The first image that generally comes to mind when picturing a wedding dress is a white gown, but color can be used to great effect in wedding dress design. This does not mean that the dress has to be a solid color either – a white wedding dress can be accented with color in several different ways in order to create a beautiful wedding gown that no one will forget. To add an additional color, bridesmaid dresses can be coordinated with the accents so that there is a common theme throughout the entire wedding party. The only limit to how color can be used to accent your wedding dress lies with your imagination.

Colored Ribbons

One easy way that color accents can be added to a wedding dress is through the addition of colored ribbons. Depending on the style of the dress these ribbons can be added in several different ways. Colored ribbons can be used as lacing in dresses that feature a corset-like lacing up the front or back of the gown, or along the edges of the different pieces that make up a more elaborate dress. Some dress designers choose to use colored ribbons to trim the edge of a veil or train, providing just a dash of color to a beautiful traditional gown. Others may incorporate colored ribbons into the dress design itself, creating multiple splashes of color in woven ribbon designs.

Colored Sashes

Much like colored ribbons, colored sashes can be used to add a striking color accent to otherwise basic wedding dresses. The most common way in which colored sashes are used is by securing the sash around the bride’s waist like a belt, though other uses of a colorful sash as part of the wedding dress design are not unheard of. Many wedding dress designers who choose to use colored sashes combine them with matching ribbon accents to help complete a larger color theme within the wedding dress.

Colored Lace

Providing color to larger areas of a white wedding dress is often done using colored lace, allowing the white of the dress to show through even as a colorful design covers it. Many wedding dress designers use panels covered with colorful lace in their designs, exposing them tastefully on the front of the dress skirt as well as on the bodice and train of dresses as well. In many cases the lace chosen is of a subtle color which all but blends with the white of the dress, though colored lace in bright or otherwise obvious colors can also be used to great effect.

Embroidery

The use of embroidery is an excellent way to add color accents to a wedding dress while creating an absolutely beautiful look. The amount of embroidery used can vary from small accents to large designs that cover most of the bodice of the wedding dress. The complexity of embroidered wedding dress designs can range from relatively simple patterns to highly complex pieces, and may incorporate small beads or tasteful sequins in addition to the base embroidery. In addition to use on the bodice of the dress, embroidery may also be used to add color to the train and sleeves of a white dress.

Color Accents on the Dress Itself

Color accents may be included directly in the wedding dress design, with entire panels of the dress being made of a different colored material than the primary white material that is used in its construction. Depending on the design of the dress these panels may be a solid color or can feature a pattern print, and may even be an entirely different type of material than what the rest of the dress is made of. Panels of color may peek out from behind folds in the skirt, might be incorporated into a slashed sleeve effect, or could appear as a central panel in the front of the bodice or down the back of the dress.

Coordinating with the Rest of the Wedding

Adding a bit of color to a wedding dress can make it significantly easier to coordinate the colors that will be used in a wedding party and in some cases in the wedding itself. Because there is at least a small amount of color in the wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses can now be picked out which share a color with the bride’s dress as well. If sashes or ribbons are used in the wedding dress, a similar sash or ribbon in a complimentary color can be used in the bridesmaid’s dresses as well to create a sense of design unity. This color theme can even carry over into the wedding itself or the reception; everything from tablecloths to flowers can be coordinated to reflect the color contained in the bride’s dress.