How to Choose Your Wedding Colours: A Guide for Brides-to-Be
Choosing the perfect colour palette for your wedding is one of the most exciting parts of the planning process. Your wedding colours will set the tone for your big day, tie together all the details, and reflect your unique style as a couple. But with so many stunning options, where do you start? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you decide.
Start with Inspiration
Your wedding colours should feel personal and meaningful. Think about:
Your Venue: The setting can significantly influence your choice. A rustic barn might suit earthy tones, while a grand ballroom could shine with metallics and jewel tones.
Your Favourite Colours: What shades do you naturally gravitate towards? Consider incorporating those into your palette.
The Season: Let nature guide you. Pastels and fresh greens are ideal for spring, vibrant colours pop in summer, earthy tones work beautifully in autumn, and rich hues like burgundy or emerald are perfect for winter.
When I was planning my wedding I choose a colour that as a family we all love. That colour was blue. Then choose a colour that was meaningful to me and that colour was orange. The shade of orange that i picked was the same colour that my nan use to always have on her nails. My nan was my favourite person in the whole entire world so for me this shade of orange was a non-negotiable.
Image taken by Sharon Cudsworth, Flowers made by Dear Luna Floral
Think About the Mood
Consider the atmosphere you want to create. Soft, muted tones like blush and sage evoke romance and intimacy, while bold colours like fuchsia or navy can bring energy and drama. Neutral palettes with hints of colour offer timeless elegance.
I wanted to add warmth and elegance to my day. The orange brought the warmth and the shade of blue we opted for was royal navy which brought that element of elegance.
Image taken by Sharon Cudsworth, Suits from Coes
3. Use the Rule of Three
A cohesive palette often includes three main colours:
A Dominant Colour: This will be the primary shade, seen most prominently in your decor.
A Secondary Colour: Used to complement and enhance the dominant colour.
An Accent Colour: A pop of contrasting or metallic colour to add interest and depth.
For example, a summer wedding might feature coral (dominant), turquoise (secondary), and gold (accent).
My dominant colour was blue, the secondary colour was orange and my accent colour was white and they came together perfect. Especially in my tablescape as featured below…
Image taken by Sharon Cudsworth, Flowers made by Dear Luna Floral
4. Check Your Options
Once you’ve narrowed down some colours, test how they look together. Create a mood board or swatch your ideas using fabric, paint chips, or online tools like Pinterest or Canva. Seeing them side by side can help you visualise how they’ll work across your decor, flowers, and attire.
5. Don’t Forget the Details
When finalising your colours, think about:
Bridal Party Attire: Will your chosen palette flatter your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
Florals: Some blooms may not come in your desired shades, especially if you’re set on a specific flower.
Your Makeup: As a bridal makeup artist, I recommend thinking about how your palette complements your bridal look. Soft tones can enhance a natural, romantic look, while bolder colours might inspire a more dramatic style.
Image taken by Sharon Cudsworth
6. Trust Your Instincts
Ultimately, your wedding colours should reflect you and your partner’s style. If a palette feels right, go with it—even if it’s unconventional. Your special day is all about celebrating your love and uniqueness.
Final Thoughts
Choosing your wedding colours is an exciting opportunity to bring your vision to life. With a little inspiration and planning, you can create a palette that sets the stage for a day you’ll remember forever.
Need help ensuring your makeup complements your dream colours? I’m here to make you feel like the best version of yourself on your big day. Let’s make magic happen!
Image taken by Sharon Cudsworth, Cake by Essex Cake Shop
All you need to know about your make up trial
All you need to know about your make up trial
What is a bridal trial, and do I really need one?
The simple answer is yes you do really need one and the reason I say this is because you wouldn’t get married with only trying your dress on once, and it should be the same for your makeup. A trial run is more than just a practice run. It is the perfect opportunity to get to know your artist’s personality to make sure that you click. To also find out their skill level, and to determine if they are the right fit for you. You want to be comfortable and at ease with them and make sure they can create your desired makeup look.
How to make the most of the trial.
Your makeup trial is the perfect opportunity to ensure that you and the makeup artist or stylist are on the same page. When describing looks, especially details like colours, things can get lost in translation. I therefore advise all my brides to come to the trial with some pictures of makeup looks that they would wear. These can be images of celebrities, your friends or that classic image that always pops up when you search “bridal makeup” on google. I would also recommend having images of your dress, your bridesmaids dresses and your colour scheme so your artist can tailor the look to suit your day. All these images are useful, and they are great ways of communicating your thoughts to your artist.
Trials are also a great way to test the durability of the look that you want. I would recommend booking your trial in the morning of a busy day to mimic how your skin or hair will act on your special day. I would also advise that you have your hair trial on the same day and recommend wearing a top or dress with a similar neckline to your wedding dress this will therefore allow you to see your look as a whole and will be able to get a good idea as to how you will look on the day.
The trial will also help you plan your wedding day, you and the artist will be able to discuss how much time they will need to get you and your wedding party done. Going through the trial will give you the opportunity to test all of the products that will be on your skin the day of your wedding and ensure you will not have any negative reactions.
I would also advise to turn up to the appointment with a clean face as the makeup artist will normally do skin preparation before your make up application and a clean face will make the appointment run more smoothly.
Does the wedding party need a makeup trial?
This is completely up to your wedding party, some of your bridesmaid’s may not wear makeup often,and would like a trial to see how they feel. I often find that the mother of the bride and groom tend to have trials to make sure that the makeup suits their skin and I also think they enjoy being part of the experience with you. It’s a nice bonding experience to have together and you can also get feedback from each other on the look and work out if something needs adjusting to suit the day.
How many trials should I have?
This is totally up to you. You should have a trial with every makeup artist or stylist you are interested in working with and go from there. Once you have found the makeup artist or stylist you would like to work with, one trial is probably enough. If you end up finding a different look you are interested in you should get together for another trial. If you decide you just want to change something simple like your lip colour a trial is not needed for that, and I would recommend trying different shades during your trial as this is what they are for.
When should I book my trial?
A few months before your big day should be a good time to book your trial as the look will still be fresh in your head as well as your artists.
Latest trends
The bridal look requests I have received this year seem to be focused far more on enhancing natural beauty than covering up. I am seeing brides opt for glowing, glass looking skin with a simple eye look and cluster lashes. Nude and pink lip shades are an all-time favourite for my brides however, my matte lipsticks have been put to one side as my brides seem to prefer satin finish as this gives the lips a dewy look without feeling sticky.