Main image courtesy of Circus Photography
Check any place where brides gather – forums, fairs, Facebook – and you’ll find yourself hearing one statement over and over again: “I can’t decide on my wedding theme!” Indeed, sometimes it may feel like your whole planning can’t proceed unless you make that decision – after all, how are you going to buy anything if you don’t even know the colour scheme? And when you finally choose one, what will happen if you change your mind?
If you really and truly can’t decide, or if you’re running out of time, you’ll be glad to know there are five timeless wedding colour schemes that never go out of style. They are classic, suitable for every season, and easy to shop for. They’re also simple to personalise if you’d like to add a few touches of your own. Is one of these your answer?
Classic white wedding
Above, from top: all-white sweet table via designhome.pics | white cake and flowers from Sophie & Paul’s real wedding by Michelle Prunty | white bridesmaid dresses via weddingobsession.com
The classic white wedding theme never ever fails to wow. It’s traditional, sophisticated and beautiful, and looks great in virtually any setting – in a luxury mansion or your local church hall. All you need to decide is whether you want pure white or ivory, then shop accordingly. You’ll have no problem at all finding anything in this colour for your decorations and stationery, and your venue will most likely have white tablecloths and white napkins as standard. If you’re having floral centrepieces or decorations, you can have them all in white too – or go for colour, they’ll look stunning in the sea of white. In fact, anything other than white will truly stand out. This theme is also ideal for customisation with your favourite colour, and you don’t need much of it either – just a few accents here and there will do the job beautifully. If you wonder about bridesmaids dresses, virtually any colour will do – but we recommend blush, beige, or the palest of pastels in any hue. Or, if you’d like to add an unusual touch to your otherwise classic look, dress them in white – Pippa Middleton is the best proof it can work perfectly.
Black and white wedding theme
Above, from top: black and white decor via weddingseve.com | classic round birdcage at WOL Shop | Love Bird Damask classic black and white guestbook at WOL Shop | Sophie & Ken’s classic monochrome real wedding
For instant drama and glamour, take the white wedding theme and add black. What a combo! The only thing you need to make sure is that it’ll work with the décor of your venue – so consider the look of the suite you’ve chosen. In fact, this colour combo is perfect for a marquee. Black accents are very easy to find, and you can add as much as you like, but if you don’t want to go overboard, make white the dominant colour. You can scatter black gems on your tables, choose slim tall black vases for your centrepieces, black paper lanterns mixed in with white ones hanging from the ceiling, black-and-white menu cards and stationery, and black lace napkin rings. For extra drama, you can use ostrich feathers instead of flowers for your centrepieces – two white and one black per vase. Your bridesmaids can even wear black gowns!
Navy blue wedding theme
Above, from top: blue table styling via OneWed | Feena & Claude-Alain’s real wedding reception | Snowfall wedding stationery by Appleberry Press
Fashionistas the world over agree that navy blue – or dark blue, if you will – is the perfect alternative to black. Not only does it have the same slimming effect and looks just as elegant, but it’s incredibly flattering for most people, colour-wise. It’s a softer choice, not as stark or dramatic as black is. Navy blue says “I’m elegant and sophisticated in an understated way”. As a wedding colour, it can do no wrong. It pairs beautifully with white, and even better with ivory. It lends itself beautifully to DIY as literally anything made with navy blue looks fabulous. For a touch of something unusual, you can use things like navy-coloured wine glasses and napkins on your tables. And, of course, the bridesmaids will look gorgeous in their navy dresses – and you can add a navy sash to yours, or carry your bouquet wrapped in navy lace or wide ribbon. You may not see this theme so much in summer months, but it does work all year round – if you’d like to lighten things a bit more for summer, add a few accents of light blue, or use more white.
Purple wedding theme
Above, from top: room styling by Audrey’s Occasions | purple button bouquet via loveisvintage.co.uk | purple rose mass booklets and stylish groom and best men from Eimear & David’s real wedding
Year after year, this colour shows up in most wedding trends lists – it’s safe to say brides just love purple. It’s so very versatile – depending on the hue, it can look flirty or regal. There’s an abundance of all things purple, and wedding suppliers are usually pretty on-trend when it comes to popular things, so you’ll have no trouble at all finding everything from sashes to shoes, and balloons to bridesmaids dresses. Virtually your biggest challenge will be matching up the hues – so order as many samples as possible, if you’re buying online, or always take a swatch of your chosen hue for comparison when shopping in stores. Purple looks great all year round, inside and outside, rain or shine. If your other half will be partaking in the theme by wearing something purple, you can too – aside from the purple bouquet, purple shoes look absolutely stunning with a white dress. The brides’ love of all things purple isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, so you can plan your future purple wedding to your heart’s delight.
Pink wedding theme
Above, from top: Love Birds pink invitation by Caroline Duffy Wedding Boutique | pink wedding decor from real wedding at the K Club by Michelle Prunty | bridesmaids’ pink gowns by Ronald Joyce, stocked at Amarra Bridal, from Katie & Sean’s real wedding by Art Wedding Photography
The palest blush, or hottest fuchsia… the juicy watermelon or vintage rose… there’s a shade of pink for every bride out there, and not just for the girly ones. Pink can be sophisticated and charming, or fun and Barbie-like, and there isn’t a wrong way to go about it either – anything goes. In fact, it’s one of the very few colours where multiple shades look beautiful together. Just think of how glorious your flowers and centrepieces will look in various shades of pink. Or, at the opposite end, you can choose just one perfect shade, and stick to it. Pink is feminine and lovely, and quite possibly the most bride-friendly colour, aside from white. If there are a few colours you can’t decide between, but pink is one of them, it’s a no-fail choice. A room decorated in pink looks fresh and inviting – but, to be on the safe side, do check with your venue about the colour scheme they have in the suite. And you’ll never be short for ideas or inspiration, as there are plenty of pink weddings to look at online.
