The Ultimate Guide: Choosing The Perfect Wedding Colour Palette
Whether you had to reschedule your big day due to pandemic restrictions or you’re just starting to plan now, your mind is probably buzzing with all the details that go into curating the perfect wedding.
One of the first things to consider is your colour scheme, and how the changing seasons may shift your planning around a bit. If you’re looking for some wedding colour inspiration for your wedding whether it’s this summer or autumn and you want to know the popular wedding colour palettes you’ve come to the right place! We’ve created 11 trending colour palettes to inspire couples who are engaged and getting married in 2021/22 and tips on how to include these colours into your wedding day!
In this article you will find out about:
What to think about when choosing your wedding colour palette.
Colour wheel:
You of course want colours that complement each other. Looking at a colour wheel will help to see what colours contrast and which colours will blend nicely into one another. Think about whether you want your wedding to feel soft or vibrant? Choose a base colour first (the colour you love the most) and choose ‘‘accent’’ colours which can be anything from contrasting, bold hues on the opposite side of the colour wheel or choose neutral tones like white, black, grey, ivory or beige for a softer feel. You can also add small hints of metallics like gold, bronze or silver throughout.
Colours symbolism:
If you’re like me I love going into a crystal shop choosing the one I’m drawn to the most and reading the meaning behind it. The same goes for colours. Colours provoke emotions so finding out the meaning behind the colour you want for your wedding day will integrate the emotion into your special day. For example, yellow depicts joy and happiness, pink represents femininity and romance, blue has a calming and trusting feeling to it and of course, red is the colour of love and passion. Finding out the meaning behind your favourite colour can help guide you to choosing the ‘‘base colour’’ for your wedding.
What colours suit you?
It’s important to choose colours you love and that suits your look and express your personality. You wouldn’t wear that nude dress that does nothing for your light skin tone complexion so we won’t recommend choosing a colour that doesn’t suit you on your wedding day either. What colours are you naturally drawn to? Or ask your friends and family to choose colours that remind them of you as a starting point. It’s important to not just choose a colour that suits you but your partner too, that way everyone will be feeling their best and looking amazing on the day and for your wedding photos too!
Think about the season:
What time of year are you getting married? Do you know what colours are popular? What flowers are blooming? Take into consideration and research colours for each season and think about what feels best for you, let the seasons guide! For example, rich colours such as burgundy, oranges, navy blue, are more popular in winter to warm up the cold nights. cooler, lighter colours such as pastels have a spring feel, and bold and bright colours tend to depict summer! Although nothing says you can’t have orange which’s more common around autumn for your summer wedding. In fact, burnt orange is actually a huge trend for summer weddings in 2021/2022 and also oozes tropical summer (check out our burnt orange mood board below in this article)! We have tons of seasonal wedding colour inspiration in our mood boards below with alternatives colours to add to your colour palette if you want to use a summer palette for your winter wedding (or vice versa)… read on!
Consider your wedding venue:
Visualise your wedding day in your wedding venue. What style is it? Outdoors? Inside a large hall? In a hotel space? What type of decor does it already have? Does the venue already have hues of colour throughout or bold wallpaper? Consider your surroundings first so you can ensure the colours will match and won’t clash. If you’re visualising a ‘‘blank canvas’’ so you can add your palette from scratch, outdoor spaces, barns and warehouses are a good starting point. If your colour scheme doesn’t match the venue or if you don’t like a certain wall or corner, backdrops and drapes are perfect to hide those spots! Most venue dressers provide them and they are perfect for creating a blank canvas within an already decorated space.
Check out the latest trends:
Have you always dreamt of that summer Pinterest wedding? Trends are forever-changing, going away and making a comeback. If you’re stuck for ideas check out the latest colour trends on pinterest (or our colour trending mood boards we’ve created for you!). That being said if you already know what your favourite colour is you want to use, then go for it! You’re already onto the next step!
Ask your wedding suppliers:
Most will already know what colours are bang on trend so use your wedding suppliers and ask them for advice if you’re feeling stuck!
