Manolo for the Brides

Much like the gray and yellow wedding palette, the red and gray wedding palette is sophisticated and elegant. But the red (unlike the yellow) adds something of a maturity. I’d choose gray and yellow for an afternoon wedding, especially one taking place out of doors, while I’d choose red and gray for an evening wedding, one that might be a little more upscale.

I like this color combo more than I like red and black, because red and black can be a little jarring if too much is used alongside white. The gray tones the whole thing down a bit without sacrificing any of the visual interest or drama. Particularly if you’ve chosen a deeper shade of gray.

These beautiful red and gray wedding invitations from Peculiar Pair Press were inspired by the copper facade of the new DeYoung museum in San Francisco, which is where (I think) the reception might have been taking place. It’s a creative idea — if you’re having custom invitations designed, why not incorporate some element of your wedding venue into the final product?

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I wear a lot of black and gravitate toward darker colors, but I’m still of the opinion that if you’re going to choose a bright color palette — for daily wear or a wedding color scheme — then go all the way! You can’t get much brighter than a cerise combined with a lime, a scheme that comes with the added benefit of beautiful contrast AND the ability to make whites pop like crazy. Take a look at Lauren and Jim’s pink and green wedding, which featured gorgeous flowers by the talented Krista Jon and was photographed by Greg Wyatt.

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My favorite wedding color scheme pairings are those that are just a tad unexpected, usually because the two or three or more colors chosen are not typically seen together. Other color combos are surprising because of the extreme visual contrast between the hues, while some are a little shocking because the chosen colors are seldom combined in decor or fashion or art or weddings.

One unexpected wedding color combination I’ve been loving lately is yellow and gray, where the yellow is bright and/or cheerful and the gray is either quite muted or so in-your-face as to be practically silver. Both work brilliantly, though for different reasons. Plus, yellow and silver were big late last year and early this year, so there’s no shortage of wedding accessories for the bride and groom who want to rock this combo. If you like it or think you may love it, here are some images that may inspire you.

Sometimes bridesmaids wear yellow and wear gray accessories, and sometimes bridesmaids wear gray or silver and carry yellow bridesmaids’ bouquets. These bridesmaids photographed by Stephanie Williams wore a soft gray AND yellow! (via)

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Mention an apple themed bridal shower or wedding, and the minds of those listening will likely conjure up images of shiny red apples, perhaps as part of a larger fall motif. Autumn is, of course, a wonderful time to feature apples in one’s wedding decor. Here in New England, apple picking season is in full swing, so one could conceivably choose all of the apples in the reception decor oneself. However, my own preference is for tart green skinned apples, which to me are much more evocative of springtime or even early summer rather than fall.

To that I say “So what?” There’s no rule stating that an autumn themed wedding must be held in November or that a wedding featuring a wintertime palette can’t be scheduled for the middle of July. A green apple themed wedding (or bridal shower) is bright and cheerful no matter what the time of year. Here are some images meant to inspire those who like me love green apples, though one could substitute almost any fruits.

First, there’s the shower. Basic fondant apples like these from Sweet Thing are easy to craft since they’re nothing but a sphere with a bit of a butt on the bottom and a bit of chocolate string licorice stuck on top. This sort of thing is great for the DIY MOH.

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There are so many great wedding color scheme options out there that I sometimes forget that more than a few brides want to be married in (and around) white. The same thing happens when it comes to so-called traditional wedding options. I have a tendency to focus on the more usual types of wedding cakes or dessert tables or reception decor, when the fact is that tradionalesque wedding accessories and decor are always popular. As a means of beginning to correct this oversight, here is some inspiration for those considering a white wedding.

First, the dessert table. Isn’t it lucky that icing sugar, big balloons, and serving platters still come in white? The creamy hydrangeas in the background aren’t exactly white-white, but I think they’re in keeping with the theme.

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My mother always said orange was her favorite neutral. If there’s one thing I learned at her knee, it was that her eye for color was impeccable. These days, orange is my favorite neutral, too.

Oh I know it’s a bright, aggressive color. I know a little can go a long way. I also know it goes with and brings out the best in a wide variety of colors. I also know it’s a wonderful color for a happy celebration like a wedding.

Not convinced? Take a look under the cut at the cheery gallery of orange wedding details I’ve put together. Please note that there is not a single one that looks like Halloween.

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New England photographer Anne Ruthmann specializes in emotional and artistic photojournalism, and she’s good. Really good. Plus, the inspiration boards she creates from the weddings she has shot are none too shabby!

I have fallen way in love with this yellow, green, and teal wedding palette Ruthmann put together. This is a great color scheme for a summertime wedding, for those of you reading who are a year away from saying your vows, because it pairs so well with lush greenery and pretty whites. But it would also work well in springtime when all the wonderful tiny yellow flowers appear everywhere as if by magic. If you’re worried about overdoing it, don’t be. The green is a great foil for the teal, which otherwise might be a tad overwhelming, no matter what the season.

Most brides, when choosing their wedding colors, go in for two, three, or sometimes four colors, with some variations on the theme for a little extra pizazz. Rainbow isn’t a popular wedding color scheme, though some brides do choose it and when they know what they’re doing, damn, does it look good! Even fewer go in for a psychedelic rainbow color scheme, though I’ve found the perfect wedding flowers for those who do.

My first thought upon seeing a snapshot of Happy Roses somewhere was “Shopped!” But no, these petals are on the level — what you see is pretty much exactly what you get, thanks to a special watering technique. Remember coloring carnations or celery stalks with food color infused agua in grade school? It’s kind of like that.

The Happy Roses are placed in special water. Different substances are dissolved in this water. The rose branch absorbs this water as part of a natural process. This is what changes the colour of the petals. What makes Happy Roses unique is that the inventor has managed to colour a few petals, for example, yellow, whilst at the same time other petals colour differently, for example, blue, orange or lilac. It even proved possible to achieve a range of different colourings in the flower, which as it were fan around one another. This resulted in these unique, colourful and cheerful roses.

So love? Hate? I vote LOVE, just because the bouquet and the centerpieces are so wonderfully eye-catching. As La BellaDonna likes to remind me, “More is more,” and these definitely fall into the more category. What say you?