How to Match Your Wedding Color Palette to Your Venue

Matching your color palette to your venue is a huge part of creating a cohesive aesthetic for your wedding day. Color is a rule the rest of the event must follow, the uniform of the bridal decor. So how do you pick one color palette out of an endless sea of choices? Don't worry, we've got you!

Here's everything you need to know about matching your color palette to your wedding venue:

What Is a Wedding Color Scheme?

A wedding color scheme is a set of colors and tones used throughout your wedding day for attire, floral arrangements, invitations, linens, wedding cake design, and other aesthetic choices.

Weddings are as old as love itself, and plenty of color palettes have been used over and over for a reason: they work. However, you don't always have to choose what's popular. Just like with true love itself, sometimes you have to follow your heart.

Popular Wedding Color Ideas

Trends come and go like the seasons; there's nothing wrong with ignoring them and doing your own thing! However, here are a few color palettes that are tried and true.

Here are wedding color trends in 2023 to inspire you:

• Pink Shades 
•  Earthy Neutrals 
•  Deep or Dramatic Colors 
•  Green Palettes

How to Pick Your Wedding Colors with Your Venue in Mind

Indoor or Outdoor Venues

The location of your wedding will influence your chosen colors. After all, you want to work with your venue’s inherent color palette.

Indoor weddings often allow flexibility when it comes to matching your wedding colors. A ballroom wedding venue, for example, might be a blank slate to add dramatic reds or vibrant blues. Ballrooms are also ideal for beige and monochromatic color themes or any other timeless, elegant look.

With outdoor weddings, you might use the location's natural features as part of the decor. For example, a vineyard might feature beautiful sunflowers and lavender, like at Abby and Nick’s vintage-inspired wedding. The happy couple used sunflowers and lavender for everything from bridal bouquets to the sweetheart table decor.

Photo by John Munno Weddings

Wedding Theme

Your wedding's theme is an excellent starting point for determining a color palette.  For example, if you're having a beach wedding, you might choose shades of blue or green to represent the ocean. A rustic-inspired wedding usually includes earth tones with pops of a brighter accent color.

The Mood of the Venue

When you step into the space, how does it feel?

The location's atmosphere will help you match your wedding colors to the venue. Is it light and  airy, like freshly blooming flowers in spring? Or is it dark, decadent, and romantic, like a Halloween-esque mansion?

When choosing your palette, ask yourself:

• What does the space feel like?    
• What textures does it have?    
• How much natural and artificial light is present?

Determining the mood or vibe of the venue is essential for choosing the best colors and wedding decor.

Search for Inspiration

Still feeling stumped about where to start? Try looking at past photos from your venue’s previous events. You can also browse through Pinterest for a goldmine of ideas, or get inspired by our blog! You can find tons of tips, tricks, and photos of real weddings to get you daydreaming of your wedding colors here.

How to Match your Wedding Colors to the Venue

Beach Weddings

Who doesn't dream of marrying the love of their life on a faraway tropical beach? The most important part of planning your colors for a beach wedding is considering the color of the ocean.

Lizzy and Michael's Cancun beach wedding, incorporated elegant shades of blue to enhance the natural beauty of the Mexican ocean. The calming Dusty Blue and Navy tones are as traditional as they are romantically tropical.

Photo by Quetzal Photo

However, you don’t have to literally mimic the color of the water. Jezzy and Billy went with soft, dusty pinks and classic whites for their Gulf Coast beach wedding. The muted pinks stood out against the white sands without stealing the show. A warm, wood-toned floral archway highlighted the happy couple against the colors of the sand and sea. To get Jezzy and Billy's look, check out the Dusty Rose and Cream collection.

Photo by Gricelda's Photography

From understated romantic to warm and natural, the ocean will go with the flow (pun intended).

Barn and Farm Weddings

Getting married at a barn or farm can be a charming and rustic way to celebrate your special day. To match your wedding colors to this type venue, try using natural colors and materials and incorporating farm-style elements whenever possible.

At Nicki and Brandon's Montana farmhouse wedding, a Sunset Terracotta palette provided rustic vibes for everything from the floral arrangements to the decor. The warm wedding colors matched with background foliage and rolling hills of Montana.

