A Step By Step Guide to Choose Your Wedding Color Palette

There’s a near-endless variety of color combinations out there for your wedding. From romantic dusty rose, to warm terracotta, to cool blue and navy. Each color palette provides a beautiful opportunity to elevate your wedding day and express your personal sense of style.

With so many options, it can be tough to settle on just one color palette. But don’t worry. We're here to keep things simple. To help you along your wedding journey, here’s a step-by-step guide to choosing the perfect color palette for your wedding day. Use it to inspire your DIY wedding designs, or help guide you on the perfect pre-made palette for all your special moments. 

5 steps to choosing your wedding color palette

1. Consider the color wheel

While there are no hard and fast rules for wedding color schemes, there are some foundational design principles you might find useful. 

If you don’t have one, a color wheel can be a valuable tool in your wedding planning process. This can allow you to experiment with some classic color schemes. 

Colors that are opposites on the wheel are “complementary”, like yellow and violet. Colors that are neighbors on the wheel are “analogous”, like blue, blue-green, and blue-violet. Three colors that are evenly spaced out on the wheel are “triads”, like red, blue and yellow. You can create monochromatic color schemes using gradients and tints of the same color.

Each scheme creates a cohesive starting point for nearly any spectrum of colors. You can add neutral colors like white or tan to bring sophistication into your palette. 

Try choosing a primary color, such as red, blue or yellow,  and experimenting with different combinations until you find one that speaks to you. 

2. Complement your venue

Your venue helps establish the overall tone and theme for your wedding day. The decorations you choose can elevate it from something ordinary into a truly special place for your biggest moments. 

If you’ve already selected your venue, try to choose colors that complement its existing features and architecture. Delicate pastels can lend romance to a garden wedding, elegant white and beige can illuminate a cozy chapel, and cool blue tones can evoke serenity at a seaside wedding. 

If your venue’s existing decor is largely neutral, like a rustic barn or an open field, you have more leeway to make things your own with your color palette. If possible, try to have pictures of your venue on hand so you can compare colors more easily. 

3. Keep it seasonal

In addition to your venue, the season will influence the overall feeling at your wedding. Using seasonal colors is an excellent way to elevate your wedding decor, especially if your venue is outdoors. 

Soft pink is beautiful for spring, and cool blue tones can provide refreshing atmosphere for summer. Warm reds, yellows, and oranges can set the mood in a fall wedding, or rich burgundy could set the tone for a winter wedding.

Many colors look beautiful no matter the season, like classic white, and neutral tones are timeless and sophisticated. 

4. Take inspiration from trends

Sometimes, the best way to inspire yourself is through current wedding trends. Sites like Instagram or Pinterest are a goldmine for discovering beautiful color palettes and decor. 

Gather reference from other beautiful weddings, then incorporate your favorite elements into your own wedding color palette. Do you like the way a bridal bouquet uses white focal point flowers or the flowing pink fabrics on a wedding arch? Why not put your own spin on it at your wedding?

Remember–while it helps to take inspiration from others, don’t feel like you need to follow the crowd. It’s important to stay true to your own design sense. Getting an idea of what other couples use for their wedding could help you come up with a unique way to set your decor apart. Who knows, sharing your personal style may inspire a new wave of trends and brides! 

5. Consider the mood you’d like to create

Colors come with a complex psychological language. They can be mood-enhancing which can help set the overall tone for your special moment. Consider the mood and ambiance you’d like to create at your ceremony when choosing your palette.

Dusty rose and mauve can create an atmosphere that’s sweet and romantic. Earthy terracotta tones can create feelings of warmth and familiarity, and rich burgundy tones can evoke feelings of passion or mystery.

The palette you choose can help influence how both you and your guests feel. Keep in mind where you’d like your guest’s attention to be focused, too. Bold colors can be more prominent than soft or muted colors, so it helps to reserve your most attention-grabbing colors for focal points at your ceremony–like your bridal bouquet or the wedding arch. 

Bonus: Have fun with it

While the venue, season, and mood are all worth considering, it’s important not to overthink things. Have fun with your color palette, and don’t be afraid to experiment. 

If you’re still undecided about the direction you’d like to go in, consult with your partner, and your friends and family for their opinion. Sometimes, the most beautiful designs come together from unexpected sources. 

Above all else, the best wedding color scheme is the one that will bring you the most joy on your wedding day.

Where to find beautiful wedding color palettes for your wedding day

If you’re looking for a  way to elevate the color scheme for your wedding day, Ling’s moment is here to help.

We offer carefully curated wedding color palettes inspired by the beauty of the four seasons. Each of our designer flower box sets features a selection of gorgeous flowers and greenery styled into beautiful color palettes, perfect for weddings of any theme.

Choose one of our carefully designed color collections, or create your own custom palette with our foundational flowers and greenery. Once you’ve settled on your dream wedding color palette, you can create your decorations yourself, ensuring that every color is exactly the way you’ve envisioned.

Short on time or not a DIY expert? Try out our selection of pre-made wedding decor. It’s an easy and fun way to express your unique style on your wedding day.

We can’t wait to see what beautiful color palette you’ll choose!