My two sisters and I all held our individual weddings within the same two years, and there was only one similarity between our weddings - our longing to be different! The eldest elected for a rustic, barn house affair with mismatched mason jar centerpieces and a soft color palette of blush, cream and mocha; my younger sister wanted an “alternative” modern wedding, so she wore a polka-dotted red wedding dress and held it in a brewery with lovely exposed brick. When I began planning my beach ceremony, they both advised me that, when it came to setting the mood, color psychology was king! Ultimately choosing to contrast the gentle sunniness of peach with the bold freshness of aqua and white, I learned that my palette had the ability to influence emotions, energy and even appetite. When you understand the effects different hues have, you can influence the mood of the room to make your dream wedding a reality.

In western culture white is symbolic of purity, cleanliness, peace and innocence and is the traditional choice for wedding dresses. This color makes areas appear larger, making it ideal for tight spaces. However, be weary of using it in excess as, without the accompaniment of other colors, it can come across as lacking personality. I found that it was the perfect, clean background from which my other hues really popped to create a modern, classy feel.

Image via The Sweetest Occasion

Black represents power, dignity, and elegance. If you want to create a sophisticated tone of formality at your wedding, black is the ideal choice. Known to make areas appear smaller, it might not be ideal for your walls but will certainly flatter the figures of your bridesmaids!  A personal favorite, black is a perfect match for the modern, confident, and steadfast personalities. A bit masculine, I recommend combining it with feminine hues for a lovely balance.

Commonly used as an accent color in weddings, red is the color of passion, energy, and sexuality. As a featured color in your scheme, red will help keep guests lively on the dance floor and stimulate their appetites during the reception dinner.  Incorporating red will create an air of love and romance on a day that these emotions are celebrated and honored. 

Pink is romantic and feminine, and suggests sweetness and love. Named as the hottest wedding color of 2013, more and more brides are looking for ways to up their wedding’s chic factor by incorporating a shade of blush. Use this color to inspire sociable mingling amongst your guests, as well as to incite sugar cravings when wedding cake is brought out.

Image from Green Wedding Shoes

Blue, the favorite color of a majority of people, is associated with serenity, loyalty and tranquility. It represents permanence because it symbolizes the sky and the ocean. Thought to be an appetite suppressant, including blue can help budget-minded couples who want to save on the food bill.  With the summer months upon us, what better way to embody this laid-back, casual time of year then with a blue theme? Darker shades can sometimes lend themselves to a somber mood, which is why I chose a lighter, playful shade for my nuptuals.

Instinctively reminding people of nature, green signifies good luck, good health, and wealth. A fun fact: Many 15^th century brides chose to wear green wedding dresses because of its association with life and fertility.  Also, with mint and emerald stealing the spotlight in the fashion and wedding world, any bride that features these hues is sure to be on-trend.

Yellow is a happy, uplifting color; we associate it with optimism and hope for a sunny future. It works well with many other colors like orange, blue, red, brown and, for a modern feel, gray. Who doesn’t feel a little happier when they see yellow?

Dark purple has long been a symbol of royalty and wealth. However, lighter tints are often associated with imagination, creativity and whimsicalness. One of the least common colors in nature, purple will add a fantastical feel to your décor and partners well with almost all tones.

Sleek and modern, gray is a popular neutral used at many weddings. Gray offers a timeless air and is less severe than black. It is best when combined with audacious colors, as it comes across as dull by itself and has the ability to calm otherwise overwhelming hues. 

Another one of nature’s colors, brown depicts warmth and stability as we associate it with earthiness. Chocolate brown is a grounding color that looks amazing with contrasting tones like icy blue, mint green or rich corals.  This color is wonderful for those looking to create a vintage feel to their wedding, a popular current trend in the wedding world.

Now that you know the basics of color psychology, you can use your knowledge to create a wedding that fulfills your dreams. When finalizing your choices, remember that each hue comes in a variety of shades, and lighter or darker tones can emphasize or decrease each color’s psychological effect.  Furthermore, be strategic when utilizing the different colors and intensities so you are purposefully highlighting the important details and tastefully complementing others; companies like David’sBridal and BeauCoup allow you to browse through products by color, making the browsing process easier.  

My perfect palette did not come to me in my sleep – I looked at various magazines, blogs and retailers for inspiration, and even browsed through a few art books. Just remember that the process should be fun and that there is no singular “right” answer. So let your personality shine and happy hunting!

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Anyone else planning a wedding? What colors are you leaning toward (or what colors did you use)? I want to hear everything!