to theme or not to theme

It seems that having a themed wedding is all the rage nowadays. From a general look and feel (dreamy vintage, modern romantic, rustic country), a specific inspiration (fairy tale inspired, Cinco de Mayo, travel themed), cute and quirky (Up themed, candy inspired, school theme), to the downright weird (goth, zombie, Twilight), more and more couples decide to move away from the usual color motif based weddings and incorporate a theme into their weddings 

I must admit, I do enjoy themed weddings. The planning process for a themed wedding, though tedious, can actually be fun. Plus, I think it's a treat for guests to be transported into the couple's world, after all, it is all about the couple. 

But it is really necessary to have a theme?

In my opinion, not really. 

Since I've been known to be especially fond of wedding planning, sometimes people would ask me "What theme goes well with our wedding colors?". Honestly, I find it difficult to answer. There's nothing really wrong with wanting to have a theme. I just feel that it would be more meaningful if the theme came from somewhere special or significant between the couple rather than from a combination of colors. 

Weddings are supposed to be a celebration of the couple's union. Thus, a wedding should be reflective of who the couple is. Unfortunately, some couples get too excited about having a theme that they forget about what the celebration really is and end up losing their identity as couple in the process. 

See, If I were in the couple's shoes, I'd want to be able to look at my wedding photos after 10 years or so and not think "Why were we wearing sombreros on our wedding again?". I'd rather go "This reminds me so much of our romantic engagement in Mexico". See the difference?

So don't worry if you don't have a theme for your wedding. If you only have you and your spouse-to-be's favorite colors in mind, then by all means, work with it. The important thing is that, however way it is you decide to celebrate your wedding, it will hold a significant and meaningful place between you and your partner. 

ushering in 2012 with some tangerine tango

I am not a fan of the color orange. Blunt but true. I think it is not an easy color to work with. For me, it works as a refreshing color pop but not as a main color in itself. So imagine my reaction when Pantone announced 2012's color for the year: Tangerine Tango

Ok, it's not exactly orange but it is definitely within the family. 

So how do you work with a color like Tangerine Tango without blinding your wedding guest with this bold color choice? 

One way is to work with a color palette. Just because you've chosen tangerine as your wedding color doesn't mean that everything, besides the wedding dress, needs to be in that color. Tangerine, aside from being a bold color, is also a warm color. A good compliment to that would be something less bold and within the cool color circle such as blue-green. Play around with the shades of blue and green, from turquoise to teal, until you get the kind of combination you feel comfortable with. 

diy candlestick holders, tangerine and teal bouquet, H&M chiffon dress, table setting photography by Katelyn James

Another is to have a gradation of colors. Mix tangerine with shades of reds and yellows to get different highlights and accents. It also helps the eyes adjust to the palette instead of shocking it with a burst of tangerine alone. As a bonus, you also get to have that cozy autumn feel to your wedding. 

red and tangerine bouquet, autumn leaf candle holder, H&M chiffon dress, red-orange-yellow table setting

But if you just can't push the envelope enough to embrace tangerine in all it's glory. Use it as an accent instead. Tangerine, being the bold color that it is, is the perfect way to give pops of color into a muted palette.

wedding photo by Chad Morgan Photography 

So I guess those guys over at Pantone were not out to sabotage our 2012. There really is nothing to be scared of when it comes to choosing  a color as bold as Tangerine Tango as a wedding color. Just find the right balance and your wedding can actually turn out quite beautifully.