ions is choosing your wedding color palette. It’s more than just picking a few pretty shades—it’s about setting the mood, defining your aesthetic, and creating a celebration that truly reflects you as a couple.
Color impacts everything from your invitations and flowers to your attire, table settings, and photos. The right palette can bring your vision to life, making your wedding feel cohesive, intentional, and uniquely yours. But with thousands of options and Pinterest boards full of inspiration, how will you ever choose? Here’s our guide to help you select a wedding color palette that feels authentic, beautiful, and totally you and your partner.
START WITH WHAT YOU LOVE
Skip the trends for a moment. Close your eyes and take a moment to truly think about the colors that you gravitate towards. What colors do you lean towards? What are the shades that make you feel HAPPY, COMFORTABLE, and INSPIRED? If you’re thinking, well how do I narrow it down? There’s some clues in your home to help!
Look in your closet. What colors do you wear most?
Check your home decor. Is there a theme that you gravitate to? More neutrals? Bright pops of colors? Are there tones that you see again and again in your home?
Flip through your saved pinterest boards. Okay, maybe not your 2012 wedding boards, but what things have you saved?
This personal starting point helps create a palette that feels familiar and true to your style, rather than forced or trend-driven. And if you and your partner have very different tastes, try to find a middle ground by blending your favorite tones. Maybe you love blush/pink tones and they are fans of dark blues – pair them together. Contrast is great!
CONSIDER THE SEASON
You can either do it one of two ways – find your colors and plan to book your wedding in the appropriate season or select your season and let the colors inspire you. Your wedding season selection will naturally influence your color palette. Now there are no strict rules, but colors do interact with light, surroundings, and the availability of fresh florals. So, let’s do a quick breakdown of seasonal color recommendations.
SPRING: Spring brings softness. Think of soft pastels, fresh greens, lavender, blush tones, and pale blues. This is the season of renewal, pair your tones to create fresh spaces.
SUMMER: Bright and bold shades like coral, turquoise, fuschia, and citrus tones pop in the sunshine and vibrant landscapes.
AUTUMN: Fall brings warm, earthy tones like rust, burgundy, mustard, forest green, and terracotta. These color are perfect for fall’s natural backdrop.
WINTER: Opt for elegant shades like deep emerald, navy, wine, icy blue, or rich jewel tones that shine in the colder months.
When you think about seasons and color palette, think about tones that will enhance the season. You do not need to match the season – we actually don’t recommend it. Fall weddings do not have to be orange and brown. Winter weddings can be pastel if you love the look. It doesn’t box you in, but just leaves you some thoughts to consider.
LET YOUR VENUE BE YOUR GUIDE
Your venue’s existing features—like wall colors, flooring, lighting, and landscape—can either complement or clash with your chosen colors. A ballroom with gold chandeliers might pair better with warm, classic tones, while a modern industrial space might shine with bold or moody hues. As you select your venue, of if you’re looking to select your color palette consider these thoughts:
What colors are primarily in space?
Are the tones cool or warm?
Will your color palette enhance or clash with the surroundings?
Are you using the same venue space for both ceremony and reception?
If your venue speaks for itself, or has strong elements that you can’t change – like a festive patterned carpet, or bright walls – work with the tones, don’t work against them.
FIND INSPIRATION IN YOU
What is your unique story with your partner? How did you meet? How did they ask for your hand? You have a unique story – your hobbies, favorite travel memories, places, and personal memories that can help inspire your wedding palette. Ask your self questions such as:
Where is a core memory in your relationship? Was it a trip to the beach?
Are you planning a wedding in your hometown? What is your hometown known for – example: my hometown is known for lilacs. You may want to bring in some of those shades!
Do you want to honor your culture or heritage? Pull colors from traditional attire, flags, or cultural aspects.
By grounding your palette in something personal, your wedding will feel more intimate and authentic.
BUILD AROUND ONE MAIN COLOR
Once you’ve identified ONE color you love, use this as your anchor color. This will be your core color that you will create your palette around. You will begin to select and layer in complementary tones. We like to use the following as a guide:
Select 1 or 2 main colors. These colors will be the MOST visible throughout your wedding
Select 1 or 2 accent colors. These are used to highlight and add contract or depth to your wedding palette
Select at least 1 neutral. This will bring balance to your color palette and add grounding or flexibility to your overall design.
Here is an example:
Main Color: Dusty Rose/Blush Pink
Accent Color: Forest Green
Neutrals: Ivory
This combination speaks to softness, romance, and is grounded. This would be perfect for a March or April wedding that compliments spring. A favorite pro tip of ours is to use Canva or Adobe to explore color combinations! Also, be sure to check out Pantone’s color of the year of color swatches.
THINK OF TEXTURES, NOT JUST SHADES
Sometimes couples can get stuck on a flat version of a color. Blue can become more interesting when you play with shades, tints, and textures. Add a variety of fabric finishes, like velvet, satin, or a pressed linen. Your color choice will be elevated and become dimensional. This can translate to your invitation suite, linens, and even your choices for wedding party attire!
CONSIDER HOW YOUR PALETTE WILL PHOTOGRAPH
Your colors should not only look good in person. You will want your photos to translate well in photos and videos. You will need to think about how your color palette will appear against different backdrops in your venue, under natural lighting or artificial lighting. For example, some very pale pastels will look washed out in natural lighting, while dark tones may need to be balanced with lighter accents to pop on camera. Consult your photographer for advice. Photographers have ample knowledge and understanding of colors and what will shoot best in your venue’s lighting.
TRENDS AREN’T ALWAYS BEST
Trendy palettes like “terracotta and blush” or “sage and ivory” are beautiful, but if they don’t feel like you and your partner skip them. Your wedding colors should reflect your personality and vision—not what’s trending on social media. There’s no “right” palette. You have to discover the palette that is best for YOU. Trends will always fade – keep that in mind!
Always remember that your palette is a guide, NOT a rule book. Choosing your wedding color palette is one of the first steps in designing a celebration that’s truly you. Instead of stressing over the “perfect” shades, focus on what feels right—what colors spark joy, what styles reflect your story, and what combinations make you feel excited about your big day.At the end of the day, the best palette is the one that reflects you, your partner, your love, your story, and your future. Let your wedding colors be a celebration of who you are—together.
Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Tacoma Wedding Planner with over 19 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.