Megan Bentley, a colour analyst, knows that picking a wedding dress is more than choosing a white dress you love – it’s also about the right white.
The hue you choose will either complement or work against your complexion and the silhouette of your dress, said Bentley, the founder of The Color Countess, based in Columbus, Ohio.
“White is one of the most difficult colours to get right,” she said.
“While it is universally bridal, you need the right hue to honour your features. The differences are subtle, but the impact is significant.”
Using colour analysis, a method grounded in colour theory that looks at how hues interact with people and teaches them how to identify their most flattering colour palette, or season, Bentley helps brides find their ideal white for their wedding dress.
And as more brides are wearing multiple looks on their wedding day, as well as for their wedding-related celebrations, Bentley is also being asked to help them build their wedding wardrobe around their colour palette.
Bentley became interested in colour analysis in 1992 when she was 12 years old, through her mother’s best friend, who was a certified colour analyst.
“I was told I was a True Spring – a palette of warm, light and bright hues including coral, lime green and aqua. I loved it,” she said.
As colour analysis started gaining traction again in 2024 on social media, it felt familiar to her, Bentley said, and she started formal education in the method through the Association Of Image Consultants International.
Bentley began colour analysis as a side business while working as a client director at Gartner, a corporate consulting firm based in Stamford, Connecticut, where she worked with Fortune 10 executives.
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In 2024, she started incorporating colour analysis into her work before making The Color Countess her full-time career in 2025.
“Colour became a strategic tool I would use to help leaders walk into a room with more authority and confidence,” Bentley said. “Then it took off on my social media in a way I did not expect.”
She offers colour analysis through in-person, 75-minute sessions, for US$449 (approximately RM1,772), and virtual sessions, starting at US$99 (RM391), where she identifies her clients’ undertone (whether their skin reads warm, cool or neutral) and colour season and teaches them how to dress within it.
“A virtual analysis can be a great option for brides when timing matters,” Bentley said, adding that these consultations are best before trying on gowns at a bridal salon.
Here, Bentley gives a quick lesson in colour analysis and how to lean into your best hues to find the right white and elevate your bridal wardrobe.
The interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
What do you think attracts brides to colour analysis?
When you are preparing for one of the most photographed and important days of your life, you want to look your absolute best.
Once a bride realises there is a way to find her perfect hue of white for her dress and the right colour for the groom’s suit, color analysis becomes an obvious step in their wedding planning process.
Colour is one of the biggest visual decisions for a wedding. A colour analysis removes the guesswork out of what hues complement you and what works together.
The couple will look more refined and the photos more cohesive.
It also brings confidence. When you know you are in the right colors and tones, you feel present.
What are you looking at when matching a bride or groom with their colour palette?
I am always looking at the individual first. I look at their undertone, value – how light or dark their features are – and intensity – bright and reflective features versus soft and opaque.
These are what determine their most harmonious colours.
If the couple already has wedding colours in mind, we evaluate whether those colours are in harmony with each other. If they are not, we find the closest, most complementary versions, so that everything feels cohesive.
Time of year and decor can absolutely influence the colour direction.
If a wedding is in the fall or winter, we can lean into richer, deeper tones within their palettes. If the event is in the spring or summer, we may choose lighter, brighter options.
What are brides specifically asking for in a colour analysis?
The number one focus is the white dress. From there, they want guidance on how everything works together – what the groom should wear, how the colours photograph and how to create a cohesive look across the entire day.
There is also a lot of interest in the full wedding wardrobe – the rehearsal dinner, welcome party, honeymoon.
Once they understand their colours, they want to make confident decisions across all of their wedding-related events.
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Does the hue of white affect the look of the silhouette and fit of a wedding dress?
Yes, colour is what brings the entire look into balance first. It can completely change how a silhouette is perceived.
The right white sharpens the entire look of a gown. The right hue will enhance the structure of the garment, highlight proportions and direct where the eye goes.
When the hue is off, it creates shadows, pulls focus from your face and breaks the line of the silhouette, making the dress look heavier or less refined.
What are your tips for putting together the rest of a wedding wardrobe?
I like to anchor everything around four colours: your best white, your strongest neutral, an eye-enhancing hue that brings out your features and a pop colour, which is your favourite shade within your palette.
This combination gives you structure, variety and cohesion.
Everything mixes and matches, everything photographs well and most importantly, everything keeps you in harmony, so that you look polished and intentional across every event leading up to and after the wedding. – ©2026 The New York Times Company
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
