There's no right or wrong way to go about selecting the colours that you will use in your wedding scheme, but some brides-to-be simply don't know where to start. Selecting the colours that you will use for your wedding is one of the first things that you will need to do, because practically every accessory that you will buy for your wedding will have to fit around those colours

. Having specific wedding colours can help give a visual unity, and create a feeling of elegance. If the colour scheme is executed correctly it can even give an overall allusion that the wedding is more expensive than it really is!

You’ll want to choose one primary and one or two accents. Start off by seeing if there are any predetermined factors.

Pick your wedding dress first. Even if you are planning on having a white or an ivory gown, you may fall in love with a gown that does have some sort of colour on it, even as a small feature and you may then want to co-ordinate your scheme around it.

Does either the reception or ceremony site have strong colours? If you can’t quite recall, then go and have another look around with this in mind.

Have you considered what the Groom is going to wear. There is a lot less choice in waistcoat colours and cravats than in bridesmaid colours, so it may be more simple to find his outfit first and match the rest of your scheme around that.

There could actually be some key factors in your wedding planning that you have yet to consider which may determine your final decision on your colour scheme

• You could simply pick a colour or colours that you have always loved. Be inspired by a colour that is currently fashionable for weddings and therefore easy to shop for.
• If you really love one hue in particular, you might want to highlight it among neutrals rather than have one strong colour standing out.
• You can decide on colours based on season, pastel shades for a spring wedding, bold colours for the summer, burnt colours for the autumn to reflect the ageing foliage, and winter colours in either cool tones to reflect the temperature outside or deep colours to reflect the cosy warmth of indoors.
• If you are getting married abroad, perhaps somewhere hot then consider your surroundings and how the colours will fit in to say a beach location or exotic garden.
• If you have a favourite shade, but don’t know what else will go with it, try consulting a simple colour wheel. Artists and designers have used this tool for years as a design principle. Or get paint sample cards from a home improvement store of any possible colours you are interested in, then go to your florist or dress provider and talk about what colour you really like.
• Choose one colour you dearly love and then decide what colours work well with that. Those people trained to coordinate colours will be able to tell you what goes well together.
• Do you have a theme for your wedding? Sometimes the theme itself may dictate the kind of colours that you may wish to use. For example in a tropical theme or a Japanese theme, there are certain colours that would go best with those themes.
• If you have a favourite flower then consider what colour/colours that particular flower comes in. With Roses for example you can have them in various shades, with Lilies then you have a specific colour palate that you must consider.
  

Following fashions and latest trends is a great way of knowing that you will be able to purchase with ease, the colours you have chosen, but don’t lose your own style in doing so. Sage Green may be highly fashionable and a ‘must have’ in the world of weddings, but if you don’t like the colour personally, you will only end up cringing at your photo album in years to come. Remember the colours should compliment you too, think about the colours that you are comfortable around already.

Black is one of the fashionable sophisticated colour schemes at the moment, but do avoid too much black – you don’t want it ending up looking like a funeral. Balance it out with an accompanying colour such as a crisp white or a hot pink.

Don’t be tempted to overdo it having too many strikingly different colours. Two complimenting colours are perfect; three colours can also work if the palate is right. Variants of the same colour can work beautifully if picked out correctly. It is now very fashionable not to have your bridesmaids all in the same colour dress but in colours that are monochromatic. It really can be a ‘wow’ factor to bring variants of the same together in a way that is subtle. Ask your florist and your dress shop to help you achieve this. Remember, everything needs to tie in together to look sleek and visually pleasing to the eye. The same wow factor can be achieved using related tones (colours adjacent on the colour wheel) or complementary shades (colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel)

Have a look at some of the Themes and Schemes we have put together to gather inspiration HERE

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