Here’s a color that I love to see at fall or winter weddings. Brown sometimes gets a bad rap for being drab or muddy, but I totally disagree.

I think certain shades of this misunderstood color can be elegant and rich and add a touch of sophistication. Much like a black and white wedding, a brown theme pops against bright winter white and creamy ivory.

Or, if you are in search of a burst of color, brown nicely complements popular hues like pink, pale blue, orange and red. Think how gorgeous a bouquet of pink flowers would look next to a chocolate color bridesmaid dress.

Incorporate brown into your wedding invites with a deep shade for your envelopes and font color, or tie up a traditional white or ivory card with a brown ribbon.

Rather than go with all brown linens, introduce the shade in small ways, like with napkin rings, chargers and placecards.

Brown also pairs well with metallics, like silver and gold. If you really want to sweeten things up, put little hot cocoa power in chic canisters or personally wrapped chocolate bars on the tables as party favors to tie everything together.

And don’t forget the devil’s food cake! Add some warm candlelight and you have all the ingredients for a cozy romantic event.

I particularly like how Jessica & Keith Gilbert (one of this issue’s Feature Real Weddings) incorporated brown into their event: Bridesmaids’ skirts (love the pairing with the ivory cardigans), their brown accented cake, and Jessica’s peek-a-boo brown shoes! Subtle and elegant!


To see more of Jessica & Keith’s wedding photos, check out the current issue of Real Weddings Magazine, or see their wedding on our Web site.
Photos of Jessica & Keith’s wedding by Sarah Maren Photography, http://www.sarahmaren.com/.
Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.