4 Quick Tips to Choose Your Wedding Colors

ByRachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

Choosing a color palette for your wedding is one of those things that seems simple, but it can actually be a challenge. It's amazing how the colors you love don't always work as well as you thought they would, and, of course, the colors you love may not be what your future bride or groom loves. Here are tips to help you figure out your wedding colors so you can choose wedding decor that reflects your tastes as a couple.

chalkboard-menu-easel-2a
chalkboard-menu-easel-2a

Photo by: Kate Headley on Snippet and Ink via Lover.ly

1. Get out and browse. You can do this anywhere from an art museum to a furniture store to a farmers market -- anywhere where there are a variety of items to consider. Take note (or, even better, pictures) of the items you're most drawn to. Write down the colors that you like together, paying attention to the details. If you're drawn to say, a menu handwritten on a chalkboard, don't just write down black and white; take note of the soft shade created from chalk dust, the smooth texture of the slate, and the handwritten font. All these little details can really help develop your palette.

Handpainted Arrow Ceremony Sign
Handpainted Arrow Ceremony Sign


From Etsy Shops via Lover.ly

2. Hit the hardware store. Browse the paint chips, collecting any that catch your eye. Have your fiance do the same. Then bring them home and lay them out in front of you. Which colors do you have in common? Which do you immediately love? Start shifting the paint chips around, eliminating the colors you don't love as you go. This can really help you narrow it down. And if you've already done this while decorating your house, great! Look at the main wall colors, the floors and furniture, and finally the trim and accents. A color palette that you already love may begin to emerge.

Southern California Wedding Photographed by Christine Farah Photography
Southern California Wedding Photographed by Christine Farah Photography

Photo by: Christine Farah on Style Unveiled via Lover.ly

3. Consider the season...but don't get too caught up in it. Each season has obvious choices, but that doesn't mean it's limited to those colors, or that you can't use seasonal colors any other time of year. One trick is to think of the colors associated with that season throughout history or in different countries. A December wedding doesn't have to be red and green, for example; look to the 1950s and 60s when winter pastels and metallics became all the rage. Or consider a citrusy palette; oranges have long been associated with Christmas in different regions.

seaside table decor
seaside table decor

Photo by: White Loft Studio on Wedding Chicks via Lover.ly

4. Get in the mood. Colors have a powerful effect on mood, so choose colors that get you and your guests in the right mindset. What words would you use to describe your wedding? If a color you love doesn't seem right for the mood you're trying to create (say, hot pink for a laid-back wedding), that's OK -- balance it out with one or two (white, pale blue) colors that can set that tone. And remember that other factors (fabrics, lighting, typography) can have a bigger effect on the overall vibe of an event than color alone.

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