How to choose your Wedding Colors | The Commons 1854

How to choose your wedding colors | Post by Johanna Esposito of 617 Weddings 

Okay, so how does one choose their wedding colors?  First consider the ceremony and reception venue's color pallet and work from there. Always keep in mind that your color theme for a good weather plan should translate into a back up plan. Take Melissa and Joshua's September 2013 wedding as an example.  

The couple is from New England so they knew that the backup plan is very important.  They ruled out tented venues right away and really put a lot of thought into the back up plan and color scheme.  This was one of  the many reasons that they choose The Commons 1854 as their location for the wedding ceremony and reception, a neutral color pallet and a great back up plan.  The weather was perfect on their wedding day however, it is always better to err on the side of caution.

The Venue

The Commons 1854 | A Classic and elegant location for wedding ceremonies and receptions
with a separate cocktail hour space

The Wedding Party Attire

 The groomsman wore flint gray suits, the bridesmaid's looked gorgeous in eggplant dresses and the bride wore a white embroidered wedding gown.  The wedding gown was the perfect bright juxtaposition with the ivory embroidered linens and eggplant overlay linens.  

Color Tip for brides to be: Never wear an ivory dress with white linens, the reverse is okay. 

The Wedding Gown

Th Grooms Tux | Note the perfect Pocket Square fold

The flowers were the perfect compliment to the wedding party attire!

The Ceremony Color Combination

Outdoor Ceremonies at the Commons 1854 have an intimate, natural garden feel. The site boasts a mahogany platform which is perfect for a Chuppah, arbor or nothing at all.  The backdrop of the ceremony is a waterfall and seasonal flowers.  Towering maple trees hover above the ceremony site.  This pallet of greens, browns and natural tones really made the crushed orange personal flowers pop.  

Limited ceremony decor was used for an understated elegance.  

The Wedding Party awaits the bridal processional 

Melissa walked down the aisle to Canon in D Major | Music by 617 Weddings DJ Chuck Uglietta

The Wedding Flowers

The Bouquets were absolutely stunning and perfectly cohesive to the ceremony location. 

Notice how the brides and bridesmaids bouquets match in color yet have different flowers.  If the feel that you want to capture is natural, then this is a nice look.  This look would have also translated into a back up plan had the ceremony been indoors.

The Details
 The Wedding Ceremony Programs were presented in a copper tin which blended 

well with the surroundings.

 

The couple affirmed their strong bond during the ceremony with a hand binding ritual that is
perfect for the modern couple.

The Cocktail Hour
The color theme was kept cohesive with the signature cocktails with signs to match the escort cards, the colorful escort cards displayed on an ivory damask linen and the
square modern cocktail table arrangement's.

"Fall in Love" is the name of this signature drink also know as an apple cider martini

The second drink was a classic "Cosmopolitan"

A box in a box added dimension and to the Card Box Display

The escort Cards had a whimsical feel

Yellow and orange blended together beautifully with purple for the cocktail table arrangements. 

The Reception 
The Reception Space color was perfectly blended. Gold Chavari chairs with ivory damask pads, a mixture of high and low centerpieces and fun horseshoe table number really
showed the bride and grooms personalities.

 



Take away the Color and what is left? Love!
With all of this talk about color, I thought it only appropriate to add this black and white photo of the bride and grooms first dance. They danced to "Just the way you are" by Billy Joel


I hope this blog helps you to create your cohesive color theme for your wedding.  Remember, a small amount of blending is okay with similar colors.  Be careful of hot new color trends, if they do not match your event space then steer clear. Happy Wedding Planning!

Bride and Her Father | His attire was a more formal black tuxedo

Orange Calla lilies wrapped in twine blended well with the grooms grey suit

The Sweetheart Table

Personalized horse shoe for the sweetheart table

 Thank you to Prudente Photography for providing these photos!

Wedding Signature Cocktails & Food Pairings by The Commons 1854

Signature Cocktail Idea's for a Wedding Reception

Leche Martini 

This cocktail is perfect for a spring or Summer Wedding! Garnish with fresh Leche Fruit, a floating hibiscus flower or passion fruit pearls! One of my personal favorites! This cocktail can be made without alcohol for a refreshing addition to your cocktail portion.

Pair your leche martini with an authentic South African Chutney Crostini.  This particular recipe is from Cape Malay Cuisine in Cape Town.  We decided to garnish this passed horsd'oeuvre with black forest hybrid calla lilys for a drastic color contrast. 

