Color coordinating the Wedding Party HELP

Knottie73952415

Hello, i need help deciding on colors. My wedding colors are Red, Royal Blue and Ivory, my dress will be Ivory but I'm totally unsure of what colors I want the wedding party to wear. I really don't want the men in black nor white. I was thinking maybe a light khaki trousers and vest, white shirt red bow ties but then again I don't know. The bridesmaids have all decided on the Infinity style dress since they can change it to fit their own style and personality but I DONT HAVE A CLUE to what color to have them in yet. All I know is I'm in Ivory, my flower girl and junior bridesmaid will have Ivory and red dresses. My wedding is a Memorial Day wedding and I dont want us looking To Fourth of Julyish.

theartistformerlyknownas

Knottie73952415 said:

Hello, i need help deciding on colors. My wedding colors are Red, Royal Blue and Ivory, my dress will be Ivory but I'm totally unsure of what colors I want the wedding party to wear. I really don't want the men in black nor white. I was thinking maybe a light khaki trousers and vest, white shirt red bow ties but then again I don't know. The bridesmaids have all decided on the Infinity style dress since they can change it to fit their own style and personality but I DONT HAVE A CLUE to what color to have them in yet. All I know is I'm in Ivory, my flower girl and junior bridesmaid will have Ivory and red dresses. My wedding is a Memorial Day wedding and I dont want us looking To Fourth of Julyish.

Well, having a lot of red and blue will likely look pretty patriotic.

What does your FI want to wear, and how formal is your wedding? Those are the top two considerations for what the men should wear. I honestly feel like vest and red bow tie will look a little barbershop quartet.

Royal blue dresses with red incorporated into the flowers will be easier than the reverse.

manateehugger

Yeah, these colors scream 4th of July celebration for me, sorry.

I agree with PP that you need to think about formality and what your FI wants to wear. If it's a more formal wedding, jackets are a must. I'd do blue ties before red ties. Ditto doing blue dresses before red dresses. Blue flowers often look very unnatural and silly.

Also, is it too late to reconsider the infinity dresses? Those things are AWFUL. They do not stay in place (seriously, the one time I wore one, I bought a packet of safety pins to carry around and used more than one), have zero structure or support, and show every tiny lump and bump. They are not remotely flattering. If they haven't already ordered, I strongly strongly recommend you pick a designer and let them pick their own dresses from that line.

mlg78

Agreed.

Your colors are patriotic. Unless your wedding is 4th of July weekend I wouldn't do this...and even then, I wouldn't do it.  

And the Infinity dress...even the thinnest ladies still show bumps and lumps under that style of dress.  You say they've decided on this dress.  Have they all tried it on? And God help them if any of them are plus size.  Infinity dresses are great in theory, horrible to wear.

lovesclimbing

A distant relation had a fourth of July wedding with red, white and blue as the colors.  Yes, I think it will definitely look patriotic, especially since you're having a Memorial Day wedding.

My relative had the bridesmaids and groomsmen in matching blue. The guys had either navy or black ties, I can't tell from the photos.

doeydo

Blue dresses, red flowers, and grey suits:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c2/04/b4/c204b419d331310a962455cc1f6f7484.jpg

Blue dresses, red flowers, black suits, blue vests, and blue ties:

http://munaluchibridal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Pope-Wedding3251.jpg

Red dresses, khakis, blue button down shirts, and printed ties:

http://plectrumbanjo.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/red-blue-bridal-parties.jpg

Ivory ties, white shirts, blue suits, red flowers:

http://www.weddingideasmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/we-love-kyrsty-and-matthews-retro-1960s-inspired-wedding-in-red-and-aqua-mayphotography.co_.uk_DSF1924.jpg

Blue dresses, blue ties, white button down shirts, and khakis: http://blog.mattchenot.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/MG_0595.jpg

White button downs, red tie for the groom, blue bouts, and blue/red/white dresses: http://poptasticbride.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Kneisel_Kneisel_Tara_Liebeck_Photography_TaraLiebeckPhotography4thofJulyWedding062_low.jpg

MandyMost

I don't think these look too patriotic. I think the key is to really stick with the red OR the blue, and use the other sparingly. Also, to use shades of the colors that aren't as traditionally patriotic...like a navy blue, or a deeper red or a pinker or oranger red.

Honestly, whether you do khaki, gray, or navy suits (or just vests) for the guys, they're going to look a little barber-shop quartet-like if you do a red tie. 

theartistformerlyknownas

MandyMost said:

I don't think these look too patriotic. I think the key is to really stick with the red OR the blue, and use the other sparingly. Also, to use shades of the colors that aren't as traditionally patriotic...like a navy blue, or a deeper red or a pinker or oranger red.

Honestly, whether you do khaki, gray, or navy suits (or just vests) for the guys, they're going to look a little barber-shop quartet-like if you do a red tie. 

