Hot Wedding Color Combinations for 2009

Every few years new color combinations hit the wedding scene - some make a splash and stay around while others sizzle … then quickly fizzle.

Are you the type of bride who wants her wedding to reflect the hottest color trends of the season, show her stylish side and make her friends envious with why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-color-syndrome? If so here are four color combinations that are HOT for 2009.

But before we get started, here are a few things to remember about your wedding color combinations.

- Keep it simple
Choosing too many colors will make your wedding seem unorganized and leave your guests wondering what look you were striving for; limit your color choices to no more than three colors so your wedding will be streamlined and elegant.

- Be decisive
Take as much time as you need to choose your wedding colors, but once you’ve made a decision-stick with it. I went to a wedding once where I knew the bride’s parents had paid a year’s worth of college tuition on food, rentals and decorations alone. The bride had hired a wedding planner. No expense was spared.

The problem was her color choices seemed to be deep navy and brown-those colors were everywhere-but her tablecloths were burnt orange. I am all about color accents, but in this case it didn’t work.

- Use colors liberally
Whichever colors you choose, be sure to repeat them throughout your wedding-in your invitations, in your wedding party attire, in your floral and centerpiece decorations, your cake, your linens … everywhere! If the bride from the above example had used burnt orange in more than her tablecloths, the color would have brightened the wedding and blended perfectly with her intended wedding day style.

Got it? Here we go.

1. Shades

Wedding color combinations for 2009 are all about blending shades of similar colors. Need an example?

Orange is one of my favorite colors, especially for a wedding. It's bright hue can liven up a room and is reminiscent of youth, sun and energy. But you probably don’t want orange as your only wedding color, now do you?

I didn’t think so.

What I’d do is start with a shade of orange, such as pumpkin or tangerine, then add peach, peach-orange or peach-yellow. The effect is bright, energetic and classy.

2. Blending Browns

As with the example above, stand-alone brown might not be the go-to color choice for many brides, but when done properly it can be elegant and chic.

Consider choosing dark espresso and pairing it with latte or cream (I am getting thirsty, here). Set off against a backdrop of sparkling lights, candles and a hint of gold this color combination is stylishly romantic and promises to give your guests something to remember.


3. Eclectic Eggplant

Eggplant burst onto the wedding color combination scene a few years, but trend-setting brides make adjustments with each year. According to The Knot.com, eggplant, cornflower and magenta are big and bold for 2009.

The key is to choose colors that have the same undertones. The particular shades of eggplant and magenta pictured on the knot’s website have blue undertones. This helps ensure your colors don’t clash.

4. Orange and well … anything

It is true. Orange really is *the* IT color for 2009. For spring or summer weddings pair bright orange with aqua or turquoise to create a tropical feel. Autumn brides can use deep orange paired with cream, light gold, plum or brown, while winter brides could choose deep navy, charcoal or purple.

Have you chosen your wedding colors? What are they? How did you decide?

Photos courtesy of TN Something Special Cake and Anne Ruthmann