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Escaping the Traditional Wedding Color Scheme

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Escaping the Traditional Wedding Color Scheme
Jacqui

Hi there 

When trying to decide on a topic for my first post, I am not sure why, but color scheme spoke to me. More specifically, how not to get trapped in a “color scheme.” I mean, whoever said that you had to select strictly one to two colors besides black and white and that is ALL you are allowed to have at your ONLY WEDDING of a LIFETIME?!?  [Unless this is not your only wedding.. in which case – the above still applies!] Plus – I find it almost impossible to find the exact shade of blue in napkins as the groom’s tie, and bridesmaid dress, etc. You catch my drift.

Needless to say, I have been thrilled that brides are branching out and using variations of the same color, or colors that are complimentary. I am sure you all are familiar with the dark blue|gold|pink|cream|ivory theme, the emerald|champagne|cream|blush theme, or the cranberry|blue|blush|green|cream theme. This is what I am talking about – I love it!!!

Gold, Cream, and PinkRuffled Blog

Blue and maroonvia Fab you bliss

navy and bluhvia Wedding O Mania

The real question is, though, how do you know you are selecting colors that not only reflect you and your future husby’s personal style, but also not exactly the same as the sixteen other weddings you attended last year. Oh, and they need to look good together!

Well – no surprise that I am going to recommend Pinterest as a great place to start. I noticed in the beginning stages, however, that when I was browsing aimlessly for inspiration at Hobby Lobby, I gravitated towards certain colors and hues. I would purchase said items in said hues and colors, only to get home and realize “These items would look great in my living room!”

Thus my official “not-a-color-scheme color scheme” was created – inspired by my living room décor.

It didn’t have to be my living room, but that is honestly the most reflective of my personality – and where I spend the majority of my time at home.

(Yes I said my personality because Jason would give us an orange house in honor of the Tennessee Volunteers – so he is only allowed to decorate our future garage. We do have a really cool UT dry erase board in our kitchen though. Gotta let him think he has a little control – Am I right or what?).

Let’s stay on track, Jaq…

If you are not known for your decorating style, use your BFF’s house that you wish was yours, or even tear out your dream room from Home Living Magazine [or use the wonderfully, awesome thing that is Google – from which I found the pictures below!]. The whole point here is to get several colors that you like and if they can be in the same room together – they can be your wedding color inspiration. Personally, I love the mix of warm reds with lively yellow-greens, a splash of cool blue and dark navy, a little tiny bit of dark purple, topped off by a bit of shimmery gold. Given that my wedding is in the Spring I am adding in some very light pink to offset some of the heaviness of my colors and of course the base color of my entire house is a cream, white, and tan – so there is some of that too! The use of different textures and patterns can be a great touch, as well, as long as you don’t over do it. 

Pink green and goldvia Gnov8

blue green and grayvia Created House

[In both of the living room pictures above, notice how the pink and maroonish-purple are used very sparingly]

Now – let’s get down to the real benefit of going with a color scheme like this. It will obviously help to SAVE MONEY!! I already have several dark red vases with [fake] flowers in them, gold accents on various book shelves, and cream picture frames – I assume you decorate your house too and could find several items sitting around that would be useful! A large bonus for me is that I am totally my mother’s child. My house pretty much looks exactly like hers – so I have all of her stuff to use too!

That gorgeous vintage dresser sitting in your foyer that you just HAD to have and spent three weeks DIY chalk painting?? Sign in table!

That large golden framed mirror hanging in your dining room?? Print off an enlarged ceremony program and put it in front of the mirror. Saves money on individual prints, looks WAY prettier than a stack of papers, and the wind blowing it away is not an issue.

Those six candle holders that are displayed in various corners of your home?? Great space fillers on various tables in your venue!

These are just a few examples of how using colors similar to your home can be beneficial. What “not-a-color-scheme color scheme” are all of you using? Share your ideas in a comment below and let’s reinvent as many one-color color scheme weddings as we can!

Until Next Week,


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Jacqui

lives in the great and wonderful city of Nashville, Tennessee. She got married in 2015 - read her wedding planning posts here.