Choosing a Color Palette
/CARISSA PLUTA
“What are your colors?"
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHELSEA SLIWA
Early in the wedding planning process, you’ll probably hear this question asked a lot by friends and family.
You may have had your colors picked out since middle school, but if you haven’t, you may feel a bit of pressure to pick the “right" hues.
While your palette will inform a lot of your wedding decisions, like your flowers and your bridal party attire, it doesn’t have to cause more stress on the wedding plans.
Know what you like
Think about colors and shades that currently found in your home and your wardrobe. These colors serve as an excellent starting point for a bride who feels overwhelmed.
Using your favorite colors can help keep your own personality and style in the midst of your wedding day.
Plus, choosing colors you have liked for the long-term will ensure that you won’t tire of them during the wedding planning process.
Consider the location
Will your colors work well with the church and venue where the wedding and reception will be held?
You should avoid a color palette that will clash with space, rather pick a color scheme that will help enhance the overall look and feel of a venue.
Keep your colors in mind (or bring color swatches) when visiting potential reception sites to see if the colors will work well in the space.
Set the mood
Think about the feel you’d like to have at your wedding. Colors evoke mood and emotions that can impact the atmosphere of a wedding.
Dark colors and jewel tones create more drama; they are bolder and more evocative than pastels which are softer and more calming.
Understanding the atmosphere you’d like to create will help you decide what colors you should choose, and whether you should use them as your primary and accent colors.
Think seasonally
The season in which you get married might affect your color palette. For example, you can make your Fall wedding more vibrant by choosing colors that naturally occur in that season, like deep reds or oranges, while lighter colors fit best in a spring wedding.
Certain colors hold a particular significance for Catholics so you might want to consider the liturgical season in which you’ll get married.
Are you getting married in Advent or Lent? Include purple in your big day. Or if your wedding takes place during the Christmas or Easter season, gold might be a good choice.
Consult the color wheel
You don’t need a degree in art or design to pick the perfect colors for your big day, but keeping in mind some of the basic principles will help guide your choice.
Consult the color wheel to choose colors that look good together. Typically, colors that go well together are ones that are opposites because they pair a cool and warm (like turquoise and coral) or ones that share a primary color (like yellow and orange).