Photo by @amongthepinesphoto

You don't have to go neutral to go farmhouse. Kelly and Tom's Modern Farmhouse wedding took place in an open field with the reception inside an airy farmhouse. To provide pastoral romance, this couple chose a palette of sweet pink and classic white. The white florals matched the elegant exterior of the house, and the pink added an undertone of romance. Ling's White & Sage and Blush & Cream collections recall the French countryside with the perfect blend of pink, cream, and lush greenery.

Photo by Juliet Macey Photography

To sum up: For barn and farmhouse weddings, matching your wedding colors is as simple as using natural materials and location-specific decor whenever possible.

Remember: Barns and farms are known to have unique lighting challenges, so consider using string lights, lanterns, or candles to create a dreamy lighting scheme for photos.

Gardens, Wineries, Vineyards

Gardens, wineries, and vineyards can lend gradients of majestic color to your big day.

From whimsical pinks to earthy terracotta, there are near unlimited ways to connect your wedding color palette to a vineyard or garden venue.

Emaan and Kerby chose to go a romantic route with the color palette for their garden wedding. The Dusty Rose & Cream gently complimented the lush outdoor greenery of the garden, while still mirroring the deep love shared by the couple.

Photo by Kevyn Dixon photography

On the other hand, Emily and Jackson wanted a touch of terracotta for their vineyard wedding. As a versatile shade, terracotta pairs well with warm, cool, muted, or saturated colors. In this case, the vineyard was filled with lilac blooms and lush green vines, which perfectly accented the hexagonal altar decorated in white and terracotta flowers. Nice and neutral, beige pampas grass add fullness to the bouquets. Smooth and gradient, the bridesmaid dresses help tie the terracotta florals with the venue's lilac.

Photo by @RachaelKreidPhotography

Weddings in Historic or Religious Buildings

Hosting your special day in a historic or religious building can be a unique and meaningful experience. These types of buildings often harbor a rich history or cultural significance that can add symbolism to your wedding.

However, churches, mosques, or synagogues also need special consideration when deciding what color palette to use. This type of venue is less flexible than, say, a beach location.

Here are our four top tips for matching your wedding colors with historical or religious buildings:

• Look at the style of the establishment. Historic buildings often have a specific style or period they represent, so choosing colors that reflect that style is important.  
•  Consider religious significance. Different religions may have colors that are associated with them. It's essential to be respectful of religious significance. 
•  Go green. Play up existing natural features like flowers, foliage, gardens, or outdoor spaces, like courtyards. 
•  Pay special attention to the lighting. Religious sites or other historic buildings might have different lighting than what you're used to — such as gentle light from a staned glass window.

Rooftops or Lofts

Rooftop or loft weddings are on trend, perfect for couples who love urban living and industrial settings. Many wedding color schemes go well with a rooftop or loft venue.

These are a few of the best color palettes to make your rooftop or loft wedding a success:

• Cool neutrals. Sleek shades of gray, white, and black are go-to's for modern weddings of any sort, and rooftops are no exception. 
•  Lively jewel tones. Deep and rich color combos like Burgundy & Navy can add a touch of luxury and personality to an urbanized setting. This type of palette works well as an accent to any rooftop or loft venue. 

•  Enticing metallics. Gold, silver, or the popular rose gold can add a touch of glamour and a dash of warmth to any venue. Simple details like gold candlestick holders can add romance without distracting from the urban space. The Lilac & Gold Collection takes this a step further with the soft purple hues.

Overall, many palettes work well when choosing rooftop or loft wedding colors. However, it's essential to consider the urban atmosphere when matching your wedding colors to a rooftop venue.

Country Clubs

It's easy to see why country clubs are popular for weddings. Well-manicured lawns, indoor options for ceremonies, and banquets — not to mention the luxurious status of the country club. Bougie, much?

At the risk of sounding redundant: Again, it’s important to take inspiration from the venue's surroundings. Use those beautiful golf courses and lakes to complement when choosing your palette, like Chloe and Nathan did at their timeless lakeside wedding - the Dusty Blue and Navy collection.

Photo by @noblephotoco

Hotels

Choosing the best color palette to match a hotel's decor can be quite straightforward. Many hotels have modern, sleek decor with neutral colors like gray, taupe, or off-white. Aim for shades that enhance the hotel's decor, like the White & Beige collection.

