Don't Be Afraid of Color

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Don't be afraid of color when designing your wedding.  I’m seeing a trend of Wisconsin brides being extremely cautious and conservative with color while the color “experts” are promoting bold colors.  The return of bright colors was the focus as Pantone named “Tangerine Tango” as its color of the year.  Colors are connected to our emotions and develop a mood through décor.  There is not such a thing as a bad color.  Of course, as individuals we all have favorites and least favorites, but color is not inherently bad.  So, go ahead and pick your favorite.

Here are the color emotions/moods to consider:

BLUE is a natural color, from the blue of the sky and has a soothing effect.  It seems to make time pass quickly. However, too much blue could dampen spirits.  Blue comes in many different shades.  Not all blues look good together.  Its analogous colors are purple and green.



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Green is life. Abundant in nature, green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time seems to move faster.  There are also many shades of green and shades that mix green with blue for example, turquoise.  Green is a mix of yellow and blue.

Yellow is sunshine. It is a warm color that denotes happiness and joy.  Yellow is

hopeful.  Too much yellow can make one feel cautious or suspicious. Its analogous colors are green and orange.

Orange is vibrant.   It denotes, energy, warmth, and the sun. Orange has shown to have only positive affects on your emotional state. This color relieves feelings of self-pity, lack of self-worth and unwillingness to forgive. Orange opens your emotions and is a terrific antidepressant. Orange is mentally stimulating as well as sociable.  Use it to get people thinking or to get them talking.

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Red is hot. It's a strong color that conjures passion.  Red can

 have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure.  Its analogous colors are purple and orange.

Pink is a softer, less violent red. Pink is the sweet side of red. While red stirs up passion and action, studies have shown that large amounts of pink can make one feel fragile. It is romantic. Pink’s analogous colors are lavender and peach.

Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality.   Purple can inspire the imagination or creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness.  Purple is a mix of blue and red.

 

1012 Wedding Trend #10

Trend #10:  And the color of the year is…Tangerine Tango.  Pantone and David’s Bridal will make this color easy to find.  The excitement of a bright orange color will be a lot of fun to work with as you plan your wedding.  Amp it up by combining it with bright yellow or purple or tone it down by using it with peach or pale green.

Wedding Trends 2012 #3

Trend #3:  Rainbow colors for the gowns of the bridesmaids.  The colors may literally cover the rainbow, or focus on shades of just 2 or 3 colors, but each bridesmaid will wear a different color, paired with colorful flowers and décor. This probably works best if the dresses are the same or a very similar style.  If each bridesmaid has a different color and a different style, it will likely look unplanned (a sort of "wear whatever you want" look).  What you can do is choose a color or shade that is complimentary to each bridesmaid's coloring.  The bouquets could be identical using all of the colors of all the dresses, or each bridesmaid could carry a dress-matching bouquet. Take this a step further and have the reception tables in the same rainbow of colors.