Think about your wedding theme:
If you’re having a wedding theme, think about the colours that will best express your theme. For example, if you want a retro wedding, bright colours or pastels would be a good pick over neutrals or softer colours, these would be best to complement a rustic theme. Need some inspiration? Take a look at these wedding theme ideas.
Put together visuals:
Check out mood boards and create your own! Pinterest is a great starting point create a summer Pinterest board for your summer wedding for example and see what colours come up! Add in the different colours in to your wedding planning scrapbook to see what you like.
Create a colour palette:
Play around with the intensity and gradients of your favourite colours to see which ones you like the most.
Wedding Colour Ideas & Mood Boards For Any Time Of The Year.
Teal
Teal is a new trending colour for 2021/2022 weddings and combines the calming properties of blue with the renewal qualities of green. It is a revitalizing and rejuvenating colour and represents spiritual balance. Cyan and turquoise are also set in the teal family if you want to add some extra colours but teal is a deeper shade.
How to use this colour:
Teal is a fresh colour and can be added to a wedding any time of the year, just adapt the contrasting colour to reflect the season. For example for a summer wedding add fuchsia pink, yellow or burnt orange for a colour-popping fun wedding (or blend down using gold). For an autumn wedding teal goes well with purple or winter choose rich reds such as burgundy.
Other Greens:
Green is so versatile and is trending everywhere in 2021/22 due to the rise in popularity of colours such as avocado, matcha tea green, emerald, forest green and olive. Leanne founder and designer of Celebrationery.com loves using greens in her stationery designs due to its popularity! Leanne is always available to offer guidance to clients on how to choose the right colour and how to use your accent colour in your wedding scheme. Leanne says ‘‘If you look at a design such as ‘Sweet Nothings’ below– there is only one accent colour used throughout. This means it is easy to incorporate your main colour into this design, by simply swapping out the existing Forest green with a colour of your choice. This attention to detail will really pull your wedding theme through, and make the invitations, as well as on-the-day stationery and signage unique to you.
We also offer printed envelope liners on most of our design suites, which means that when guests open their invitation there is that extra quality detail that can really bring out an accent colour and set the tone of your wedding day!
Matching Wedding Stationery by Celebrationery
Dusty Blue & Gold
Dusty blue has a charming hue, timeless and dreamy this stylish colour is coveted and keeps coming back year after year. Oozing freshness and royalty, dusty blue adds style, sheek and elegance to any wedding! Contrast with highlights of gold to infuse luxury or orange for more of a contrast.
How to use these colours:
Add hints of gold to the cutlery; plates, glassware, knives and forks. Candles are stunning at weddings depicting a romantic ambiance, use gold candle holders to decorate your tables accompanied by plenty of gorgeous foliage. If you have cupcakes use gold cupcake holders or ask your wedding cake baker to add edible gold flakes to your cake or use a gold cake stand. Also, using rustic or wood tables and chairs or wooden centerpieces will complement the dusty blue and set off the gold!
Beth from Beth Bakes loves a blue-themed wedding cake as they are so popular and a great colour for a fresh looking cake! Instead of gold Beth has added peach & white coloured flowers to contrast against the changing gradient of blues. Beth say’s ‘‘I think this cake would suit an elegant but relaxed wedding event, perfect for a country house setting!’’
Burnt Orange
Burnt orange is key colour for weddings in 2021/2022, usually characterised with autumn, orange evokes a feeling of warmth and comfort, however our mood board below shows how this gorgeous colour can be used all year round and especially for a bright summer wedding due to it’s tropical feel! Perfect for a beach wedding!
How to use this colour:
Dried flowers are perfect to show off accents of burnt orange and will hit the dessert chic, or rustic wedding theme. Burnt orange goes well with browns, worn-out leathers, earthy colours and accents of golds, bronzes or copper. Think of incorporating the colours into the furniture, table decoration and props. Bright orange silk ribbons added to your rustic chairs are a pretty way to add colour and are fab for hanging on trees at an outdoor wedding too! If you want a contrasting colour choose gradients of blues or greys. You can also combine it with mint green for a livelier palette. Add a splash of orange to your wedding tables by adding fresh fruit such as papaya or oranges, not only will they look amazing they are a tasty refreshing snack at your summer wedding!
