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13 ideas for a green wedding palette

Nature’s own neutral—green, is a beautiful color that soothes and refreshes. Although it is not one of the immediate choices for many couples when they plan their wedding palette, it is a color that can create any effect you desire. Ranging from soft and romantic, to bold and overpowering, green is a color that lends itself to any design in your mind.

Not sure it will work? Just take a look at Mother Nature! There is no color that you can’t find in nature. Doesn’t green add the beautiful background that accentuates all these colors, whatever they are?

Apart from the aesthetics, there is another reason we love green as the main wedding color. It is for what this versatile hue is linked to. Green is the color of life, freshness, growth, harmony and peace. All these virtues are relevant for a happily married life, making it all the more meaningful to include this color in your wedding. It is also the color that is easiest on the eye, and when chosen well, it can make your wedding a stunning masterpiece.

Here are thirteen ideas that you should definitely consider for inspiring your green-color wedding palette.

1.Invitations

green invitation

Begin your wedding planning by choosing a refreshing green invitation card for your big day. Featured here is a Now and Forever wedding invitation from the Best for Bride wedding invitation collection. The pretty combination of silver with green shimmer, makes it an elegant and attractive card. The bright green bow adds a pop of color to the muted background in the remainder of the card, and inside is a monochromatic green card with black lettering. It is a simple, but stylish choice that will offer your guests a hint of the color that will be in focus on your wedding day.

2.Wedding Cake

The Wedding Cake
Image Credits: Tony Alter, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Isn’t this green cake simply embellished with a scattering of white floral details, delightful? Not only does it look delicious, it forms a pretty picture without too much clutter. The beauty of green is that it allows you to create a simple, but attractive design with a minimum amount of extra elements on it. Soft and unobtrusive, a cake such as this, will be a delightful addition to your reception. As for the flavors, pistachio is the first and most interesting choice that will be perfect for your wedding cake.

3.More green desserts green cupcakes

You do not always have to color your dessert totally green, to have it blend into your wedding palette. You can accomplish the same with the accessories and other essentials that come with the cake. Take this dessert idea for example. Here are some simple, but adorable cupcakes with a smooth layer of frosting. These have been packed into olive green cupcake cases, that form a beautiful combination with the crumb color and the white frosting. Unlike other heavy and luxurious desserts, these cupcakes look appetizing and are easy to enjoy. So, if you are looking for simple dishes to pep up your wedding dessert buffet, that are both budget-friendly and attractive, here is the right idea.

4.Mostly green bouquet green bouquet While an entirely green bouquet can be fashioned out of leaves and green colors like the cymbidium orchid and chrysanthemum, we prefer the highlighting of green with the right amount of mixing with a lighter color. In this beautiful bouquet, the richness of green is enhanced by the presence of peach and soft pink, with a scattering of white daisies. The green colors in the bouquet are all in a single shade, and this accentuates the effect of the color. The few red berries in the design make it further attractive, as red is a color that compliments green beautifully.

5.Silk green tie

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Image Credit: Emilie Rhaupp, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0,

Why not consider choosing a lime green silk tie with tiny polka dots or a similar design for your groom? While a darker shade of green would add a more refined and formal look, a light green tie would easily make it casual and fun. So, consider this accessory for the bridegroom, and there couldn’t be a better way of adding green to his outfit. Now, if you want to add more green to your groom’s look, without making it too overwhelming, you can ask him to wear green socks and it will be that little detail that nobody is going to really notice. And, what about the bride? We’ll look at it next.

6.Dramatic green wedding shoes

A green wedding gown may be stretching it too far. However, you can still have a stylish dose of green in your wedding by choosing a beautiful pair of green wedding shoes. And, we simply love the drama of a colored wedding shoe that pops in and out of sight, during all the dancing at the reception. Here is a pair of brilliant green wedding shoes that a bride custom purchased off Etsy, to go with her emerald engagement ring. At this Las Vegas theme wedding, the accessories were all green, and we think that this shoe is just right for it.

7.Dark green bridesmaids dresses

Green and white make a splendid combination, and this is what you can accomplish by choosing green bridesmaids dresses. You have plenty of shades to choose from, ranging from soft lime green to deep, velvety green and the jewel toned emerald green. For an iridescent effect, green with blue tones are perfect. Not only do they look festive, they are also really dressy.

This bridesmaid dress is the 6731 from the After Six dress collection. The pleated pattern and lightly shirred skirt are beautifully complemented by the overlay bodice. It is trendy, and the loose drape makes it suitable for both young girls and older bridesmaids.

8.Light green bridesmaid dresses

When your palette focuses on lighter or muted shades of green, bridesmaid dresses in mint green or lime green may be good choices. The Alfred Angelo 7378S is an exquisite dress with a strapless bodice and cocktail length skirt. The chiffon bodice drapes over a beautiful lace layer that adds an exquisite touch to the gown. This causes the bodice and the skirt to have entirely different textures, and the effect is simply stunning. Perfect for a casual outdoor wedding, a beach wedding or even a semi-formal wedding, this is a dress your bridesmaids are bound to love.

9.Green beverages and drinks

cucumber water

Chilled water with slices of cucumber floating in it, make the perfect spa refreshment. This is just perfect for a summer wedding, and you will be surprised at the number of guests who will queue up to enjoy this seemingly uncomplicated drink. Gimlets like cucumber gin, fresh lime, mint-flavored drinks and mojitos are also great choices for a wedding in a green color palette. You will be astonished at the wonderful effect a handful of leaves can add to your bar, so don’t hesitate to add them into your decor. Garnishes like olives and green chillies are also suitable for adding a pop of green to your beverage display.

