National planning expert Susan Southerland shares color ideas for 2011 wedding fashion, decor

Atlanta, GA (Vocus/PRWEB) January 26, 2011

The statement “I’m not sure where to begin” is often the first thing brides say when it comes to wedding planning. National wedding planning expert Susan Southerland suggests starting with a basic vision for the big day-a vision complete with color. Here, Susan shares her picks and highlights from PANTONE’s Fashion Color Report for Spring 2011 for current wedding color trends, and how to use the color forecast to conjure a vision for your wedding.

Most brides fall into one of two categories when it comes to her wedding vision-a ‘Classic Romantic’ or a ‘Contemporary Whimsical,’ suggests Southerland. “Classic Romantics tend to select elegant venues, make timeless fashion choices, and seek to plan a magical and memorable event akin to a fairytale. Contemporary Whimsical brides are fashion forward, open to modern yet sophisticated elements, unexpected touches, and opt for more of a talked-about, P-A-R-T-Y atmosphere for their weddings,” she adds. The good news for both categories is that 2011 color trends have options that will appeal to all.

The 2011 wedding trends and colors that will appeal to the Classic Romantic are pseudo-neutrals or flesh tones like Silver Cloud, Silver Peony, and Russet. Pair them with shades of rich colors like Beeswax or Honeysuckle (PANTONE’s color of the year) for a nature-inspired color palette. The continuing trend towards incorporating vintage décor will blend well with these shades-picture your tables decorated with a shimmering Silver Cloud overlay, a mercury glass centerpiece filled with dusty Sterling roses, and pops of Lavender.

“Contemporary Whimsical brides can boldly use these hues to delight and surprise their guests by layering colors together, for example-a Honeysuckle bridesmaid dress tied with a Coral Rose sash,” Southerland says. “You can also carry this color layering technique through with your table linens, cake décor, or wedding stationery. Why not use a table linen with a chair tie as a runner in your favorite color combination (Peapod and Regatta, perhaps) for a splash of added drama?” Another example of this color-saturated trend is pairing Blue Curacao bridesmaids’ dresses with types of bouquets of high contrast, tropical-colored flowers.

No matter which ‘wedding vision’ category you may fall into, here are some tips that every bride can benefit from knowing when choosing their wedding color scheme from 2011’s hottest hues:

• This year, wedding color schemes are largely complimentary (as opposed to last year’s monochromatic trend). Selecting vibrant shades from opposing sides of the color wheel will give you colors that play well off of each other, for a crisp and cheerful look (which is especially fun to work with during the chill of winter).
• Airy yet bold shades, like Regatta or Coral Rose, are bright enough to photograph well in natural light and result in a fresh, fun feel. Nostalgic yet vibrant shades like Russet or Honeysuckle can take on a romantic tone with amber candle light at your reception.
• Although they make playful accent colors, be wary of using Peapod or Beeswax as the primary color in your bridal party’s wardrobe, as they can be tricky to combine with many skin tones.
• When choosing a neutral to anchor your bolder accent colors, skip the traditional “white, black, or brown” and opt for Silver Peony, Silver Cloud, or Russet. These neutrals will add a chic, designer vibe to your wedding vision.

Don’t be afraid to be bold when it comes to working with these or any colors for your wedding day. Express your style in a fresh way that is uniquely you, and come back to PerfectWeddingGuide.com often to see inspirational photos and ideas of what’s new and fresh for your wedding.

For more on Perfect Wedding Guide’s top wedding trends for 2011 and to find daily wedding news and planning tips, visit The Wedding Blog.