10 Tips for Selecting Your Perfect Wedding Colors

The colors you choose for your wedding are what helps bring everything together and help set the tone for the whole event. The colors you pick will influence everything from invitations and flowers to bridesmaids’ dresses and table settings. Getting this decision right can make your wedding feel cohesive, personal, and memorable. Here are 10 practical tips to help you select wedding colors that truly reflect your style and vision.

Start with Your Venue and Season

Your wedding location and the time of year provide a natural starting point for your color choices. For example, a rustic barn wedding in autumn pairs beautifully with warm tones like burnt orange, deep reds, and mustard yellow. A beach wedding in the summer time might call for cool blues, sandy beige, and coral accents.

Consider how natural light and surroundings will interact with your colors. Outdoor venues often look best with colors that complement the landscape, while indoor venues might allow for bolder or darker shades.

Reflect Your Personal Style in your Wedding Colors

Your wedding colors should feel like an extension of you and your partner. Think about your favorite colors and styles. Do you prefer classic elegance, modern minimalism, or something playful and vibrant? If you love jewel tones, rich emerald or sapphire could be stunning. If you lean toward soft and romantic, blush pinks and creams might suit you better.

Avoid choosing colors just because they are trendy. Trends change, but your wedding photos will last forever.

Limit Your Palette

Using too many colors can make your wedding look chaotic. Stick to two or three main colors to create a balanced and harmonious look. For example, navy blue, dusty rose, and gold work well together without overwhelming the senses.

You can add neutrals like white, ivory, or gray to soften the palette and provide contrast.

Use the Color Wheel for Inspiration

The color wheel is a helpful tool for finding combinations that naturally complement each other. Here are a few ideas:

• Analogous colors: Colors next to each other on the wheel, like blue, teal, and green, create a serene and cohesive look.

• Complementary colors: Colors opposite each other, such as purple and yellow, offer bold contrast and energy.

• Monochromatic scheme: Different shades of the same color, like light pink, rose, and burgundy, provide depth and elegance.

  
  

Consider Your Wedding Attire

Your wedding dress, groom’s suit, and bridesmaids’ dresses should coordinate with your color scheme. If your dress is traditional white, you have more freedom with colors. For ivory or champagne dresses, warmer tones often look better.

Ask your bridal party for input on what colors suit their skin tones and preferences. Comfortable and confident bridesmaids and groomsmen will enhance the overall look.

Think About Your Flowers

Flowers are a major part of your wedding decor and can reinforce your color choices. Work with your florist to select blooms that fit your palette and season. For example, peonies and ranunculus are perfect for spring weddings, while dahlias and sunflowers shine in fall.

Using flowers in varying shades of your chosen colors adds texture and interest.

Plan for Different Shades and Textures

Colors don’t have to be flat or uniform. Mixing different shades and textures can add richness to your wedding design. For example, pairing matte linens with shiny satin ribbons or combining soft pastels with metallic accents creates visual appeal.

This approach also allows you to use your colors in subtle ways, such as in napkins, candles, or signage.

Test Your Colors Together

Before finalizing your palette, gather samples of fabrics, flowers, and paper goods to see how the colors look side by side. Lighting can change how colors appear, so view samples in natural light and the venue’s lighting if possible.

This step helps avoid surprises and ensures your colors work well together in real life.

Use Color to Set the Mood

Colors evoke emotions and can influence the atmosphere of your wedding. Soft blues and greens create a calm and relaxed vibe, while bright reds and oranges bring energy and excitement. Pastels often feel romantic and dreamy, and dark colors like navy or burgundy add sophistication.

Think about the mood you want your guests to experience and choose colors that support that feeling.

Keep Your Guests in Mind

While your wedding is about you, consider how your colors will look to your guests. High-contrast colors can be striking but may be hard on the eyes if overused. Also, think about accessibility: some guests may have color vision differences, so avoid combinations like red and green that can be confusing.

Using clear contrasts and balanced colors ensures everyone enjoys the visual experience.