10.Bright table décor

Rather than use a green table runner and place green décor items in clear jars, this couple chose to enhance the effect of green with white flowers in green mason jars and tea light candles in green glass holders. The effect is unusually interesting. The scattering of green confetti on the tables adds an extra charm. What we love most about this setting is that the elements used are budget-friendly and simple, but the impact is strong.

11.Simple green and white china for the food service

green dishes

For the food service, white china with green rims will be the perfect choice. Since the serving dishes are white, the food will not lack its appetizing colors. All the same, you can easily bring in the green color subtly and make sure it is noticeable, with a choice like this.

12.Green colored food green food

Not everyone may be super-excited about a menu with plenty of green. After all green vegetables are notorious as health food that is usually unappetizing. When planning your wedding menu, the trick is to not focus on the green. Instead, use it as an accent color in the garnish. Make the food appetizing with other colors like orange, purple and yellow, instead of white. This will make the plate pop with a variety of colors, and instantly look more appealing. The presentation of the dish can also be adapted to make it look attractive. The other option is to balance out the green in the dish with green colored china.

13.Green wedding favors

green shovel

Gifting wedding favors is customary. So, how do you make it match the color theme of your party? With green as your color, you will have no dearth of options. From potted plants to candle holders, there are ample options for you to consider. These miniature garden shovels with green handles, are from our wedding favors collection and are a great wedding favor for outdoor garden weddings. Whether you use it as a decorative accessory, or gift it with a seed packet to your guests, it makes a unique and practical wedding favor.

Hope the ideas here have inspired you to think creatively and plan your green wedding. To help you a little more, we will also take a look at the various colors that form a befitting combination with green. Whether they are used in equal doses or in varying proportions, these are the colors that will give you a striking impact when combined with green.

Combinations that work with green

Green is a color with a personality by itself. Nevertheless, the beauty of green can be further enhanced by adding colors that complement it. One combination that we are all familiar with is green and red. But this reminds us of a Christmas scene, and so it may not be a great idea to use. There are many other colors that yield beautiful combinations with green. These are colors that are either neutrals or those that come on the opposite side of the color spectrum as green. They include the following.

        • Dark green and light pink or peach
Moustaches are epic.
Image Credits:Shimelle Laine, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
      •   Green and white
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Image Credits: Emilie Rhaupp, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
    •   Green and brown

green and brown

    • Lime green and orange
wedding bliss
Image Credits: EvelynGiggles, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
  •    Green and yellow

green and yellow

A point to remember when mixing colors is that you should balance out the colors in equal combinations of light and dark. You should also be liberal with the addition of details in neutrals, when the green you choose is of a bold shade.While green can be tried and tested with various other colors, the ones mentioned here are classic combinations that simply cannot go wrong.  It is a good idea to create an inspiration board and compile pictures of the various combinations that you find interesting,and build your palette from there.

For more wedding planning inspiration, and ideas to plan your wedding, keep visiting us here. Choose Best for Bride as your wedding destination, and you will have to look no further to satisfy every one of your bridal needs. From fantastic wedding dresses in every price range, to bridesmaid dresses, photography, officiants, emergency kits and wedding favors, we have every aspect of your wedding covered. Come visit us today.

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Wedding Traditions from around the world

Weddings are special in every country and community. It is perhaps the one joyous occasion in life, that the entire world deems worthy of celebration. Hence, there are traditional rituals associated with this occasion, that have been followed for ages, and continue to this day. Let us look at some wedding customs from various countries of the world, and understand how each culture solemnizes the union of man and woman.

China

China is a huge country with many ethnic groups. So, the wedding customs vary greatly from one region to another. The traditional style of matchmaking had matchmakers who took the proposal from the groom to the girl’s family. The wedding was fixed only after a fortune teller predicted whether the couple would have a happy life together. Traditional wedding attires of both bride and groom were in red. The bride and her party were expected to cry for days leading up to the wedding, as this symbolized her grief of leaving her home. After the wedding rituals, the guests were treated to a feast, that often had six or nine courses.

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India

Indian weddings involve several rituals and take days to complete. The traditional bridal attire includes heavy jewelry, elaborate hairstyles with flowers and beautiful dresses with plenty of golden embroidery and embellishments. The bride is adorned with turmeric during the Haldi ceremony, and her hands and feet decorated with mehendi (semi-permanent tatoos) a few days before the wedding. The groom’s family arrives in a procession and are welcomed by the bridal party. The couple exchange flower garlands to symbolize their acceptance of each other. In some cultures, the groom ties a necklace called the mangalsutra, around the bride’s neck and this has to be worn by the bride at all times.The couple circle the holy fire, as they vow to love and care for each other.

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Ghana

In Ghana, the wedding ceremony begins with the groom and his family members knocking on the door of the bride’s house and making their wedding proposal. They hand over gifts to the girl’s family, and if these are accepted it means their proposal will be considered. On the day of the wedding, the elders discuss dowry arrangements and then the bride is asked if she agrees to marry the groom. Once she does, the couple exchange rings and prayers are said. The guests are treated to a feast during the reception.

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Arab weddings

In Arabic weddings, the couple exchange rings on their engagement day. A day before the wedding, the bride’s hands and feet are decorated with henna and the groom gives the bride her mehr, or gold. The marriage ceremony or the Nikah begins with the religious representative reciting prayers and telling the group how husbands and wives should honor their relationship and each other. Legal documents are filled out and signed by the groom and the bride’s father, witnesses sign the contract and the marriage is official.

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Mexico

In Mexico, the couple’s Godparents sponsor their wedding. Flamenco-style ruffled dresses are the traditional bridal dress choice. The bride changes her outfit a number of times during the ceremony. The reception buffet includes traditional dishes like spicy rice and beans. The cake is a rich fruit cake, and almond cookies are an essential sweet treat served at the reception.

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For more information on weddings, or to buy your wedding dress or accessories, visit us at Best for Bride.