Tasting Flights with Seasonal Beer

Tasting flights are a fun addition to a casual wedding reception.  Choose your seasonal selection to create your culinary theme.

Pair your fall beer with a mini Angus burger topped with a caramelized shallot jam and Stilton cheese.  Other small and delectable sandwich options include BBQ pulled chicken with lime cream on a biscuit and a miniature heart shaped Reuben. To hop or not to hop, that is the question...

Korean Beef skewers are also a nice pairing with a seasonal beer.

Basil Infused Vodka Shots

This is such a unique addition to the cocktail portion of your wedding reception. They can be passed by servers or at a station.  Make sure they are ice cold for optimal flavor. Pair with spanikopita or spinach squares.  This recipe is straight from my Yiayia's kitchen in Athens. 

Champagne- The Classic Cocktail

Champagne can be passed as a refreshing and versatile option.  Add a raspberry, strawberry, blackberry or blueberry for a pop of color and to adapt to a wedding of any season. 

Pair your champagne with light and delectable crudites shooters.  We like to use haricots verts, broccolini tips,  long stem on baby carrots presented in a trumpet style shot glass. 

We also love tuna tartar served on a crispy wonton presented on a wine board (if the presentation suites your theme) and garnish with scallions.  

Its hard to beat the sushi and champagne pairing! They go together almost as well as the perfect couple, you and your fiance. 

Lemon drop Martini

There is a reason that this tart summer favorite has been popular for so many years. When you mix tart and sweet together, you get a sweet and delicious treat that can pair with so many cuisine options. 

Our chefs created this "play" on ceviche to accommodate palettes of guests who are not necessary into raw fish.  We garnished it with a charlie brown orchid from Peru to tie together the International feel of the food.  Also pair this option with a pisco sour to be ahead of the trend. 

Spiked Milkshakes

Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry, a spike milkshake can be a wonderful way to keep your guests refreshed.  Keep the portions small so they don't fill up at this action milkshake station. 

Pair your milkshakes with nostalgic Patty melts.
Its all about great friends, family and food!

More Beer

A crisp lager can be a great option for a passed drink.  Men and women love it alike and it pairs well with so many horsd'oeuvres. Make sure the beer is icy cold!

One of our favorite pairings with an icy cold lager is Thai chicken lettuce wraps.  Any kind of lettuce wrap will do to accommodate your your guests palettes.  

Red Wine

Red wine can be served in the winter, spring, summer or fall.  Consider first the climate and then the cuisine.  Both factors will dictate the amount of red wine and red wine pairings should be passed for the cocktail hour of your wedding reception. In the warmer months,some guests will gravitate toward white wines.  There are always a portion of your guests that will appreciate your wedding pairing with red wine.
Here are some of my favorites...

A Napa Cabernet Sauvignon & Colorado Lamb Chops. Any Cabernet will do as long as it is well balanced, has a supple texture, an approachable grip and earthy notes. 

Brunello di Montelcino & Veal Meatballs

Sangiovese based wines pair well with veal meatballs. Notes of licorice, dried ginger, cured meat and white pepper will appropriately enhance this dish.  

Pinot Noir & Stuffed Mushrooms

A fruit forward Pino Noir is a pleasing pairing with a savory stuffed mushroom.  Chile and Oregon produces some affordable options that I love to pair for a fall wedding.

White Wine
White wine is also appropriate for all seasons and of course lends itself to warmer months. Consider your white wine selctions carefully.  You will want to be able to accommodate most guests while offering a limited selection to thwart any lines at the bar.

Melon and prosciutto & dry Muscat.
The perfumy, grapey character of the Muscat is the ideal compliment to this salty sweet classic. Prosciutto di Parma is a must in this dish, is there really any other kind of prosciutto? 

Shrimp Cocktail & Pinot Grigio

There are many characteristics and flavor profiles to to a Pinot Grigio.  Try a dry, austere and crisp wine to optimize the experience.  A Chenin blanc of the same characteristic is also a great option.

Vegetable Summer Rolls
This delicious option follows the same pairing guidelines as the shrimp cocktail. If you choose, it can also be paired with a light red such as a Montepulciano or Pinot Noir.

Washington Apple

Additional Cocktail Options

We will keep the red cocktails away from our brides gowns so don't let that discourage you from choosing something red.  Lets face it, red cocktails are pretty and delicious!

Watermelon Kiss

Apple Cider Martini
garnished with fresh apple wedge

Watermelon Martini

Sour apple Martini

  

Wedding Cake Martini

Blog by Johanna Esposito