Although no color scheme ever truly goes out of style for a wedding, there have been definite trends for color over the years.  Just about every color palette you can think of has had ‘its day’ in the wedding ceremony.  From pastels with the light blues and pinks to brighter, bolder colors like red, purple and forest green have all made an appearance.  Until recently the color of choice seemed to be chocolate brown along with all its complimentary shades.  This year, however, the color that is emerging as the favorite of 2009, is the color gray.

Gray may seem a little on the uninteresting side of the color wheel, but being a neutral, it lends itself beautifully to nearly every other color.  It can be combined with just about any hue you can think of, from soft pastels to more saturated, darker colors.  It creates a wonderfully elegant and chic look for any wedding.

If the color gray still leaves you a little flat, you may prefer something a little more eye-catching like silver.  This sparkly version of gray really adds the sophistication that many brides are looking for and it can still be partnered with most every color.  The beauty of silver is that is also works great as a solo color, incorporating only the white of the bride’s wedding gown.

It doesn’t take a fashion expert to know there are so many different shades of every color out there, that it’s difficult to match colors perfectly without clashing.  All you have to do is go shopping for a top to match that beautiful navy blue skirt you just bought to know what I’m talking about.

With all the wedding accessories you want to match, such as: napkins, flowers, bridesmaid dresses, cake decorations, wedding favors, etc., it can be difficult to find even similar shades of the same color.  When planning my daughters weddings, I found that purchasing a spool of ribbon, or 1/4 yard of fabric of the colors they chose, came in very helpful.  I would cut a small swatch of the fabric and take it with me wherever we went shopping.  I left samples of the colors with the bakery, florist and stationers in order to insure a color match.

You may even be able to visit the paint section of any department store and find paint sample cards with your color on it.  The cards are free and you can take several to hand out to your wedding vendors.

HELPFUL HINT:  When shopping for personalized napkins, be sure to ask how old their display is and if any of the colors have faded.  We made the mistake of matching the display napkins, which were the perfect shade of red, only to have them arrive a purplish shade.  Most vendors will replace such mistakes free of charge, but time may also be an issue if the wedding date is fast approaching.  Asking a few questions may help to prevent this problem altogether. 

Choosing a color theme for your wedding can be a lot of fun.  Whether you want to work around one main color or a combination of two or more colors, you should keep several things in mind. 

 The first thing you’ll want to consider is the popularity of your color or colors.  Teal and rose look beautiful together, but it’s not as popular today as it was about 10 years ago.  You want to be able to find bridesmaid dresses, as well as other accessories in the colors you pick.  Check out the available colors for items such as napkins, flowers, candles, wedding favors, cake toppers, and invitations to name a few. 

You’ll want to take into consideration how colors will look on your bridesmaids.  You will, no doubt, be dressed in either white or ivory, however, the bridesmaids will want to look their best that day as well.  Colors like yellow or orange can tend to wash out lighter complexions, whereas blue or green may compliment certain color eyes. 

If you want two or more colors for your wedding, consider varying shades of the same color.  Brown can be a very elegant look for a wedding, especially when it is combined with a coffee bean or lighter mocha.  Totally different colors can work too, however stay away from opposite ends of the color wheel such as purple and yellow. green and red, and blue and orange.  Instead, choose color shades that are next to each other on the color wheel.

As you know, theme weddings are a great way to plan a wedding and reception.  It gives you a ’springboard’ from which to start when deciding on the many details of a wedding.  One of the easiest and most versatile theme is the use of color.  You can choose one color or a color combination that you’re particularly fond of.

A color theme wedding doesn’t confine you to specific types of decorations, style of gowns, or menu selection.  But it will allow you to express your own individual unique personality in everything you plan.  As an example, let’s say you want to plan a wedding using the traditional white (bride) and black (groom) colors with a splash of red.

As I’ve said before, begin at the beginning.  Incorporate those colors, especially the red, into your wedding invitations.  A lovely red rose or heart would be a nice start.  HINT:  When ordering the invitations, don’t forget to also order matching thank you cards.  This continues the theme all the way to the end. 

Use these same colors in the wedding attire.  One of the most striking wedding party pictures I’ve ever seen was with the bride in white carrying a red bouquet and the bridesmaids in red carrying white bouquets.  

Extend the color theme to the reception featuring specialty drinks.    Talk with your caterer about creating drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, using fruits like strawberries or raspberries to give these specialty drinks the color of your theme.

Adorn the wedding party table and the reception tables with touches of red in the centerpieces and the wedding favors.  Make a request of the wedding party decorating committee that red and white be used when adorning the getaway car.