A Mint and Ivory Wedding: How the Palette Photographs, and How to Get It Right

We chose ivory and mint for our own studio for a reason that has nothing to do with fashion: the two colours photograph more reliably than almost any other pairing. Ivory is kind to every skin tone, mint carries colour without stealing it, and together they look the same in a photograph as they did in the room, which is rarer than you would think. If you are considering the palette for a wedding, here is what to know.

Why it works on camera

Photographs of weddings are mostly skin, white fabric and whatever the bridesmaids are wearing. Strong colours (emerald, burgundy, navy) are beautiful in person and tend to reflect onto skin and the dress in close portraits, which is why so many editing hours go into removing a green cast from a bride's shoulder. Mint is light enough that it does not do this. It reads as colour in the wide shots and as a gentle tint in the close ones.

Ivory, for its part, is the colour your dress almost certainly is already, which means the palette is built around the thing you have spent the most on rather than against it. Pure white bridesmaid dresses next to an ivory gown make the gown look yellow. Ivory next to ivory does not.

Choosing the shade

"Mint" covers a lot of ground. The three versions that work:

• Soft mint (a touch of grey). The safest choice for bridesmaids. Looks sophisticated in daylight and at night, pairs with gold or silver, and never reads as pastel-Easter.
• Sage. Greener and more muted. Lovely with ivory and warm wood; the most popular version for barn and garden weddings.
• Seafoam (a touch of blue). Brighter and cooler. Excellent for beach and waterfront weddings; be careful with it indoors under warm lighting, where it can drift towards teal.

The version to avoid is saturated mint with no grey or green in it. In a photograph it becomes the colour of a hospital corridor. Ask the dress shop for the fabric swatch and look at it outdoors.

Where to put the colour

Less than you think. The palette holds together when mint appears in three or four places and ivory does the rest:

1. Bridesmaid dresses, in one shade or a loose mix of two.
2. Florals, mostly as foliage: eucalyptus, dusty miller, olive branches, with ivory garden roses and ranunculus doing the flowers.
3. Stationery and signage, a mint envelope liner or a printed menu rather than a mint invitation.
4. One more thing. Ribbon on the bouquets, the groomsmen's ties, the cake's bottom tier. One.

Mint tablecloths, mint napkins, mint uplighting and mint dresses all at once is how the palette tips from calm to themed.

Metals, woods and the groom

Gold is the warmer and more common pairing; it makes the mint feel soft. Silver is cleaner and suits the seafoam end. Both work. For wood, lighter tones (oak, birch, whitewash) keep the ivory bright, while dark walnut can make the whole room feel heavier than the palette intends.

Grooms and groomsmen look best in a warm neutral rather than a competing colour: tan, stone, a light grey, or a navy suit with a mint tie if you want the contrast. A sage suit is a bold choice that photographs beautifully outdoors and less so in a ballroom.

Lighting the room

The one thing we ask planners: keep the uplighting warm (amber or none) rather than tinting it green to match. Coloured uplighting turns every candid at the reception the same colour, and a warm amber room is the backdrop that makes mint and ivory look the way you imagined.

If this is the palette you are planning around, we would love to see it. Check your date and tell us about the day.