Wedding Tactics

Dear Stacy: My fiancé and I are trying to pick the date for our wedding and I am having a slight dilemma. The church doesn’t have anything available this fall and we don’t want to wait until the fall of ‘09 so our next available option is May ‘09. I am not a huge fan of spring colors. I hate pastels. I love fall colors. Would it be tacky to use fall colors in the spring?

Colors are tricky and I feel your pain. There is a good solution to using out-of-season colors. Just because your wedding is happening in the Spring does not mean you must have Spring colors. Pastels can get a little tacky when overused, I agree.

I usually tend to answer a question of this nature with my typical attitude of it’s your wedding, do as you wish, but I will refrain because I think this is a rather relevant topic. My suggestion is this: Choose whatever colors you like, but use seasonal flowers. For examples, tulips in darker colors with the opposite being pastel roses in December. As long as your theme and colors flow, match and compliment correctly, your wedding will not look out of place.

You tell me that you like fall colors, so hypothetically, a deep red with gold accents. In the fall you might use roses and heavier fabrics and candles, to brighten up this display, I recommend the following: dark burgundy or red calla lilies and a gold candle in large hurricanes. This is of course, just a concept; I’m not too big on gold myself. Of course, there are brilliant oranges to consider in this color group too. As long as you don’t accent the table with leaves, you’ll be fine, instead, opt for the rose petals in the fall colors you like.

To avoid looking too “winter season� I would avoid mixing in greenery that would allude to a Christmassy-type design. Simple bouquets with the stems showing are not only modern but simple, elegant and timeless. Hence, the callas above, not the heavy bouquet on the left.

Also, be sure to carry your theme throughout the wedding, use your colors on your cake, on your tables, in the church, at the reception and it will be a complete image, rather than just punches of color that run the risk of looking out of season.

Tulips are in season in the Spring and they come in a large variety of colors and petal shapes which add texture, if that’s your thing. Here is a tulip bouquet that doesn’t scream FALL, at least not to me.

This tulip bouquet has a few strands of bear grass flowing from it, another timeless touch.

I’m not too familiar with uplighting, but if your reception room has solid walls, consider some uplighting to accent the colors and create a warmer room tone.