Wedding Party Guide

Choosing your wedding flowers can be as simple as picking your favorite flower, or if you’re like me, a complicated affair trying to match the flowers with dresses, stationery, decorations, and the wedding party. Here are a few helpful hints to make choosing your blooms an easier task.

A match made in heaven

Playing with colors can be a little daunting at first, and if you think it takes a genius to match two colors together our easy guide will help you color coordinate with the best of them.

Here are four basic color schemes formulated from the color wheel (you can pick one up at any hardware store). They may be a savior to your color coordinating woes, or just a good reference if you’re already an expert.

1. MONOCHROMATIC: This is a fool-proof color scheme – it includes only one color, which is almost always the color of the bridesmaids’ gowns. Purple bridesmaid gowns? Choose purple flowers.
2. COMPLEMENTARY COLORS: These are shades that are opposite each other on the wheel. Yellow bridesmaid gowns? Choose yellow and violet blooms.
3. TRIADIC: So you’re starting to feel confident with this color-coordinating caper? The next level is including three colors. All three colors will be of equal distance apart on the color wheel. Blue bridesmaids? Choose red and yellow flowers.
4. ANALOGOUS: This scheme uses shades that are situated right next to each other on the color wheel. Violet Bridesmaid gowns? Have red-violet flowers.

Forget-me-not

Now that you’ve done all this hard work you can’t let it got to waste! – Have your precious bouquet preserved and framed. Brides are becoming more creative with the way they’re choosing to preserve their bouquets.

Many brides are now including wedding memorabilia with their bouquet. Even in this final stage you’ll need to be color savvy and remember your coordination skills. There are different colored backing boards or use some fabric from your gown instead.

The pick of the bunch

In need of blooming ideas? Here are my six favorite bridal flowers:

• Hyacinth
• Tulips
• Roses
• Freesias
• Oriental Lillies
• Cymbidium Orchids

For those planning a wedding event, they might be surprised by all the different colors bridesmaid dresses are available in these days. Some of the new styles for spring are in soft pastel colors of green, peach and yellow. David’s Bridal has a large assortment of colors in all the latest fashion designs for women. They carry the subtle shades of rose, sky blue and cream as well as some of the more vivid ones. If you are having an ivory themed wedding, you can take a look at matching ivory bridesmaid’s dresses.

You could choose a style in bright fuchsia, hot pink or purple satin. They have gowns that are knee length and also those that are floor length. Some have additional trims such as ruffles, lace, bows or sequins.

There are the extremely dark colors such as black and navy blue that can also be purchased in the gowns for bridesmaids. Most of the gowns are created from one solid color although they may include a contrasting trim piece. This is true for the floor length black chiffon that has a bodice piece of white.

The magenta strapless dress comes with a silver buckle accent in the center of the waist. While most people tend to go with the colors of the season, it is no longer as much of a tradition as it once was. Many people that like the brighter vivid colors will use them any time of the year.

In addition to what is available for shades of dresses that come ready made, you will have the option of getting the dresses custom designed. Some people choose to purchase a cheap ready made item that they have contrasting pieces added to by a professional seamstress. The bride most often chooses the colors that are her favorites and will often coordinate them with the rest of the color scheme for the wedding. This can make for some interesting and unusual bridesmaid gowns.

The wedding party will very often have their shoes dyed to match the color of the gowns. Most of the ready made styles for these types of dresses today use fabrics, designs and colors that can be worn for other kinds of occasions. This is a more practical use of a dress than having it made for only one event.