Weddings are a festive occasion, so why not create a cheerful design that really says "celebration"? The traditional white and ivory weddings are lovely, of course, but it can be really fun to mix it up with bright colors and lively patterns. One of the most delightful combinations is polka dots and stripes; take a look at these ways to use them to create a fantastic wedding design.
Polka dots and stripes would be particularly great for a spring or summer wedding, as they are often created in color palettes which suit the season. The key to successfully combining the two patterns is to pick one color scheme to use for both. It could be pink and green, yellow and blue, or even orange, pink, and red. As long as you are consistent, it will look great! Dashes of a neutral like white or brown can help to keep your design from spinning out of control.
The bridesmaid dresses are a good place to begin using your polka dot and stripe theme. A very easy way to do it is to use one of the patterns for the bridesmaid dresses and the other as an accent ribbon on their bouquets. When the dresses have a busy print, keep the other details more simple. Single color bouquets will look very nice, and pearl bridesmaid jewelry will complement the colorful dresses. A very charming idea is to add white pearl accents in the bridesmaid bouquets to coordinate with their jewelry; the pops of white on a solid color bouquet will actually look much like polka dots, thus tying in beautifully with the overall wedding theme.
All of your wedding stationery can carry through the stripe and polka dot pairing. Create stylish invitations by choosing an invitation with a polka dot border to use with envelopes lined in a stripe. Remember that as long as all of the colors match, it will look great together. For the table numbers, pick a coordinating paper with an overall polka dot pattern and print the numbers in a bold font right over the printed background. As long as the ink is dark, the numbers should be very easy to read, and it will be a cute detail.
Speaking of details, your centerpieces should always coordinate with your wedding design theme. There are so many ways to achieve this with stripes and polka dots. One trend right now is to cover boxes with a fabric instead of using standard glass vases. How about a striped fabric for your centerpiece vessels? Then fill with a cheerful arrangement of flowers. If you like, you can even play up the polka dot idea by creating "dots" of flowers. Use blossoms which can be packed together into a very tight ball, such as roses or carnations, and then add small flowers in a contrasting color at regular intervals. For instance, you could create a round arrangement of pink carnations and insert small lime green Kermit mums for the cutest and preppiest pink and green wedding centerpiece ever. It is so cute and original - your guests are sure to love it!
Be careful not to overwhelm your reception space with pattern. If you opt for a bright and busy centerpiece, balance it out with a solid tablecloth in a coordinating hue. You can always bring in more of the signature patterns in the napkins and placecards to keep the tables looking lively and fun, without going totally over the line into visual overload. Of course, the wedding cake is a natural for using your stripes and polka dots, and it would be almost impossible to overdo it. Have fun mixing the two patterns on alternating tiers or doing a cake with fondant polka dots trimmed out in striped ribbon around the base of the layers. It would be the perfect way to show off your wedding theme and add spice to the reception.