Pretty & Pleasing Pastels

It’s as if Pantone gave brides a surprise wedding present! When the color specialists at the Pantone Color Institute picked two pastels, Rose Quartz and Serenity as their 2016 Color — make that Colors — of the Year, engaged women the world over raised their champagne flutes and cheered. Delicate, ethereal and just plain pretty, the soft pink and light blue tones work well on cakes, invitations, flowers, dresses and more. Use one color, both or pair with bolder hues like green and purple, rich brown or even sparkly silver and gold. This year’s hues were chosen because they reflect “connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the institute, in a statement. That’s an apt description of a happy marriage too! Let the following ideas inspire you to create a custom wedding that’s modern, romantic and full of meaning. GOWNS If a white dress isn’t part of your bridal vision, play up your more colorful personality with a gown in a rosy or blue hue. Maggie Sottero, Monique Lhuillier and other notable designers featured dresses in one or both of those shades in their recent bridal collections. An exquisite example of the “think pink” movement: a strapless chiffon blush dress with ruffles by White by Vera Wang collection available at David’s Bridal. Color your bridesmaids Pantone pretty, too, with dresses in the same soft hues, including Lela Rose’s Rose Quartz halter gown with a high-low hemline or Jenny Yu’s Serenity georgette gown with flutter sleeves and crystal-trimmed belt. FLOWERS Since so many blooms are available in the Pantone shades, it’s easy to create a bouquet or centerpiece that showcases the theme. “I recommend a combination of a blush mini calla lily with blue hydrangea or a light pink peony with blue delphinium,” says Jason Mitchell Kahn, a wedding planner at Shiraz Events in New York City. CAKES Fondant and buttercream make a sweet statement when shaded pink, blue or both. Imagine Serenity frosted tiers with Rose Quartz sugar peonies cascading from the top. Or a sleek cake with edible blue ribbon circling the base of pink tiers. “Blue gives a soft romantic look and isn’t as overpowering as other colors,” says Georgia Pope of One Belle Bakery in Wilmington, N.C. To give pastels edgy elegance, add some metallic, another 2016 trend, with touches of gold leaf or edible glitter. But don’t go overboard or you risk “beautiful” turning into “blinding!” JEWELRY If you’re wearing a white gown, pairing it with pink or blue gemstone jewelry can add just the right pop of color. Gemstones with a Rose Quartz vibe include morganite and baby pink topaz; stand-ins for Serenity include aquamarine and sky blue topaz. COCKTAILS A pink-hued drink punches up the bar menu in a graphic way. To create a rosy look, consider cocktails made with watermelon or pink grapefruit juice and garnished with a pink pearl apple slice or blueberries for a soft blue hue, says Kahn. Interested in a signature cocktail? Taste-test the rose lemon spritzer, from the food blog, halfbakedharvest.com, which includes rosewater, lemon and blood orange juices, vodka, and honey. “This drink is great for a wedding because it’s simple to make and it’s a pretty light pink shade!” says the blog’s founder, Tieghan Gerard. Cheers! INVITATIONS The color of your wedding invitation helps set the tone for your day. An airy, sky blue invitation hints at the relaxed nature of the celebration, while a pink invitation says romantic. Shine Wedding Invitations offers stationery that plays up the Pantone duo — its Addition of Love Script invites feature pink lettering, a blue chevron envelope liner and white wrapper with rosy accents, giving you the best of both worlds!