What shade of white should I wear for my wedding?

If you’re reading this, you’re likely in the planning stages for your wedding - congratulations!!!

Wedding planning is a mix of so many things. On the one hand, you get the opportunity to celebrate this big life milestone with your loved ones and it is truly SO special. On the other, you might quickly find yourself staying up until 3am scouring ETSY and arguing with your soon to be MIL who is deeply offended when you tell her that no, you are not inviting your husband’s t-ball coach that he hasn’t spoken to in 20 years. (don’t worry, these examples are just for entertainment purposes 😅). 

Among all the ups and downs that wedding planning brings, we know one thing is TOP priority: ensuring you look and feel absolutely RADIANT on your wedding day (and all the other wedding events too for that matter!). Picking the right shade of white that compliments your features is one of our favorite “cheats” to building a fantastic wedding look. 

How do I know what my perfect shade of white is?

At its core, picking the “perfect” shade of white will boil down to matching your skin’s undertones (this is not to be confused with overtones, which is the face value appearance of your skin).

Everyone’s undertones sit on a spectrum from warm → cool. Someone with a warm undertone will glow in warmer whites which tend to have hints of yellow mixed in (think cream). Someone with a cool undertone will thrive in cooler shades of white, which tend to be blue based (think pure whites). If you have a neutral skin tone, your best white will mimic a soft white, something that is neither overly warm or cool.

How do we distinguish between warm, cool, and neutral whites?

BY NAME.

In the wedding dress industry specifically, these names are commonly used to describe certain shades. This method isn’t full proof, but can be a helpful guide if you are searching for wedding outfits online. 

VISUALLY.
Here are some examples of warm, cool, and neutral whites when it comes to traditional wedding fabrics. A tip from us: It can be tricky to decipher shades of white while on their own. Comparing them side by side will help make the undertone more noticeable. This is similar when shopping for white paint color. On its own, a white paint chip can appear neutral, but when you place it next to a different white paint chip, you might see hints of blue, gray, or yellow stand out, giving you hints to its undertone.

How do I determine my undertone?

A great and complex question! If you google this, you’ll likely find people recommending DIY methods such as the “vein test”. Between us –  this method is not very reliable, especially if you’re a POC. If you have the time and resources before your big day, we recommend getting a professional color analysis. Having your colors done is one of the BEST ways to simplify wedding planning.

You’ll get a set of cohesive colors that you can use when deciding on outfits, florals, jewelry, makeup, bridesmaids dresses, anything at all. The best part?! These colors are all built around amplifying YOU - because you should obviously be the center of attention on your wedding day! If you’re curious about the various methods of getting your colors done, feel free to check out our blog post: what is the best way to get my colors done?

If a color analysis doesn’t fit within your timeline or budget, don’t panic! Check out this reel from our CEO, Lindsey, where she gives you tips on how to determine your undertone at home!

What should I do if I can’t figure out my undertone?

If you’re not sure about your undertone, we recommend wearing neutral whites. They will tend to flatter the most people and can help you avoid selecting a white that is actively contrasting you. If you have a warm undertone, wearing a cool white will actually amplify and bring out the yellow in your skin (something that I lovingly call the oompa loompa effect). If you have a cool skin tone and wear a warm creamy white, it will bring out the gray tones in your skin and can actually make you look sick. Without having clarity on your skin tone, the best move is to go with a neutral white. It might not end up not being your OPTIMAL shade, but it will prevent you from accidentally choosing a white that heavily contrasts your features.

Storytime…

In 2019, I had the privilege of marrying my husband TWICE. We eloped in Banff National park in May and followed up with a toned-down wedding at a local restaurant in October. For each event we had an entirely different set of outfits.

I hadn’t had a color analysis yet (or even knew what color analysis was) so I was basing our outfits on the colors/theme of each location. For our elopement, I leaned into cooler shades to play off the beautiful mountains and lakes that surrounded us. For our wedding, I leaned into warmer tones to match the restaurant.

Photo credit - Autumn Harrison Photography

While our elopement was hands down the BEST day of my life, I kept finding myself liking how I looked in our other wedding photos more. As a budget conscious bride, I even sold my elopement wedding dress soon after we got home, but I could never bring myself to sell my tan floral dress. I couldn’t place my finger on it, but it just felt more “me”. 

Flash forward to a year later, I got a color analysis and everything clicked! I learned that I am a Deep Autumn, which means I have a neutral-warm skin tone. So while our cool toned elopement outfits aligned perfectly with the scenery (and with my husband, who we learned has a cool skin tone), my dress and accessories didn’t necessarily flatter me. 

Don’t get me wrong – I will always cherish our elopement photos and I showcase them proudly in our home. It just never occurred to me that the shade of white I selected for a wedding dress could have such an impact on how I looked. In hindsight, I wish I had taken the time to learn about my skin tone and prioritized building my outfits based on my features first. 

When I look at my elopement photos, my eyes go directly to the dress and not my face, which tells me that my dress sticks out in a contrasting way. I also see how the cool white fabric brings out the yellow in my skin, adding a slight yellow filter to my complexion. Luckily for me, nature was the REAL showstopper in these photos, so I’ve made my peace with the cool, contrasting dress. In our wedding photos, however, I see ME first. The dress, my accessories, my makeup, my flowers – no one thing glaring sticks out. It all feels cohesive and blends seamlessly together.

Picking the right shade of white certainly won’t make or break your wedding, but it can impact how you look and feel on your day. With so many things out of your control (like when your relatives who RSVPd no, show up and bring extra friends with them), having confidence and clarity about your look can give you some peace of mind. 

Rooting for you!

Tori, Lead Consultant and Director of Operations at Created Colorful

You can find more color analysis resources on our Instagram below!