Accent Colors for a Pink Wedding

"Blush" or "Bashful" Anyone?

Begin by identifying just what kind of pink you like. All pinks are not the same; your selection sets a mood and determines the direction for any accent colors.

Pink is a tint of red, created by adding white to the primary color. This sounds simple enough, but most pink bridal fabrics are more sophisticated blends, incorporating gray, yellow, or blue hues as well. Your pink may be warm or cool, muted or bright, pastel or deep. Always take swatches of fabric with you when doing color-related shopping. Trusting your memory to retain the exact color of a fabric will result in disappointment. Here are some accent color suggestions for various pinks.

Accents for Warm Pinks

Warm pinks have a touch of orange. Choices range from hot pink to medium coral pink to subtle salmon pink. Here are some suggestions for popular warm pinks:

Coral pink: ivory, spring yellow, aqua green, pistachio green, cornflower blue;

Salmon pink: cinnamon brown, fern green, spring green, periwinkle, teal blue;

Hot pink: kelly green, dark chocolate, turquoise green, cornflower blue.

Watermelon: teal green, spring green.

Accents for Cool Pinks

Cool pinks have a touch of purple. These cool pinks range from pale powder pink to muted mauve to bold fuchsia. Accent color suggestions for popular cool pinks include:

Powder pink: pale aquamarine, sky blue, latte, chocolate, charcoal gray, pewter;

Mauve: plum, lilac, silver, pewter, grape;

Fuchsia: royal purple, royal blue, turquoise, navy blue.

Accents for True Pinks

True pinks are bold and require bold accents to balance them. Consider the classic 50's combo of black and bubble gum pink or the preppy combo of kelly green and hot pink.

Basic Black

Any pink can be used with a black accent. The palest pink acts almost like white for a formal, black-tie look with just a hint of color. Brighter pinks add a touch of levity to somber black for a less formal look that is still special.

Gone are the pastel tuxedos and frilly shirts of the seventies--and good riddance, say many of us who lived through those days! Incorporate your pink wedding colors into the men's formal attire in more subtle ways. Basic black tuxedos look dashing with a pink vest or a tie that includes a pink stripe. Even a touch of pink in the boutonnieres can serve to tie the menswear into the color scheme. If the men are wearing more casual attire, a pink tailored shirt can look perfect with khakis or dark dress pants.

Your pink wedding can look sophisticated, fun, formal, or boho. Just choose your favorite pink and select a harmonious accent color.

References:

Allen, J. (1985). Showing your colors. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Jackson, C. (1980). Color me beautiful. New York: Acropolis Books, Ltd.