Of course, adding a pop of color to a neutral space is always an option. Hope & Sampson's Regal Southern Wedding used accents of Marsala & Blush to contrast the regal white-walled Georgia mansion

Photo by @cuenca.creative

How to Choose Wedding Theme Colors: Extra Tips

Prioritize your preferences

It's crucial to consider your personal style and taste first. Ultimately, the colors you choose for your wedding should reflect the love you share with your partner.

Did the bride wear pink on their first date? Did the happy couple go on a beach vacation for their first holiday?

Remember, this is your wedding, and any personal significance you can incorporate will help you choose your color palette.

Stay in season

The time of the year and seasons play a significant role in matching your color palette to your wedding venue. Some colors can be representative of a particular season. For example, Dark Teal & Burnt Orange can evoke the beauty of a fall landscape, while deep emerald tones remind us of spring gardens.

Curate mood

One important aspect of wedding planning that gets overlooked is mood. Here are a few ideas for curating the perfect mood through color:

• Timeless. Neutrals like black, gray, or brown are timeless color choices for any wedding. 

•  Romantic. Soft shades and warm tones, like in the Romantic Marsala collection, help create a dreamy and intimate mood. 

•  Rustic. Earthy tones like rich browns, sage green, and creamy ivory add a rustic touch. The Rust and Sepia collection instantly transforms any venue into a rustic space. 

•  Glamorous. When going glam, go bright with deep reds, emeralds, greens, and royal blues.

Choosing shades that match the mood you want to curate is critical to fitting your wedding colors to your venue.

Match your skin tone

Consider what looks best with your skin's natural colors and undertones. For brides with warm-toned skin, look for colors that are earthy or saturated, like amber or gold. Cool-toned individuals can emphasize their skin tone with cooler colors like blue, green, silver, or any metallic. It's important to remember that no matter your skin tone, any palette can fit into your big day.

Check for holidays on your wedding day

What could be more romantic than remembering your wedding every time a certain holiday rolls around?

When finalizing wedding colors, consider any holidays that align with your wedding day. This will play a big factor in determining your palette, and some are actually representative of a particular holiday. For example, SparklingRed can make a Christmas wedding feel festive and cozy.

Look at the Color of the Year

For brides who want to remain on trend, always consider the color of the year.  The Pantone Color of the Year is a carefully selected shade that is chosen to represent fashion, interior design, art, and wedding trends for the current year.

These are just a few ways to blend Pantone's Color of the Year into your wedding:

• Bridesmaid dresses 
•  Floral arrangements 
•  Boutonnieres 
•  Table linens 
•  Stationary 
•  Makeup and hair accessories

Consider the color meanings

Colors play a big part in determining the overall mood of any environment. Across the world, cultures and traditions use colors to represent different things.

Here are some common meanings of wedding colors:

• White. In many cultures, white represents innocence, purity, cleanliness, unity, and peace, making it the most popular choice for wedding dresses. 
• Blue. Expressing serenity, harmony, stability, fidelity, and trust, blue was traditionally worn by brides to signify their loyalty to the groom. Some say blue was worn to confuse the evil eye or to prevent bad luck. 
• Green. This color is used to represent growth, fertility, and resilience. Green is an obvious choice for fans of fresh, natural, and earthy themes. This color is used to represent fertility and resilience. 
• Purple. Nobility, royalty, and creativity are expressed in the color purple. 
•  Yellow. Bright and cheerful, yellow represents happiness, optimism, and joy. 
• Gold. Glamorous and luxurious, the color gold is used to represent wealth, prosperity, and shared success. 
• Pink. Soft, romantic, and used to create a whimsical atmosphere, pink symbolizes love, bliss, and sweetness. 
• Red. A symbol of love, passion, and desire, red is a bold color that makes a statement.

Conclusion

Matching your wedding color palette to the venue has a lot of moving pieces. From the venue's location to the season, theme, and more, so many things affect color choice. All the factors discussed here will help you to settle on a color palette to match your wedding venue.  We hope this guide has left you with more inspiration and less exasperation. If you found this helpful article, comment below or tag us @lingmoment on IG!