Celebrationery have the perfect matching wedding stationery ‘Golden Light’ if burnt orange is one of your wedding colours. Any boho brides out there? This one is for you! This stationery design pairs elegant arches with delicate hand drawn baby’s breath flowers. The colour palette combines a dusty blue with an ochre tone. The Autumnal ochre hues are very on trend for the coming wedding season; think dried flowers, pampas grass, natural linens and gold accents to compliment.
Autumn & Fall Wedding Colour Ideas:
Burgundy & Dusty Blue
Burgundy is a popular choice for weddings in 2021/22, if you're having a summer wedding choose a bright or softer red. For an autumn wedding swap for a darker colour such as burgundy to give a rich, autumnal, warm feel to your wedding day!
How to use these colours:
Blue is so versatile and can go with pretty much anything at any time of the year. Add hints of burgundy to your wedding bouquet with gorgeous roses, carnations or peonies. Use blue crockery and table settings with burgundy runners or napkins to warm up your wedding tables. Add warmth to your wedding photos and dress your bridesmaids in burgundy, or for a cooler softer look in dusty blue.
Black & Gold
When you think of weddings white automatically comes to mind, however who said black couldn’t be just as elegant? Black is symbolic of mystery, power, elegance, and sophistication and If added right, black can look enchanting with a shimmer of gold, they are perfect for heading into a season of winter weddings.
How to use this colour:
Think sophisticated black-tie events. Adding black for the groom is easy by choosing a black suit, bow tie and accessories. For the bride, you can go all out with a dare to the different black wedding dresses or choose to dress your bridesmaid in black. You can choose smokey eye make up if you’re wearing white. Add touches of gold to your jeweller, accessories and go all out with a gorgeous gold bridal hair piece or tiara. Make a statement to your guests with black and gold invites to set the theme for your wedding day. Black wedding cakes have been trending since 2020 and look very sophisticated! For the final touches decorate your venue with black balloons, gold and black silk ribbons, dark dried flowers or display huge dark leaves to frame your table centrepieces.
If you feel black is too much of a heavy colour for you, why not use another dark palette such as navy blue or plum. Or use white as your base colour with hints of black to soften the overall colour theme.
Burgundy & Moss Green
We’ve already spoken about burgundy being a top colour of choice for weddings and green is no exception! Adding these two colours together really makes a warm statement! These colours are perfect for an outdoor wedding as you’re already half way there with a natural green back drop. Expect to see different green palettes everywhere as they are so easy to incorporate into weddings! From moss, sage, mint, olive and avocado bringing a brighter version to the colour of nature.
How to use these colours:
House plants have become popular since the pandemic and why not add them to your wedding too! Greenery is easy to add, for a more retro feel use cactus’s or if you want to make a grand statement there are stunning moon gates or wedding backdrops covered in greenery (even the artificial ones look real!) that are stunning!
Matching wedding cake by bethbakes.co.uk
This matching Beth Bakes wedding cake is a perfect way to incorporate burgundy & moss green and really stands out! The sugar flowers can be swopped for rustic dried grasses to add different colours and textures. Or add a fun and funky bride a groom topper to match your chosen colour scheme.
Spring & Summer Wedding Colour Ideas
Dusty Pink & Moss Green
The pretty colour dusty pink has returned for another year and never seems to go out of fashion as a favourite wedding colour. Using a soft mix of pink and purple hues, dusty rose or pink is timeless and elegant but not extravagantly showy. This colour is usually associated with affection, love, romance and happiness so it’s no wonder it’s so popular for weddings! Set off the pink tones with highlights of natural earthy tones such as moss green.
How to use these colours:
Dusty pink is a popular choice for bridesmaid dresses and can be used as a soft natural look in bridal make-up too. Moss green can be easily added in through the use of foliage, flowers and plants decorated around your wedding venue. Also, flower crowns and bouquets look soft and sweet in these two shades. Use earthy tones for your table decorations.
