The ultimate wedding dress colour guide

But do you know your white from your ivory? Your oyster from your champagne? Or your blush from your soft pink? Well, our expert bridal consultants are here to help, with their essential guide to navigating the rainbow of choice and finding your perfect match. Here are the key colours you should know…

White/Off-White

A pure white gown is the whitest of all whites. It looks a little blue in full light and can be a tricky colour to wear, especially for paler skin tones. Designers often choose the slightly more flattering ‘off-white’ instead. This is a shade below pure white that’s less vivid and a touch more silvery.

Ivory

Unlike bright white, ivory has a very subtle hint of cream to give it a softer, more flattering shade. These natural warm undertones mean that ivory really does look great on every skin colour, as well as looking stunning with lace. In fact, in recent years, it has overtaken white as the classic bridal shade. It’s also a super versatile choice that suits most wedding day themes, from romantic bohemian chic to sparkling princess fairy tales.

Our Elena design comes in softly flattering ivory and shows why it’s such a universally loved shade. This striking ballgown design is made from shimmering Mikado, and the crisp lines and chic bow suit the bright and eye-catching ivory perfectly.

Catia is an elegant fishtail with a lace design inspired by Greek mythology. The lace illusion straps and the attractive dipped back, edged in more lace, stand out beautifully against the skin, thanks to the soft ivory colour.

Blush

Beautiful blush pink has grown rapidly in popularity in the last few years. It started as the must-have colour for your maids and has now found its way into bridal fashion too, perhaps because savvy brides know that soft pink undertones are brilliant for brightening the cheeks. Plus, if you choose a dress with lace embellishment, the blush background will really make the lace ‘pop’ exquisitely.

Wedding dress featured: Brixton by Viva Bride

Romantic Brixton is the perfect match for blush, with its pretty floral-edged lace, sweetheart neckline and glorious, fishtail skirt. Here you can also see how the lace is accentuated against the softly coloured background.

Blush is also brilliant for adding warmth to a dress and fashionable Allegra has this in spades. Designed to have subtle volume and structure, this A-line silhouette is perfect for stylish brides who want the most delicate and flattering touch of soft pink. 

Wedding dress featured: Allegra by The Signature Collection

Oyster

Oyster-coloured dresses have light gold undertones and a subtle pearlescent shimmer that flatters both warm and cool skin tones. This lustrous colour is a great choice for a classic, traditional feel and it offers a little more depth than ivory. 

Helene is a fabulous example of the subtle shimmer oyster can give to a dress, as you can see from the elegant satin skirt. The detailed lace bodice is also the perfect contrast to the simplicity of the skirt. 

Katryn has a similar combination, with a sleek oyster satin ballgown skirt set against a sweetheart bodice, covered in embroidered lace.

Champagne

Finally, we have champagne, which has richer golden undertones and often gives a dress a more luxurious feel. It can add a touch of vintage romance to a design too, especially when paired with lace, tulle, chiffon or organza. Constantina is the ideal showcase for this shade, and features floral lace scattered with clear sequins and entwined with gold thread to create the soft champagne colour. 

Set against the delicate fishtail skirt it looks absolutely magical. If it’s total luxury you’re after, then champagne is the shade for you!

Click here to see more of our latest designs then try on your favourites at your nearest WED2B store. Also, for more inspiration, check out our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter pages.