A guide to selecting your wedding colours 

1. The location of your wedding could be a beginning point in choosing your colours, for example, if it will be held in a rustic setting or outdoors, you may choose more earthy colours to complement it. However, if it is in a hotel ballroom, you can select colours that would match with the existing décor that’s in the room.
    
2. The theme of your wedding can also guide you about colour selection, for instance, if you have chosen a “nautical” theme, you can go with navy blues, crisp whites and aqua, or if you have selected a “tropical” theme, you can choose oranges, pinks and yellows.
    
3. When selecting a colour, always consider the mood you would like to create, or as we say locally, what’s the “vibe” of your wedding? This is where you get to determine the ambience you would like to set for your guests – for example, ethereal and romantic? Trendy and modern? Whimsical? Remember that the more vivid the colours you select, the more upbeat and dramatic your wedding’s mood will seem. Colours like reds, purples, bright pinks, oranges and yellows set a mood of fun and lend excitement. If you select milder, more muted or metallic colours, these will lend themselves to a more elegant or sophisticated atmosphere.

4. Choose a base colour and one or two secondary colours. To this, you can also add on a metallic (e.g. gold/silver/bronze/rose-gold/pewter). Unless you are going for a boho or eclectic feel, it may not be a good idea to select more than three colours because this tends to make your wedding palette look confused.

5. Start an inspiration board – use Pinterest, a bulletin board or even a paper folder and save magazine clippings or photos that inspire your wedding colour choices. Visit your local fabric stores or hardware stores and watch the paint charts, to see what colours or prints catch your eye. Then ask for swatches, so that you can add them to your inspiration board to help with your decision-making. Be sure to show your inspiration board to your florist, your cake artist as well as your decorator.  This will help them get a better sense of how you envision your wedding’s décor.

6.  Ask your wedding planner, decorator and photographer to weigh in, if you are unsure. Their experience with colour combinations, lighting and what works best at certain venues, will be an asset to you!

 
And lastly, when selecting your colours, always be yourself and don’t be afraid to break with tradition. Your guests will be delighted by a wedding that is not the “same old!”