One of the most fun parts of wedding planning, for me, was picking our wedding colors. It's a good idea to look at this as the start of setting the atmosphere of your wedding. So actually, it might be more important than you think! For a start, discuss options with your other half: do either of you have a favorite color that you want to include? If so, that can be an easy starting point, but if not, we've put down other main points to factor in when you start to think about your color scheme.

Ocean Wedding Inspiration

SETTING

It's a great idea to use natural hues found at your venue as your starting point. Do you already have a country or area in mind, or perhaps you have picked your venue already? There's a huge difference between a glamorous white-tie ballroom affair and an outdoor marquee festival wedding, so think about the setting you'll be getting married in. Maybe you always wanted an outdoor ceremony surrounded by green fields or in an olive grove. Perhaps you'll have a view of lavender fields in France, or get married with the deep blue of the ocean as your backdrop. If you can afford to visit your venue and see it in the flesh obviously this is ideal, but looking through photos should be sufficient to get a sense of the surroundings. The wedding below (one of my all time favorites that we've featured) took place in the Swiss Alps, and kept a neutral palette so as not to distract from the amazing scenery of the setting. Be sure and click the photo to check out the scenery, it's so worth it!

PJ Photos via Fly Away Bride

SEASON

Whether you get married in Tuscany in the summer or Switzerland in the winter will in turn affect your color choice. Keep in mind that certain elements will be affected by the season you choose, such as flowers that are available. The couple below got married in Venice in the winter; that this is the most quiet time to visit the city meant that they got to stroll through the streets without too much distraction, and had beautiful warm antique brick tones of the buildings for their photos. The bright reds and dark pinks of the bride's bouquet were the perfect pop of color against this backdrop, and her dark fur bridal wrap was a lovely addition.

Maison Pestea via Fly Away Bride

BRIDAL PARTY

What your bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls and ushers wear will in turn affect the colors of your your stationery, flowers, decor and cake. Think about the size of your bridal party: if you had a very vibrant shade in mind, having ten bridesmaids in the same color could possibly be an overload of such a strong hue. A large bridal party often suits a range of shades, but there are no fixed rules of course so don't be afraid to think outside the box. A vibrant splash of color can often add a bit of life and a sense of fun to a wedding, like the bright groomsmen below. Don't forget to consider your ladies (and gentlemen) and colors that might suit (or not suit) their skin tone.

En Route Photography via Fly Away Bride

FLOWERS

Do you have a favorite flower, or have an idea already of what you want in your bouquet? You can use this as your starting point and build your palette around your bouquet. If you have know the color your bridal party will be wearing, consider what florals will go well with this. If you have already picked your venue, check with them to see if flowers will be in bloom onsite around your date. Often the best way is to see images from an actual wedding that has taken place around the same time. If there will be blooms there, take this into account when choosing your wedding colors. These can be used in photos and it will look like they were always part of the plan! A palette can be built around a single hue from the flowers already at your venue, like bougainvillea in bloom, or sunflowers, or whatever is there (if you like it of course). Keep in mind as mentioned above, that the season you pick will affect availability of certain flowers. The bride below kept her florals neutral, picking up the beautiful lush greenery of the venue and the pool with the sage green tones in her bouquet.

Chris Spira via Fly Away Bride

DECOR

When you have decided on the general feel of the day and the colors you'll be working with, start thinking about decor and invitations in keeping with your ideas. What will be your table layout? Will you be eating outside or indoors? An outdoor table in a garden setting will have lots of greenery, so keep in mind the shades you will be surrounded by when choosing your decor colors. For more info on choosing your stationery and cake, see our FAB Guide on Wedding Stationery Suites and Designing your Wedding Cake.

Andrea Matone via Fly Away Bride

We're back tomorrow with a beautiful tropical themed wedding in the Algarve so be sure to check in!