Say “I Do” to The Hues – Adding Color to Your Wedding
“Mere color can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” – Oscar Wilde
Color has immense power; it can fill a room with energy, set the mood, express your style, add drama and, ultimately, surprise you. Especially when considering wedding colors, it’s essential to remember that they speak differently to every one of us. In fact, a color’s effect is as individual as its hue. “Every time you walk into a room, color impacts how you feel.” Cherry red, cobalt blue, seafoam green, and refreshing chartreuse; when these become potential wedding colors, their lyrically descriptive names evoke emotions and memories, both ephemeral and vivid.
The intricate nuances of hues, shades, and tints can be particularly pronounced when chosen as wedding colors. Your wedding is the perfect opportunity to share a piece of your soul with your friends and family. By including colors that represent your deepest sentiments, and especially by picking the right wedding colors, you can “speak” to your guests without a sound. Your wordless communication encourages them to leave their everyday personas behind and immerse themselves in the spirit of joy each color embodies.
Adding color to your wedding can be done in both subtle and surprising ways. Whether you’re drawing from a palette of traditional wedding colors or venturing into more avant-garde hues, it all depends on what mood and style you wish to capture on your wedding day. Are you striving to envelop your family and friends in the warm embrace of soft, romantic hues? Or are you endeavoring to ignite the senses of your guests with bold, exciting colors? Regardless of the wedding colors you select, the methods of inclusion are universal.
Flowers
Nature provides the perfect vehicle for adding color to your wedding.
- Historical Context: Flowers have been included in marriage ceremonies since Ancient Rome; they were thought to signify new beginnings, fidelity, and hopes of fertility.
- Modern Use: Today, the wide-ranging methods of inserting flowers into a wedding design vary from the traditional to the innovative, often complementing your chosen wedding colors.
Bouquets and boutonnieres:
- They offer a fantastic opportunity to infuse wedding colors into the ceremony.
- Adding pops of vibrantly hued blooms into a lush bouquet will instantly add life and energy.
- Tying a variety of cascading fabric ribbons onto the bouquet handle not only adds color but also texture and a personalized styling element.
Ceremony and reception backdrops:
- Attaching bursts of color in the form of flowers to an arch at the altar or to a reception backdrop is a stunning addition to any wedding.
- Imagine the photo opportunities a flower wall will provide!
Floral design features:
- Multi-hued centerpieces can provide continuous pops of color throughout the venue, mirroring your wedding colors.
Attire
Nothing infuses more personalized style into a wedding than the bride’s, groom’s, and attendants’ attire.
The bride:
- Traditional Gowns: Since 1840, brides have traditionally worn white gowns.
- Breaking Tradition: If breaking with tradition is more your style, try donning a colored wedding dress. Choices range from russet red, deep black, to soft pink blush. The color of your gown sets the mood for the event.
- Subtle Additions: If you wish to add color subtly, consider a design with an ombre effect where the ends have been dipped in dye.
- Embellishments: Colorful embellishments provide another method to infuse color into your gown.
- Shoes: Consider slipping on a colored pair of shoes for a bold injection of personality.
The bridesmaids:
- Dress Variety: Whether your wedding party is big or small, selecting different colors for each bridesmaid’s dress sets a festive tone.
- Mix and Match: Allow each attendant to wear a different color. Opting for both solid colors and florals adds a diverse range of colors in a single design element.
The groom and the groomsmen:
- Suit Choices: If a black tuxedo feels too traditional, consider a colored suit.
- Accessories: Introduce color with shirts, ties, pocket squares, cufflinks, suspenders, and socks.
Tablescaping
Your “tablescape should tell a story”; it should weave a tale of your unique union, enticing your guests to follow along as you embark on your new chapter.
Linens:
- Varieties: Color can be introduced through tablecloths, runners, and napkins.
Tableware:
- Unexpected Elements: Colorful flatware, glasses, plates, and chargers provide unique opportunities to add drama to your tablescape.
Seating:
- Options: Enhance the setting with colorful cushions, seat covers, or painted chairs to infuse style and personality into your reception.
Color Infusions
Adding color to your wedding in extraordinary, out-of-the-box ways can ignite the imagination of your guests.
Lounge Areas:
- Many weddings provide a lounge area for friends and family to mingle. Using vibrant colors and fabrics enhances the ambiance of these spaces.
Dance Floor Enhancements:
- Colored smoke bombs can dramatically elevate the energy and aesthetic of the dance floor.
Venue Lighting:
- Uplighting is a specific design feature that decorates and adds color, creating an enchanting atmosphere in the venue.
Reception Drinks:
- Crafting a unique cocktail for your reception is an exciting way to introduce fun, personality, and color to a traditional wedding element.
- Offer a colorful array of fruits like lemons, limes, raspberries, peaches, and oranges for guests to customize their beverages.
Dessert Table:
- A dessert table rich in color entices guests to indulge. Consider options like a multi-tiered wedding cake, macaroons, cupcakes, cake-pops, donuts, ice cream, frosted cookies, and fruit dipped in a bubbling, dark brown, chocolate fountain.
Adding color to your wedding infuses the event with energy, drama, personality, excitement, and unexpected moments of joy. Your family and friends are invited on a colorful journey; a path adorned with a spectrum of hues, tints, and shades.
Whether your palette is bright and bold or soft and subdued, your color choices will resonate with your guests in myriad ways.
In essence, your wedding colors are more than just aesthetic choices; they’re the heartbeats that give life to your celebration. They narrate the love story you’re sharing, providing depth and emotion to each chapter of your union.
So, as you plan, remember to select wedding colors that not only beautify but also genuinely represent your journey and the love story you wish to tell. With the right palette, your wedding colors can turn an ordinary celebration into an unforgettable experience for everyone present.