouettes or loads of fun details (Madonna pearls? Yes, please.). For examples of dresses that brides have chosen to highlight their theme, check out real weddings with similar styles to your anticipated event. Ask yourself how certain dresses either lend to or distract from a wedding’s theme.

By thinking about your venue and theme, your wedding dress can be one more way to emphasize your wedding’s overall aesthetic.

Photo Credit: Katie Osgood