If you watched Steel Magnolias, you may remember the pink-tacular wedding scene. Shelby’s choices of “blush” and “bashful,” or rather pink and pink, resulted in a ceremony that may as well have been doused with Pepto Bismol.

From the invitations to the flowers and bridesmaids’ gowns, color plays a huge role in tying together all the wedding details. But with so many choices in a sea of shades and tints, it’s hard to know where to begin. Here are some tips from the pros to help you find your signature colors. Forget pastels. Bold and vibrant colors are in this year (think coral, bright shades of blue, and yellow), as are monochromatic themes. Even black dresses are gracing the runways.

Elizabeth Hempfling of Events by Elizabeth Ashley suggests choosing the venue and a theme before making color choices, which will set the tone of your wedding—dusty olive and pink champagne say vintage, red and black are classic, and yellow and lime mean vivacious. She also advises, “You want colors that are going to pop against the backdrop. Dark purple will get lost in a dark space.” Personal style should also be reflected in your special day.

Other considerations when picking colors are how they will look against skin tones or in photographs under various lighting conditions. Remember to keep it simple by narrowing your choices to two or three, and don’t change your mind after you’ve sent the invitations. And, unless you’re striving for a Steel Magnolias-inspired wedding, avoid pink on pink.