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Choosing the Right Colors for your Wedding Party

Having a wedding party that's color-coordinated can really bring things together for your wedding, but it can be tough to find the right colors that complement everyone while still looking appropriate for the wedding ceremony itself. It's a common belief that with a few alterations many bridesmaid dresses can be worn for other purposes, but too often bridesmaids end up with dresses in a color that they'd never wear anywhere else so it just ends up hanging in the closet. With a little bit of planning, though, it's possible to dress your wedding party in colors that everyone will love while really tying together the look of the wedding party as a whole.

The first thing that you should do in order to pick the right colors for your wedding party is to get a list of everyone's favorite colors. This includes the bride, groom, bridesmaids, and even the groomsmen and ushers. Ask everyone to not only list the colors that they like in general, but also those colors which appear most often in their wardrobes so that you'll have a better idea of which colors everyone likes to wear.

Once you've collected the list, narrow it down to the colors that appear most often when asking about the colors that everyone enjoys. Ideally you should be able to create a short list of three to five colors, giving you several different options in regards to wedding party colors. Don't forget that while the bride and groom will most likely be wearing white and black respectively, there are a number of subtle accents that can be included in their clothing in order to tie the wedding party together even more.

When you begin looking at dress and tuxedo options in the colors on your short list, bring a high-megapixel digital camera or ask for fabric samples in the colors that you are considering so that you can consult with the different members of the wedding party. This can be an important part of finding colors that look good on everyone, as it will give everyone a chance to offer up their opinions and possible suggestions for alternative colors. If a red seems too bright or a green too dark, consulting your wedding party can help you to find an alternative color that is similar but much more flattering.

Most importantly, though, take the time to compare the colors that will be used as tuxedo accents to those which will be used for bridesmaid dresses. Often these will be purchased from different places and will be slightly off-hue, so by planning ahead you can avoid this and really bring the colors of the wedding party together. Remember that if you're having the dresses custom made you may also be able to simply purchase your own fabric that matches the tuxedo accents so that the colors will be a perfect match (and you may be able to save a few dollars in the process.)