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Updated Oct 14, 2024Why Seasonal Color Analysis is Key to Successful Wedding Planning
Ever wondered what color season you are?
Trying to decide on your dream wedding color palette? Seasonality is a factor you should keep in mind when doing so. If you've been on Tiktok recently you may have seen seasonal color analysis videos cropping up across the social platform. Users are eager to learn what color season they fall into through color season analysis. Ultimately, the goal of seasonal color analysis is to find out what color season you fall into: spring, summer, fall or winter. This concept isn't just a social media phenomenon, it's also a great wedding planning tool for couples trying to settle on a dream wedding color scheme. We sat down with Austin-based color consultant Meredith Wooderson of House of Colour get the scoop on how couples can use color season analysis to answer the question "What color season am I?" and apply that to their wedding.
What is Seasonal Color Analysis?
According to Wooderson, "personal color analysis is the science of identifying the shades that are most flattering for an individual's complexion. House of Colour's process is rooted in years of color theory research and how the human eye perceives color. Through comparing dozens of precision-dyed drapes, stylists are able to identify whether our clients have warm or cool undertones, and then further narrow down to a color palette that harmonizes with our client's natural coloring."
Armed with the knowledge of your color season, consultants then help "uncover an individual's color palette which then informs everything from the best shades for hair color to makeup colors to jewelry metals," says Wooderson. "Dressing in a consistent, personalized color palette is not only confidence boosting, but it allows our clients to build a cohesive, sustainable, and intentional wardrobe that mixes and matches with ease. Because once you see the way you look in your best colors, you'll never want to settle for buying the wrong ones again!"
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You may be wondering, "Is it really possible to find my color season by analysis?" Wooderson shares that even she was initially skeptical about the importance of leaning into color seasons since she didn't like the idea of being confined. But after diving deeper into research, she found that understanding the hues that complement your skin tone is actually empowering as opposed to limiting. "Knowing my best colors has simplified my life in many ways, but most notably by shortening the amount of time it takes to shop and put together items in my closet when I get dressed each day. It's demystified makeup for me, as I was always overwhelmed in that department. And best of all, it's made me much more intentional about my wardrobe."
How to Find Your Color Season
While filters on Tiktok claim to help users "find your season" with color analysis, a professional consultation (available nationwide from House of Colour and other providers like Color Me Beautiful) is the most accurate way to discover whether you're a spring, summer, fall or winter. During a professional color consultation, an expert will perform a color-by-season analysis that involves holding up different color scarves to your face to see which ones complement your undertones most flawlessly. Through the process of identifying flattering colors for you, they'll examine how winter, autumn, spring and summer colors bring out the cool or warm undertones in your skin color. Does your eye color pop against soft autumn colors? Do blue undertones in your skin mesh well with deep winter colors? Should you embrace cool colors or warm colors? Do you have warm skin or cool skin undertones? Do bright spring colors make you look washed out? The goal of seasonal color analysis is to answer those very questions.
Seasonal color analysis takes into account hue (warm, neutral, cool), value and contrast (light, medium, dark) and chroma (muted/light, medium, bright). The interplay of those color aspects affect your seasonality. Spring and summer are light seasons while winter and autumn are dark. Meanwhile, winter and spring are bright seasons while autumn and summer are soft. Lastly, spring and autumn are warm seasons while winter and spring are cool. So if you're bright, warm and light, you're going to be a spring.
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Spring Seasonal Color Analysis for Weddings
With spring colors, think fresh, warm and clear. Under the category of spring, there are three variations: you can be a bright spring, true spring or light spring. Typically those with golden undertones and to-be-weds with strawberry blonde hair align well with the light and bright colors of spring such as peach, ecru, coral and marigold.
Summer Seasonal Color Analysis for Weddings
Summer colors are soft, cool and calm. Within summer, the three variations are: soft summer, true summer (also known as cool summer) and light summer. Sky blue, blush and lilac are great wedding colors that align with summer.
Fall Seasonal Color Analysis for Weddings
When it comes to autumn, think soft, warm and rich. Under autumn, to-be-weds can be one of three variations: dark autumn (or deep autumn), true autumn or soft autumn. If you have red hair, medium brown hair or olive skin, fall colors may complement you nicely. Warm tones like light brown, pine, caramel and mustard are solid options for this season.
Winter Seasonal Color Analysis for Weddings
Winter colors are bold, cool and crisp. In winter, a person can be a dark winter, true winter (or cool winter) or bright winter. If you have brown hair or dark hair, the saturated colors of winter, like indigo, raspberry and emerald, may be good for you.
Using Seasonal Analysis to Create a Wedding Color Palette
Chances are, you and your partner aren't the exact same color season. However, that doesn't have to stop you from using seasonality to inform your wedding color palette. Wooderson explains that "there are commonalities between all of the color palettes, which are named for the four seasons. Even if a couple finds their color palettes are not the same, there are some shades that crossover into other seasons, and those may be a great place to start for choosing a color palette." For instance, if you're a winter and your partner is an autumn, Wooderson says that leaning into saturated, dark colors, like "rich shades of pine for wedding decor and florals will flatter both on their big day."
While a professional consultation is most advisable, if you're in the throes of wedding planning and don't have access to a consultant, Wooderson encourages couples to think about the colors they're consistently drawn to. Following your intuition is a great way to ensure you settle on wedding colors you love and feel best in. Maybe you love high-contrast summer colors or err on the side of warm spring pastels. A key component of understanding flattering colors is also feeling good about them and excited to work with those shades.
Applying Seasonal Color Analysis to Wedding Fashion
"If you've ever tried to paint a room white, you know there are hundreds of shades of this one seemingly simple color," notes Wooderson. "Through color analysis, you can identify your best shade of white, be it a bright optic white, a creamy ivory, or anything in between. The same goes for suiting colors—each season has a shade of gray or navy, but knowing your color palette allows you to make the sometimes tedious decisions around your wedding wardrobe with ease. Also, people photograph differently when they are wearing the shades in their color palette. Choosing your best shades for your wedding day is not only an investment in looking amazing at your party, but it ensures your wedding photography results in truly gorgeous images you'll love sharing and looking back on for the rest of your life."
Beyond selecting on-season colors for you and your partner, consider seasonality with wedding party attire as well. Wooderson encourages "couples to choose colors within their palette for their wedding party, as well. This will create color harmony and cohesion throughout the event, and will surround couples with their best colors on their big day and in photos."
Applying Seasonal Color Analysis to Wedding Decor
"Color affects nearly every aspect of a wedding from start to finish—the invitations, the venue, the wedding fashion, the florals, the table linens and even the cake," says Wooderson. "We live in a time where there are seemingly limitless choices for all of these aspects of planning a wedding. Knowing your color palette is especially helpful, as it serves as a guide for making these decisions. I've found it really reduces the stress for couples in the planning process, as it makes so many micro-decisions for them, and ultimately builds a visually cohesive wedding that guests will remember."
