COLOURED WEDDING DRESSES
'Tis the season for colour! This year more than ever I've been asked to create so many coloured wedding dresses. There is nothing more exciting than when a bride comes into my studio with a picture of an ivory or white wedding dress and they say... 'but I want it in blue/green/yellow/red' etc...
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Coloured wedding dresses seem to be more popular than ever, and the reason is they can simply add that pop of colour to what would be a 'normal white wedding'. Having a coloured wedding dress can also add a uniqueness to your wedding, and in a sea or ivory and white gowns, this can be a breath of fresh air.
Some brides also feel that a white or ivory gown is too traditional. The meaning of the 'white' wedding dress symbolises the virginal bride, and saving ones self for marriage. But in the modern day, this has less meaning, as most brides live with their partners before marriage. Some even have children before marriage. The shock to this has worn off on most of us long again. But our great grandmothers would be rolling in their graves. Nowadays, most brides opt for a white or ivory wedding dress purely for personal preference.
Words - Naomi Peris
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So what is your choice? Does the meaning of a white virginal wedding dress mean anything to you? Would you ever choose a coloured gown? Being engaged twice, yes that’s right twice, I have thought about this option on both occasions. Mainly because I’m not a traditional person, and secondly because I like being different and doing things outside the norm.
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But as the years have gone on, and after designing hundreds if not thousands of wedding gowns for brides for 10 years, I have done a full circle. The fact is I LOVE ivory wedding dresses. I think they look timeless, suit every skin tone, and are just stunning. And if I push all the traditional thoughts behind me and just look at the colour as only a colour. Then I would probably like ivory for my wedding dress (if I ever decide to go down that path again). I would also love a yellow wedding gown. So I would consider a second gown in yellow for my reception. This could be a way to have your cake and eat it too. I have many brides wanting two gowns for their wedding. The ceremony gown is usually extravagant, while the second gown is more toned down, and is normally something that reflects the brides personality.
If two gowns is not an option for you, then picking that one colour might be tricky. If you know you don't want a white or ivory wedding dress, but still not sure just what colour to go for, there are two options...
1. to still stick to a light bridal colour like, campaign, blush or cream. This is if you just want a hint of colour, or a subtle colour effect.
2. to go with a bright colour (any colour that isn't in the bridal colour spectrum). This could be your favourite shade of blue or green, or that red that your fiance loves on you.
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A tip I would give is make sure this colour suits you. Meaning, make sure you actually wear this colour. If you don't wear this colour in your day to day life, then this might be a sign that this colour just doesn't work on you. Wearing a coloured wedding dress is daring enough, so make sure you get the colour right.
When looking at small colour swatches, remember that colour is always stronger in larger amounts of fabric. For example, I have a blush colour swatch that is about an inch squared in size. Whenever a brides picks this colour, I always have to show them this colour on a large roll of fabric, as the larger roll of fabric always looks darker, even though they are the same colour. It's a bit of a colour illusion.
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Do some colour tests on your skin. Try to get a large sample of the colour you are thinking of and draping it over your shoulder. Look at yourself in inside lighting as well as outdoor lighting for full understanding of how the colour looks in different light.
IVORY vs COLOUR
Sometimes I have brides that are not sure whether to choose ivory or the coloured swatch (whatever it may be). In this case, I would always advise on Ivory. And there are a few reasons for this.
1. Because you can never go wrong with ivory. It suits most skin tones.
2. It's timeless. When looking back on wedding photos, I've never heard anyone say... 'I wish I went with the green dress instead.'
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Coloured wedding gowns are risky, but if the colour suits your skin tone, and your personality, then picking a coloured wedding gown may be the key that is missing to your wedding. At the end of the day, go with your gut, and don't care about what others would say or think. It's YOUR day after all.
xx Naomi
