How do you pick a bridesmaid dress colour?

For many couples, selecting the colours for your wedding is one of the hardest decisions you’ll need to make. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of amazing options, and your colour preferences might change on a weekly basis.

Also, because bridesmaid dresses are such a key focus on the big day, it’s essential that you choose a dress colour that you really love, which puts more pressure on the colour decision! But don’t panic, we’ve put together some easy tips to help you narrow down your options and find the perfect palette for your bridesmaid dresses.

What should you consider before choosing your bridesmaid dress colour?

Find your inspiration

In some cases, it can only take one image to really influence the colour palette for your overall wedding. If you haven’t already, it can be helpful to create a wedding Pinterest board and start collecting photos that inspire you. This will help guide you to the colours you might like for your bridesmaid dresses as you’re sure to see a pattern in the images you’ve gathered.

The importance of location

Your venue plays a vital role within your wedding, so you should opt for colours that nicely complement the space.

Your personal style

If you’re a minimalist type of person who loves more neutral and earthy colours, having a bright orange and pink wedding probably won’t be in your comfort zone and vice versa if you like bright colours.

The colour of your wedding dress

Keep the colour and style of your bridal gown in your mind when shopping for bridesmaid dresses, so you don’t end up choosing colours that will clash with you.

The dress colour with skin tones

Take care not to select colours that will wash out certain skin tones or make them look too flushed.

The season you’re having your wedding in

Hot pink or fuchsia may not be the best choice for cold winter weddings, whilst deep greens are often well-suited to autumn or winter.

Consider several bridesmaid dress colours

Mix and match dresses are incredibly popular at the moment, so it’s not uncommon to see more than one dress colour within a bridal party, especially the maid of honour in one colour and the bridesmaids in another.

What you need to know about colour palettes

Colour palettes are incredibly important for maintaining a consistent theme on your wedding day, between the dresses, tables, flowers, etc. It’s easy to go too far with too many colours, which will make everything feel disjointed and messy on the day. It’s often recommended that you choose around three main colours for your palette.

Selecting your colour palette isn’t as tricky as it sounds as long as you stay true to your style and follow your instincts. For example, if nature inspires you, include some earthy tones that are natural and serene like certain shades of olive green or sage green bridesmaid dresses. Alternatively, if you’re looking to take classic elements from the city, more industrial colours like greys and blue bridesmaid dresses might be preferable to you.

If you’re struggling with how to create your colour palette, it can be beneficial to consider the 60-30-20 rule. This means you use 60% of your primary colour, 30% of your secondary colour, and 10% of your accent colour. Primary colours are mostly used for your bridesmaid dresses, groomsmen attire, invitations, and aspects of the décor, but be careful not to abuse the colour.

Secondary colours can be used within the flowers, décor, linens, and bridal party accessories. Lastly, the accent colours can be incorporated into the flowers, centrepieces, or used to highlight elements.

What colour should you choose?

Your wedding should represent you and your fiancé’s personalities and identity as a couple. If you’re still unsure as to what colour to choose, think about your own style and vision for the wedding as well as the factors listed above. Below are a few ideas of colours that could best suit your style as a bride:

  • Trendy bride- slate blue, sky, emerald, dusty pink, or blush pink bridesmaid dresses
  • Traditional/classic bride- navy, black, or blush dresses
  • Beachy bride- blush, bright blue, or navy dresses
  • Girly bride- blush, dusty pink, or lilac dresses
  • Earthy bride- brown, blue, green, or nude bridesmaid dresses
  • Minimalist bride- black, grey, or neutral dresses

Conclusion

By choosing a colour palette that reflects you and your partner, you can style your wedding to create an unforgettable event for you and you guests. Now you know more about how to pick your bridesmaid dress colours, it’s time to get shopping!

No matter what colour palette you decide on for your big day, Maids to Measure has a wide range of colours and styles to suit and your bridesmaids. Explore our stunning collection today and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any questions.