Now for some reason floral prints have gotten a bad rep in the past of being stuffy and granny-like. Just recently florals have made a massive jump forward in an extremely chic way. I am a fan of all floral prints, especially the granny kind, I do tend to stray away from their panties though...hmm. Florals really have a sense of whimsey while remaining sweet and not too outrageous. I have blogged about mixing and matching your bridal party before, but I thought that this go around I would take a closer look at color combinations and how that works. I have a thing for color, I dig it. I studied interior design for about a minute in college, but the one thing that sank in was color theory. Perhaps it was my scary antique professor asking me if I was colorblind when trying to pick out the perfect shade of white...who knows? All I can say is I am a champion when it comes to color...please believe me!

   For me, when it comes time to pick a pattern,for photos, I would suggest choosing a fairly large and deliberate pattern, too small can come across spotty instead of flowery. Once you find a pattern you are pleased with the next step is developing your color palette. Really, if a color is used even the tiniest amount in the pattern I say it’s fair game to use as a complementary color. Just make sure when you decide on your color that you match the tone. On the color wheel colors are either warm or cool...basically all colors have a blue or a red undertone to them. So when shopping for your solid color dress, the color needn't be the exact same shade, but it should at least be in the same family. It’s not rocket science...trust me. If you spend too much time getting things matchy-matchy it’s going to look uptight. The point of this look is to that is appears effortless and easy.

Also, don’t be afraid to make interesting choices. I love the pairing of the deep orange chiffon with the pale icy pink, together with the silk pattern the colors are lively and full of depth. I think that it is an unexpected and chic color combo. Mixing the olive and purple is also a bold choice, but they are such complementary colors that the gowns really seem to flow together. Now mixing soft colors can be just as interesting, I loved the soft peachy-pink and silver combo. Although subtle, it is far from a common color combo at your typical wedding.

I did all of my shopping for this article at Shopbop, J.Crew, and Nordstroms. All dresses are under $450, but most hover around $250 and less. If you have any specific questions on a certain gown or color combo please don’t be afraid to ask.

Until we meet again, stay bridal and please toss all of your granny panties...

Lauren