We love this matching dusty pink and moss green wedding cake from Beth Bakes, It’s amazing how the same cake can be adapted to a different colour scheme. Swipe through the above images for this cake in red or white winter wedding theme or choose. Expert cake baker Beth say’s ‘‘I also think this cake would look amazing with a black and white colour scheme – white icing with hand piped black droplets and gorgeous black and white anemones on the top! You don’t have to have wall to wall colour on your cake, just the addition of some matching ribbon can be all it takes or one or two coloured flowers in an arrangement of pale colours can really pop and add to the wow factor. if you are having accents of gold in your colour scheme a touch of gold leaf draws the eye and is a very classy addition and easy way to add some colour.’’
Pastel Baby Blue & Mauve Pink
We just love everything about this candy popping colour palette, it’s just so fun and fresh to play with! Celebrate a spring wedding with the cool pastel colours of baby blue and mauve pink which is a popular palette choice!
How to use these colours:
Pastel colours have an amazing range of colours to choose from you can work with just a couple or choose to add in more colours such as magic mint, peach, periwinkle, and lavender. Add in pastel colours through use of food such as a dessert table or guest favours including macaroons, cakes and sweets! Or serve a signature cocktail in your colours. Mix and match your bridesmaid dresses with all the pastel colours of the rainbow!
Celebrationery love a pink and blue colour palette too. This design ‘‘Oh Happy Days’’ is for a bold, contemporary wedding – where the couple is not afraid to make a statement! The bold type, cobalt blue and blush pink colour, along with the whimsical daisy illustrations, would suit a Summer wedding: think daisy crowns, abundant wildflowers and the couple rocking up in a VW beetle.
Matching Wedding Stationery by Celebrationery
Lavender & Lilac
Lavender & lilac may be an unconventional colour to use for weddings but they are actually a new trending colour for 2021/2022. We think this colour palette is just dreamy!! Lavender symbolises purity, tranquillity, devotion, and love while lilac represents youthfulness! These colours combined are a perfect colour to choose for your wedding day and creates a romantic atmosphere!
How to use these colours:
Using both lavender & lilac flowers is a must! Not only will your wedding look amazing but will smell amazing too! These colours look best against white but if you want to add a contrasting colour, add touches of yellow to really set the purple off and make both colours pop! Choose yellow-tinted glass wear and yellow flowers in your bouquet or around your wedding cake. If the groom doesn’t want to wear a lilac tie then yellow could be a perfect choice or dive into some complimentary greys hues!
Spring is one of the most beautiful seasons to host a wedding with the days getting warmer and the flowers blooming. There are many creative colour options during this season, from soft pastels to vibrant florals. Here are a couple more colour ideas!
Rose Gold and Ivory
For a romantic and elegant ambience, consider pairing the softness of rose gold with a complimentary accent of ivory. Immerse your guests into an otherworldly experience with this classy colour combination.
Earth Tones
Keep your wedding feeling grounded and comfortable with a natural, earthy colour scheme. While best fit for an outdoor garden wedding, you can transform any venue into a timeless space with colours like olive, beige, and walnut brown.
Shale Green and Pink
For outdoor weddings, it’s not a bad idea to mimic colours reminiscent of springtime. Shale or sage green is a great option to create a toned-down natural feel. Add some floral accents with a bright colour like pink. This mood board has great ideas on how you can incorporate vibrant and pastel colours into your spring ceremony:
Peach
Matching Wedding Stationery by Celebrationery. The natural hues of this stationery suite ‘‘Orchard’’ mean that this neutral colour palette can fit into most wedding themes - while the minimalist layout lends an air of elegance.
More Summer Wedding Colour Ideas
Everyone loves to party when the weather is great and the days are long. With summer weddings come creative clothing options for the wedding party and guests alike. Check out these colour ideas that match the energy of a warm summer celebration.