Sorry I think this one looks like they're about to climb on an Independence Day parade float.

MobKaz

MandyMost said:

I don't think these look too patriotic. I think the key is to really stick with the red OR the blue, and use the other sparingly. Also, to use shades of the colors that aren't as traditionally patriotic...like a navy blue, or a deeper red or a pinker or oranger red.

Honestly, whether you do khaki, gray, or navy suits (or just vests) for the guys, they're going to look a little barber-shop quartet-like if you do a red tie. 

I think anytime you incorporate the colors red, white, and blue for a wedding on a day celebrating patriotism, the assumption will be that you are trying to coordinate your colors with the holiday. 

I think the first photo is the perfect example of why boots and cocktail dresses = FAIL.  The second photo makes me think of an A cappella group at a state fair or holiday carnival. 

theartistformerlyknownas

MobKaz said:

I think anytime you incorporate the colors red, white, and blue for a wedding on a day celebrating patriotism, the assumption will be that you are trying to coordinate your colors with the holiday.  

I think the first photo is the perfect example of why boots and cocktail dresses = FAIL.  The second photo makes me think of an A cappella group at a state fair or holiday carnival. 

Exactly. If you don't want to look patriotic, why are you doing red, white and blue on Memorial Day?

lovesclimbing

MobKaz said:

I don't think these look too patriotic. I think the key is to really stick with the red OR the blue, and use the other sparingly. Also, to use shades of the colors that aren't as traditionally patriotic...like a navy blue, or a deeper red or a pinker or oranger red.

Honestly, whether you do khaki, gray, or navy suits (or just vests) for the guys, they're going to look a little barber-shop quartet-like if you do a red tie. 

I think anytime you incorporate the colors red, white, and blue for a wedding on a day celebrating patriotism, the assumption will be that you are trying to coordinate your colors with the holiday. 

I think the first photo is the perfect example of why boots and cocktail dresses = FAIL.  The second photo makes me think of an A cappella group at a state fair or holiday carnival. 


Exactly this.  Even if you go with something like sticking mainly to either blue or red and using the other color sparingly, people are going to assume you were trying to go patriotic with it because of the day you chose. 

Are you stuck on those colors?  Can you go with navy and orange? Or turquoise and pink? Or turquoise and orange?

kkcc2015

I agree with @MandyMost-maybe have the bridesmaids in a deeper blue like navy, and groomsmen in grey or khaki depending on how formal/informal your wedding is? You could always go with red flowers. The brighter the colors you have, the more patriotic it's going to look.

southernbelle0915

I would have the BMs in navy with deep red flowers and the GMs in khaki suits with a white shirt, navy blue tie (not a bow tie) and deep red bout.

I'm also confused why you picked red white and blue on a patriotic holiday but you don't want it to look patriotic...? If you REALLY don't want it to look patriotic, have yellow flowers or some other color.

Etf spelling

klk111415

I would think you really love America... like you chose your date because you love American so much.  But if I saw navy and a light pink, I would think differently.  But navy and red just screams I love america.

christinemireille

Our wedding is July 3, and we were really stuck for colors. For some reason, we kept coming to blue and red, but despised that it was patriotic looking. Ever iteration of blues and reds kept bringing us to, "we are going to look super American." We even considered turquoise and cherry...until we realized it looked like a Rocket Pop (or Bomb Pop, depending on where you live), and that went out the window as well. Both of us are super sarcastic people, so at one point, we even thought of doing the colors intentionally--like essentially having a July 4th themed wedding because we thought it would be hilarious, but that didn't last long.

The absolute truth is, no matter what time of the year it is--you put any shade of white, red, and blue together and I'm going to think of the flag. I don't even ever wear those colors together because of that. Put those colors together on a holiday involving America, and, well, now I'm FOR SURE thinking America!

If you're dead-set on those colors, I say rock it!! But know that people are going to recognize the colors and the holiday and put things together, whether you want them to or not.

In terms of dresses--I looked at Mori Lee's convertible dress for a hot minute. They're made of a thicker fabric, so they're less likely to be unflattering. Ultimately, I told my girls to pick any dress by a specific designer in a specific color and fabric and that it had to be floor length. This way they can show off their personality and have a dress that will flatter them, but they'll still look cohesive. 

For your guys--vests and bow ties don't sound barbershop-y. Suspenders and bow ties do.

I say put your girls in blue and your guys in blue (why not blue slacks and blue ties and maybe blue vests?). and do a beautiful maroon colored flower. It'll be that red you want, but will have enough purple tones to it to throw people off of the patriotic piece... like this: http://www-static.weddingbee.com/pics/90349/burgundy_bouquet.jpg

buttercup1958

I think you should change the colors to navy blue, white, and pops of orange. I feel like with this color scheme it would be a similar feel but not patriotic. Plus the khakis would still work!