Inspiration
When faced with a new project, designers fire up their creativity by putting together an "inspiration board" of photos, fabric samples, clippings from magazines, whatever. Why not do the same when planning your wedding? One of the best ways to begin is by focusing on color, picking a scheme that will run through your big day - in flowers, linens, table decor, and the cake. In the following pages you'll find a series of color "inspiration boards" to get you going. Use them as a starting point - or if you see an idea that's perfect as is, just steal it. We wont mind!
Raspberry, Orange & Brown
Evoking the crackling fire and autumn's ardent foliage, while anchored in the soothing tones of wood and earth, this color combination feels opulent yet totally natural. The quintessentially seasonal palette lends itself perfectly to a rustic chic style - think barn wedding! - allowing you to incorporate all kinds of readily available local and seasonal elements, from fall leaves to bright orange squashes to vintage wooden serving pieces. Just look around and you'll find the components everywhere. How you put them all together is up to you!
Plum, Gold & Fuchsia
There's something positively royal about this palette. Perhaps it's the gold, which, paired with deep plum and a hotter fuchsia, generates the kind of luxurious intensity that makes a formal fall or winter affair a true feast for the senses. You'll want to bring in plenty of candlelight to amplify the magical effect, and make the most of beautiful vintage serving pieces and eye-catching accents like satin ribbon. Bring in the sense of taste, too, letting real plums do double-duty as both menu items and natural decor.
Turquoise, Red & White
Fun, feisty - and definitely nontraditional! If that sounds like you, these may be your colors. Definitely not for the bashful, this combination is whimsical and also vaguely exotic with its hints of Caribbean ease and Moroccan splendor. Imagine the happy surprise of guests on first encountering such a festive palette in the midst of winters blank canvas. And with these colors as your wedding theme, you may find yourself thinking "outside the box" when it comes to food and drink, too. Here's your chance to try blue cocktails with a blood orange garnish, oversized candy canes, or luscious red velvet wedding cake. Remember, its a party!
Purple, Green & Olive
There's nothing drab about olive when you combine it with purple and punchier shades of green! Add the silvery gleam of vintage mercury glass and you have a palette that bespeaks sophistication and a certain formality. Of course, you'll have plenty of opportunity to weave in such natural elements as lush moss and all sorts of intriguing foliage. And this color combination offers just a subtle suggestion of the holiday season's green-and-red palette, which you can make as much or little of as you choose to.