Silver and Aqua
Whether you’re getting married right on the beach or just want to create an island ambience, aqua is a great cool, refreshing colour choice. Make your venue shimmer with some added silver or platinum accents.
Blue and Yellow
Having an outdoor wedding? Choose bright colours like an illuminating yellow to match the warmth of the sunshine and create a cheerful ambience. For a beach ceremony, consider throwing some fun shades of blue into the mix. Check out this mood board for inspiration:
Additional Wedding Colour Ideas
No matter the season of your wedding, there are several timeless and creative colour ideas that are guaranteed to be successful.
Black and White
Nothing says classy like a black and white colour scheme. These colours are a great neutral starting point to build on, presenting the perfect opportunity to add metallic or bright accents. Whether you’re going for modern or old-fashioned, this combination never fails!
Rainbow
Make your wedding as bright and memorable as possible by having the wedding party dress in all colours of the rainbow! While it’s not a traditional option, this is a great way to get creative with your style and have some fun.
Why not go crazy and have a rainbow cake too?Beth recommends that another way to add colour to your wedding day is by matching inside your cake to your colour scheme! Why not!! Beth from Beth Bakes suggests: for a pink wedding scheme choose a pale pink strawberry and prosecco tier, or raspberry ripple for soe brightness. Complement darker colour palettes such as deep burgundy with a cherry and almond sponge – luscious purply cherry jam to bring your colour scheme together perfectly!
Our top tips on how to include your colour scheme on your wedding day!
Choose a signature drink or cocktail to serve to your guests/
Include the colour in your invitations, this sets the theme for your whole wedding and gives your guests a hint of what to expect
Use uplighting in your chosen wedding colour palette. The lights could be light up letters, neon signs are a huge favourite (and are pretty damn cool), on your dance floor or use uplighting in your wedding colour palette against the walls, backdrops or drapes. Most DJ’s have uplighting so tell your DJ your wedding colours.
Use Napkins or runners on the tables of your chosen wedding colour scheme.
Run the colour throughout your venue dressing; from your flowers, chair decor, centrepieces, balloons and backdrops.
Choose wedding favors for your guests that match your wedding colour palette.
For grooms, traditionally they can add the palette through into their tie, perhaps include the colour as the pinstriped or squared checks in your suit or a nice touch by wearing socks in the colour too! For brides consider adding colour to your wedding bouquet, jewellery, accessories or use your shoes for a pop of colour .
How many colours should I choose?
With so many colours to choose from it’s hard to decide how many you should pick to get just the right balance. You don’t want to go over the top or also be too bland. It is recommended that three to five colours are sufficient to choose the perfect blend of colours for a wedding. Depending on the style you want to go for less can be more by choosing three colours which can include your accents such as hints of metallics such as golds. Unless you having a rainbow themes wedding (which we love!) having more than 5 colours isn’t recommended to avoid a disjointed or messy look/design.
Summary: The Ultimate Wedding Colour Scheme
Take time to research wedding colour palettes: Choosing your wedding colour palette/scheme is just as important as the wedding venue you choose or your wedding dress or decoration. Colours play a huge role in any wedding day and are the basis for bringing the look and feel of your wedding to life. Take time to look over different colours depending on the time of year you’re getting married, the meaning behind the colours and make sure it’s colours that express you and your partner.
Put together a colour mood board or visuals: remember only choose between three and five colours, start with a base colour and add in accent colours that compliment each other. Create mood boards on Pinterest or in your wedding planning scrapbook so you can visualise your ideas and see if those colours are for you!
Infuse the colours throughout your wedding: Infuse the colours throughout your wedding from your invites, wedding decoration, food and finishing touches or your wedding day outfits!
And remember when planning your dream wedding, it’s okay not to base your colour scheme on preconceived combinations. Hopefully, the above ideas will inspire you to get creative and mix and match to create your ideal theme. With all this in mind, your wedding day should look amazing and feel amazing and be a memorable one you and your guests won’t forget!
MORE GREAT WEDDING PLANNING TIPS!
Wedding Fayres we think you’ll love!
Wedding Supplier’s we think you’ll love!
