10 Trendy Ideas for Tan and Orange Wedding Colors

Tangerine and flax, or orange and tan, might seem like unexpected colors for a wedding, but trust us: You can't get much trendier than this pretty little pairing. The saturated-meets-subdued wedding color scheme is just cheery enough to be fun and classic enough to feel traditional. Our favorite part: This combo is just-right for any season. In spring and summertime, think hot sun and cool linen, vibrant and chill all at once. In fall, imagine changing foliage. And in winter, picture curling up with a mug of blood orange cider and a warm wool blanket. Brighten your wedding day even more with this vibrant color palette.

Make a Splash

Aperol spritz, a classic Italian cocktail, defines summer. Mix the bittersweet orange herbal liqueur with sparkling wine and garnish with citrus for an easy refresher. Offer drinks with neutral-hued cocktail napkins. Cloth ones brandishing bright monograms will be keepsakes long after the big day.  

The Details: Sferra "Festival Cocktail" custom napkins, from $22 each, theloveliestcompany.com.

You'll look as if you just walked in from the garden, arms laden with blooms, as you glide down the aisle with this orange and white bouquet. The lavish, oversize bundle of calla lilies, poppies, sweet peas, sandersonia, and fringe tulips is gathered loosely and tied with a wide, braided beige ribbon, lending elegance to an arrangement that's very nearly as luminous as the person carrying it.

The Details: Lela Rose "Cobble Hill" gown, $4,995, gabriellanewyork.com. Vintage grosgrain stripe ribbon, $32/yd., eastcoasttrimming.com.

A wedding invitation in the form of a letterpressed booklet is a delight to receive. We used a basket-weave motif—a natural match for our strawlike hue—on the cover as well as on laser-cut vinyl page dividers. Invitees can flip through for ceremony and reception details and the all-important RSVP card, perforated for easy removal. The brilliant hue of inserts and text amps up excitement for the fête to come.

The Details: Custom stationery, price upon request, twopaperdolls.com. Letterpress printing, price upon request, papermeetspress.com.

Gingham and plaid accessories, like the pocket squares and ties above, are distinctive touches (and refreshing alternatives to the boutonnieres and bold socks most groomsmen rely on to perk up their neutral outfits. Mix and match crisp natural tones and energizing orange accents, in prints and solids, to create ensembles that brim with personality.

The Details: (clockwise from top) 1. Charvet knit silk tie, $205, bergdorfgoodman.com. 2. Alexander Olch "The Surf" plaid pocket round, $60, nordstrom.com. 3. Brioni pocket square, $145, bergdorfgoodman.com. 4. "Pindot" pocket square, in tangerine, $10, thetiebar.com. 5. "Woven" pocket square, in ivory, $60, thomaspink.com. 6. "Ferris Buffalo Horn" sunglasses, $120, woodzee.com. 7. "Checked Out" necktie, in tangerine, $19, thetiebar.com. 8. "Geometric print" tie, $180, hermes.com for like styles. 9. "The Capital" bow tie, in orange, $110, olch.com. 10. 30th-anniversary collection "Military" tie, $55, dockers.com.

Eye-popping color makes an impact even in small doses. Keep your bridesmaids on-trend with ready-to-wear add-ons, or craft some of your own. A "Resin Link" necklace is off the chain atop a simple ivory dress.

The Details: "Resin Link" necklace $220, ben-amun.com. "Jewel of a Dress," $460, chloeandreese.com.

A bouquet of poppies contrasts beautifully with a neutral two-piece outfit.

The Details: Kenzie top, in ivory, $125. Striped dahlia skirt, in cement and ivory, $250, both at lulakate.com.

Customize a "Beaux" midi dress with a DIY belt: Simply pin waxed braiding at the waist. Coat the heels of bone "Palazza" pumps with vivid orange paint—Montana Black spray paint in "Clockwork Orange"—to enliven every step.

The Details: Beaux midi dress, $410, shoshanna.com. Waxed braiding, $18.70/yd., www.mokubany.com. Palazza pumps, $80, aldoshoes.com. Montana Black spray paint in "Clockwork Orange",  $9/can, utrechtart.com.

Add a bow that's chic and sweet—just glue wide ribbon to a strong clip. The hairstyle also shows off the back of the "Iva" crepe maxi dress.

The Details: "Iva" crepe maxi dress, $298, bhldn.com.

Linen tablecloths (which take the flax theme quite literally) make a cool backdrop for this cheery scene. The woven pattern in the cloth and wire chairs is repeated in the lengths of cane wrapped around centerpiece vases (cut the cane to fit and secure the edges by "stitching" wire through the cane). The vessels contrast with the daffodils, sandersonia, and sweet peas, plus other bright details like the orange rim of porcelain plates.

The Details: Herringbone cane, $8.50/ft., franksupply.com. Oasis bind wire, $15, amazon.com. Raynard "Monceau" dinner plates, $78 each, jungleeny.com.

This clever gum-paste "picnic basket" is a modern take on old-school basket-weave buttercream. The extra stroke of brilliance? A glassy layer of apricot glaze atop each tier, which complements the almond cake beneath and adds beautiful color. MSW contributing editor Jason Schreiber covered the cake with tinted fondant before adding the strained jam, taking the friendly orange hue up to electrifying. Canvas flowers pressed into the lattice make for an ever prettier finish.

The Details: Canvas flowers, $10 for 15, eastcoasttrimming.com.