7 top tips for choosing your wedding colors
What colors have you chosen is probably one of the most asked questions while wedding planning. It's not always quite as simple as picking your favourite colors (although it can be!) and certainly takes some thought and research to choose a palette that compliments your venue and creates the right mood for your big day. So where do you start? Today we're here with some top tips to guide you through choosing the perfect color palette, with advice from California wedding photographer and Fine Art Curation member Grace Aston. Grace has shot numerous fine art weddings and knows the importance of color in setting the scene for a memorable celebration.
Look around you
Color should play a part in your venue search but try not to let it dictate your choice. If you find a venue that you love, but it doesn't work with the colors you initially have in mind, be flexible and adjust your palette. Work with the decor and furnishing rather than spend a fortune trying to hide things that don't match. Let the interior and grounds inspire you, such as the hues in a painting, wall color or a mountainous landscape. If you are set on a particular color palette, consider a blank canvas venue option such as a tent or coverted barn or warehouse.
Set the mood
Color is incredibly powerful in affecting our mood, making it a key part in creating the overall vibe of your wedding day. Whether you're going for relaxed and rustic or formal and dramatic, the colors you choose can help enhance the feeling of the event. Think about the style and atmosphere you want to have, for example, modern or nostalgic, bohemian or classic, and what consider colors put you in that mindset.
Think seasonally
Working with the seasons will help your guide your color choices and make your event feel at one with the surroundings. There are no rules however and color is a great ay to express your personality so don't be afraid to get creative and have fun.
Be open to inspiration
Inspiration can come from anywhere, such as a wallpaper print or the fabric of your favourite dress; the decor in your local restaurant or an art exhibition. Snap pictures of any ideas that catch your idea and you may start to see a pattern of colors that appeal to you most. A trip to the paint store can be incredibly inspiring as you can find swatches in almost any shade.
Consult your florist
Most brides present their florist with a clearly defined color palette, yet the magic often happens when you let them run with a rough guide instead, such as earth tones or jewel shades, which gives them more creative freedom to interpret your brief and incorporate the beautiful nuances of nature. After all, floral designers work with color every day and come across unique color combinations you may never have considered.
Understand color theory
Think back to art class and the basic principles of the color wheel. Typically, complimentary colors are those on opposite sides of the color wheel because they pair a cool and warm (turquoise and coral, for example). Neighboring colors also work well with each other because they share the same base colors, like blue, purple and pink.
A triadic color creates an adventurous palette by using three hues evenly spaced on the wheel, such as turquoise, fuchsia, and yellow-orange. This combination forms a color palette with vivid contrast, and you can use varying shades to increase the contrast or soften the brightness. Finally, a monochromatic color scheme features different hues of a single color. Taking pink for example, you could feature tones ranging from pale blush to dark pink.
Don't obsess
It's easy to get carried away searching for bridesmaid dresses in the perfect shade of plum, or finding just the right blush napkin. Save your sanity and use your color choices as a guide rather than a strict rule. No one is going to notice if everything doesn't match perfectly - not even you, once you're swept up in the joy of the day.
All images by Grace Aston
