As I gazed at the new Trend Board on the Wedding Paper Divas office wall this morning, I couldn’t take my eyes off a beautiful, wispy gown made of white feathers.  As I do almost daily (okay…who am I kidding?  Hourly.), I began to imagine how my wedding would have looked had I chosen this theme.  The soft, flow-y feathers combined with the stark modernness of pure white will give any wedding a ethereal feeling that won’t soon be forgotten.

From Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Feather Chiffon Gown from J. Crew; Feather Tulips Bouquet from Wedding Flower Ideas; White feathers from Abstracts of Nature; Feather Cake from Cakes 4 Fun; Feather Chandelier from Dezeen; White Feather Centerpiece from Instalyte.

I was happily surprised when I ran into one of Diva Dialogue’s readers the other day. Planning her own wedding, she was having some trouble deciding a color theme. With a preference for black, she asked me how to incorporate this palette into her wedding. Here’s my take on this dramatic, chic and formal hue.

Photos top row: Black escort cards from The Knot, Color favor boxes from Beau-coup, Ethel silk halter dress from Ann Taylor, Black tie bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings, Black and white cake from Pink Cake Box, Simple Elegance Wedding Invitations from Wedding Paper Divas, Black satin sandals from Brides, and White Gold Black and White Diamond Earrings from Macy’s.

Cream and beige hues offer a distinct, natural look, one that is often overlooked. Here are a few ideas on how to add these elegant, understated tones to your wedding for a style that is anything but vanilla.

Candy buffet and escort cards photos from In Style Weddings.