How to plan a color theme wedding

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Plan a color theme wedding with these simple tips to infuse some colorful drama

Putting together a wedding may at first feel like there’s this enormous mountain of things to do standing between engagement and married life. It’s natural to get a little anxious, but the sooner you start making the big choices, the sooner details will start falling into place. After saying ?Yes?, choosing colors for the big day is among the first decisions to be made.

To plan a color theme wedding, you must first consider your overall vision for the big day. Ask what kind of mood you wish to establish. Colors not only influence the look of your wedding, but also the atmosphere. They’ll inspire invitations, flowers, dresses, d?cor, food and just about every creative choice you’ll make over the next few months.

As with choosing a venue, one of the trickiest factors is that there are so many wedding colors to shop by. Unlike with venue selection, you don’t have the boundaries of budget and scheduling to help narrow the options. The entire color wheel and every hue in between is at your disposal.

Pick a color that tells your story!

Before you can plan a color theme wedding you have to choose the colors you want to work with. Let’s look at a few classic and modern options:

Celebrate life

From citrusy bridesmaids dresses to autumnal to a rich, autumnal bouquet, orange hues embody all that is fun and delicious in life. This energetic color can be modern on sleek invitations and zesty candles, or rustic in a backyard with punchy cocktails in mason jars.

Incorporate it into your Save-the-Dates and invitations and continue the theme from boutonnieres at the ceremony to table cards at the reception.

Irresistibly charming

Purple is surprisingly versatile. Royal shades have a distinctly vintage feel that’s fun to play with if you plan on going DIY with some of the d?cor. Put the groomsmen in plum shirts and a cascade of wine-colored blossoms down the cake for an unexpected, unique touch.

Meaningful and vibrant

If you’re unbelievably excited to start this next chapter together, yellow may be the perfect fit for your celebration. Often associated with enlightenment and spiritual growth, yellow sashes, flowers, signage and even a pale yellow dress add up to a breath-taking evening, particularly if you’re daring to plan an outdoor reception.

A little goes a long way with this carefree, stand-out color. Use it on table linens and the cake to set a natural scene and accent it with dark wooden chairs and whites for a vibrant effect.

True blue

Blue is both romantic and flattering. It lends itself to summery nautical themes if you’re planning on tying the knot by the sea. From sky blue to the deep dark ocean, various shades help create a refreshing, outdoorsy feel at indoor receptions.

When shopping by this color, stick with shades within the same family so your navy champagne flutes won’t clash with your aqua necklace.

Dramatic love

Roll out the red carpet! Red is the boldest choice you can make. Why not go big on one of the biggest days of your life to date? This passionate, dramatic choice has no need for a set scheme because red is so dominate. That said, it can easily be overdone.

Pair it with neutrals like red centerpieces on white tables so the red touches don’t compete with each other or the bride.

The best way to plan a color theme wedding is to shop by your color, but be selective. Keep track of what you buy and resist saturating the event with one shade. Choose a handful of focal points and a few creative twists ? like colorful shoes on the wedding party ? and fill everything else in with shades you naturally gravitate to.