Interesting Article on Wedding Colours:

Express Yourself with Color on Your Wedding Day
July 15, 2009

Did you know that every color has a specific meaning or symbolism? Just like horoscopes, some people believe in these symbols and meanings and others do not. Whether you believe it or not, certain colors certainly do exude specific energies (red is hot, yellow is cheerful, etc) and the colors that you choose for your wedding theme can have a big impact on the overall success of your big day. Here is a closer look at what the specific meanings are behind the most popular wedding colors:

The color RED signifies passionate love: Red is the warmest color of all and is the most chosen wedding color for couples (or brides) with outgoing, confident personalities. Be careful not to overuse red or it can come across as garish and tacky. In Asian culture, red is the color of eternal joy and prosperity, and therefore red is a popular color for Chinese brides to wear on their wedding day. In Western culture, red is the color of passion and red roses symbolize passionate love, often making them a preferred choice for table arrangements and bridal bouquets.

The color PINK signifies calm, joyous love. Known as a quiet and soft color, pink symbolizes universal love and is a favorite wedding color for brides everywhere. Pink carnations symbolize ‘forever remembered’ and therefore, are a sweet flower to add to a grooms boutonnière or bridal bouquet. Since pink is the result of mixing red with white, the degree of white dictates the softness or shocking shade of pink achieved. The softer tones of pink, which are most appropriate for a wedding theme color, signifies tenderness, love and acceptance.

The color BLUE signifies true, sincere love. Blue Perfect especially if you are having a tropical, exotic or beach themed wedding, blue is the coolest color of all and represents the sky, ocean and twilight. It is said that in Ancient Egypt, blue represented heaven, and since it is a calming color, blue can be wonderful and symbolic as a wedding day theme color. Blue flowers are strikingly beautiful, such as the blue iris, which symbolizes the importance of a relationship and would be a good flower in a mixed bouquet or as part of the table centerpieces at the wedding reception.

The color WHITE signifies pure love. White is the universal color for innocence and purity – worn by brides at weddings and babies at christenings around the world. Depending on the country or culture, white has many meanings – it can mean kindness, wholeness, completion, openness or truth – all good qualities to include in a wedding ceremony. White daisies are a symbol of loyal love – white tulips, roses, calla lilies and gerbera daisies are all very popular with today’s bride. White can have a cold, stark quality so you need to be very careful with your wedding décor. Balance it out with a second color and use warmer shades of white whenever possible.

The color PURPLE signifies magical, mysterious love. It is said that purple is the color of good judgment and peace of mind – two qualities that are ideal to share with wedding guests to symbolize the couple’s love, feelings and commitment. Of course, all throughout history, purple has been considered the color of royalty and thus has been a very popular wedding theme color for hundreds of years, and remains so today. Wedding flowers in purple such as orchids, freesia, violets and forget-me-nots are a wonderful complement to a bridal bouquet or table arrangements.

The color ORANGE signifies creative, vital and warm love. Orange is truly a color of power, and is chosen as a wedding theme color by the strong and confident couple who loves life and is not afraid to share their vibrancy and energy with others. Orange has always symbolized vitality, endurance, sincerity and thoughtfulness – perfect qualities to showcase on your wedding day. Orange flowers such as daisies, sunflowers, tulips, marigolds, and hothouse roses can create a stunning floral display for table centerpiece arrangements, especially when set against crisp white linen.

The color GREEN signifies healthy and balanced love. Green In most cultures, the color green represents earth, nature, life and fertility. However, it also symbolizes balance, self-respect and overall well-being. Given its restful properties and its ability to harmonize with other colors, green is a common color choice for wedding décor and reception decorations. Since green represents change, life and growth, it is the perfect complementary wedding color, especially in floral arrangements using lush ornamental grasses, baby’s breath, green fern leaves and other greenery. Green is also a very popular color for bridesmaid dresses, with soft sage being the current shade of choice with brides in North America.

The color YELLOW signifies happy and wise love. Yellow is the color of happiness, joy and bliss. Yellow is also a color with high energy so use it sparingly as a wedding theme color. The beautiful yellow daffodil is the symbol of unequivocal love, and makes this flower a poignant wedding flower choice. Other yellow flowers such as tulips, roses, and wildflowers make wonderful flower arrangements and bouquets if you are going with a yellow color palette. For a spring or summer wedding, yellow is the perfect color choice with shades such as buttercup yellow, lemon yellow and soft corn yellow the most popular choices.

Source: Tracey Smith is an expert article writer on the topic of weddings, we hope you found this article on wedding colors useful for your wedding planning.

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Good evening everyone!

It is a lovely Sunday evening here in Ottawa and I am hard at work on my next wedding venture. It got me thinking...

How well do you know wedding costs?

Is full service cheaper than self setup?
Is buffet cheaper than sit-down?
How much does the average photographer cost?
What does that price include?
How does pricing work for hotels and other banquet halls?
How do I get a deal on anything related to my wedding?
Why does the officiant cost more than the marriage licence?!?

The wedding I am currently working on has a very tight budget, especially for the large number of people attending. Once I sit down with a couple and we discuss the budget, I assign preliminary percentages to each item needed for the wedding. I then ask the bride to look over it and see if she wants to spend more on something and whether she can dip into the money from another area.

Proper planning is key when working on a tight budget these days, you need time to shop around, get the best prices, and possibly discounts for booking early.

I guess that's why wedding planning is a full time job!!