How Do I Know Which Colors Are Right for My Wedding?

Picking out the right color scheme for your wedding can be a daunting task. These days, the color combinations are endless, yet even with all the choices out there, brides still seem to stick with the same old tired hues (like chocolate brown and baby blue). Want to make sure your wedding style is unforgettable? Here are a few different ways to ensure that your color palette pops.

Option 1: Approach the design as if you were decorating your own home.

Make sure the colors you've chosen are harmonious (as in, complement each other on the color wheel), just as you would the ones on the walls throughout your home. Use unique accessories to tie everything together. Decorating the dinner tables with a mix of one-of-a-kind vintage candlesticks or edgy wooden bowls from a hip new designer will impress even the most jaded wedding guests with your nod to creative hospitality.

Option 2: Utilize multiple colors, prints, and fabrics.

You might look at your wedding as the once-in-a-lifetime chance to throw a lavish party to include all that your heart desires. If this is the case, who needs just one color? Use them all! Incorporate wild prints and fabrics in everything from the pillows to the linens. Use raw materials, like grass or bamboo, to engage all of the senses and take the theme to the next level.

Option 3: Go with your gut instincts.

Don't be afraid to just go with what you like. Who cares if pairing chocolate brown with pastels is so 2005? Just make sure that when it comes to texture, you pay attention to the outside elements, such as the season and climate. A formal black & white affair with velvet just doesn't make sense for a beach wedding in Barbados -- save it for winter in NYC. Whatever colors you choose, just remember to have fun with them. It's really all about finding the right hue that speaks to both you and your husband-to-be.

>See wedding photos by color.