Expert Advice from wedding guru, Sharon Naylor

Answer:

Hi Edith:

Lavender is so in right now! I'm seeing bunches of different shades of purple, from lilac to deep eggplant, that are really flattering to most skin tones, and I'm also seeing really deep, rich purple shades in table linens -- and a perk to going with a dark purple shade for your table settings is that your table will look more expensive due to the contrast of the lighter-colored plates and table settings. The darker the shade, especially with some sparkle in the linens, the more ornate it looks.

Purples and blues are being mixed together really beautifully right now, with darker shades working together to make a dramatic statement in decor. There are lots of pretty blue flowers with purple centers, for instance, so ask your floral designer to show you lots of those.

If you can get to a Home Depot, Lowes or paint store, check out those paint strips of all the different shades of purples and blues, and hold your purples up against other colors of paint strips...even those you think they wouldn't go with. That's how the really pretty color combos come to life. I just did a wedding with dark purple and coral decor, and it was so unexpected and pretty. If you look at a purple flower, you might see yellow in the center (like with an iris) and you might then decide to add vibrant yellows to the decor flowers.

I'm also seeing lavender and gray as a new, modern trend, and you could punch it up with yellow pops of color. Gray is a very big color this season, so check out paint strips with different shades of slate and silvery-gray, too.

For your decor, check out what you can rent with a purple hue to it, like platters or glasses rimmed with purple edges. Little, subtle pops of color in your decor goes a long way!