by Caroline Sumner

Created on: March 31, 2010

Choosing your wedding colors is extremely important - they will help set the tone for the day and give you the parameters within which to search for appropriate decor and attire. While you are considering what colors to select, be sure to take the following into account: 

FORMALITY AND EXPENSES

If you are having an elegant, black-tie celebration, a classic black-and-white theme is an excellent choice, as is silver. The same goes for a wedding on a budget, since those colors are easy to come by and can make decorating inexpensive. If your wedding is more casual, you may wish to choose more "fun" color palates. 

SEASON

If you are having a wedding in the fall, the obvious choices are tones in red, orange, gold, and dark yellow. Winter weddings look best when colored in black, white, silver, icy blue, or dark, rich tones like forest green, burgundy, and midnight blue. A springtime wedding calls for pastels and brighter greens. And, of course, summertime looks stunning in bold, bright, neon colors. 

THEME

If your wedding is themed, this will affect your color choice. A Renaissance-themed wedding will clash with orange and hot pink, and you wouldn't want pretty pastels for Vegas-style nuptials. Be sure to take your theme into account when selecting your colors!

LOCATION

If your venue is a historic mansion, play up the tones with earthy browns and rich burgundies. A botanical garden will look fresh and pretty if you match the flowers. Considering the location of your wedding is an important step in determining the colors you should choose, so do not overlook it!

ONE OR A WHOLE SPECTRUM

You will also want to decide if you are content theming your wedding around just one specific color or whether you would like multiple colors to make an appearance. Of course, it is simpler and less expensive to choose one color (whether you stick to just one shade or an array within the color) than it will be to have a palate, so be sure to take your budget into account. 

ATTIRE AND FLOWERS

Be sure the colors of your wedding match or compliment the colors of your bridesmaids' outfits, your gown, and other clothes being worn by the wedding party. Also, if you are set on a specific type of flower, it may be best to design your color scheme around them rather than the other way around. 

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