12 Inspired Wedding Color Palettes to Inspire Your Own
Your wedding colors are the anchor for your big-day décor. Inspired by your personal preferences and your event's seasonality and location, the wedding color palette you settle on will help drive the visual components of your day and ensure everything looks on-theme and cohesive—which is why selecting your colors should be one of the first décor-related decisions you make. After all, understanding your color vision will make floral, linen, and rental decisions significantly easier. Not all shade combinations work well together, so it's helpful to keep basic design rules in mind when curating a tasteful palette. Here's a solid rule of thumb: Choose one or two colors as main hues, then select one or two secondary colors (one of these should be a neutral, which will help blend those focal point colors together seamlessly) for support. To finish it off, choose a fun accent shade—like a metallic like gold or silver—that you'll use sparingly throughout your event.
Many brides begin the planning process with at least one color in mind, but if you're stuck on how to build on this, look to other elements of your celebration to inform the rest of your palette. During which season are you getting married? Deep jewel tones work for winter celebrations, while soft greens are great for spring, and warm rusts speak to the fall. Another place to source color inspiration is your venue. Are you having a destination wedding in Santorini, Greece? Consider a contemporary palette. Alternatively, an oceanside wedding in southern California would be beautiful with cream, peach, and sage notes. Today, we've gathered an exhaustive collection of color palettes that real couples integrated into their own big days. As you plan your own wedding color scheme, look to these examples from Fine Art Curation members to inspire your design decisions.
DUSKY ROSE & GRAY
From Wedding Planner, Federica Beni: "I have worked in this stunning venue several times and the colors of the outdoor environment of the villa are the ones typical of Tuscan villas. For a planner/designer is not an easy situation when your brides ask for the usual color palettes or too delicate ones (that don’t stand out in pictures) or palettes that don’t match at all with the place where their celebration will take place. On a various pink shades basic we added some pops of mauve colour which we declined not only in flowers but also in the papers, in the ribbons for the decoration of each place setting. The result was simply perfection and most of all the clients were super happy with it which in the end is what matters."
Design and Production: Federica Beni | Photography: Greg Finck | Florals: La Rosa Canina Firenze | Papers: Kelsey Malie Calligraphy | Venue: La Foce
BURGUNDY
From Planner, Pamela Barefoot: "From floral choices to lipstick to a red vintage car, the quintessential color of love was the star that shone against the lush greens and blues of the Irish countryside. The deep red was a unique choice for a March wedding; we wanted a bold color that would stand up to the dark gray stone of the castle, while adding ivory and gold for a more romantic touch."
Photography: Amelia Johnson Photography | Planner/Design: Pamela Barefoot
NEUTRAL BLUSH
From K. Saw Weddings: "I envisioned this Tuscan Micro wedding Editoria in a chic and feminine vibe by utilizing a neutral color palette with shades of blush and creams with hints of greens as a pop of color coming from the palm trees that surround our serene venue."
Photographer: Stella Yang | Film Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Stylist / Planner: K. Saw Weddings | Floral Designer: Awaiting the Name Floral
MEDITERRANEAN BOHO
From Planner Emma Events: "In planning destination wedding on the Amalfi Coast I do always take in mind what you have around and try to let the bride play with colors and style and it is possible to play with so many different colors and style."
Planning: Emma Events | Photography: Paolo Ceritano | Flowers: Rosalinda Flowers Wedding Lab | Venue: Marincanto Romantic Hotel | Stationery: Ink Revival
NEUTRAL FALL
From Planner, Krissy Campbell: "In general, a celebration’s color palette has several key factors at play such as natural surroundings, architecture, culture, and season, let alone the couple’s preferences and story. This bride and groom wanted to tie together a modern and clean, yet timeless style, weaving elements and color together to create a personal and thoughtful experience for each guest. We created their palette as a reflection of the naturally driven tones of the early autumn season along with descriptors such as organic and inviting, warm and sentimental in mind… words that had expressed the couple’s vision for their celebration and their love."
Design, Planning & Styling: Krissy Campbell | Photography: Clary Pfeiffer | Dinner Venue: Market House on the Square | Floral Design: Kelly Lenard | Stationery/Paper Goods: Siwo Studio | Bridal Gown: Oscar de la Renta via Janet Mandell
CLASSIC & ROMANTIC BLUSH
From Planner, Emma Events: "I do believe that the first inspiration always came from the bride desire and I do always try to understand they style and then the colors she is looking fo the wedding. Most of the time classic colors and trendy style are the one they preferred but it is always very important to gently drive brides toward a specific style because, some times, it happen that they just want so many different element that don’t match with the style."
Planning: Emma Events | Photography: Rossini Photography | Flowers: Malafronte Fiori | Stationery: Fraae Sposito | Cake Designer: Antonio Ventieri
PEARS, LAVENDER & ORANGE
From planner, Marie Chicchirichi: "We like to be inspired by the wedding venue and the season to imagine your ambience. Here, with the florist designer "Lettre à Elise Events", we have chosen to work with soft, romantic and luminous colours, which are perfect for an elegant wedding in South of France. Shades of blush, orange, white, illuminated by a touch of purple to recall the lavender."
Photography: Alain M | Planning and Design: Marie Chicchirichi
ROSE & PRIMROSE YELLOW
From RSVP Events: "Many brides swoon for the classic, soft tones like blush, butter, lilac, and dusty blue, but want the wedding design to feel more unique. One way to do this is to dial up the saturation of a few select tones. In this spring color palette, saturated pops of chateau rose, primrose yellow, and cherry act as focal tones with the support of blush, butter, lilac, and dusty blue as canvas tones. While unique and colorful, this palette still reads as soft, romantic, and timely for spring."
Wedding Planning & Design: RSVP Events | Photography: Tenth & Grace | Venue: The Swan House | Floral Design: Nicole Chapman Design | Calligraphy & Paper Goods: Shasta Bell Calligraphy | Rentals: Blue Eyed Yonder | Cake: Tessa Pinner | Ribbons & Textiles: Silk & Willow | Table Linen: La Tavola | Candles: Creative Candles
LEMON, PEACH, PINK & ORANGE
From RSVP Events: "Brides often worry that a colorful palette cannot be timeless. In a saturated color palette, adding tones that reduce the contrast can create a more delicate, timeless feeling. This color palette was inspired by summer romance: Stealing kisses beneath the trees with your love, the warmth of the sun, lying in a field of wildflowers. The color palette features bright, summery hues in lemon, peach, bright pinks, and hints of orange peel. Neutral tones in the table linen, napkins, and china have warm undertones in hues of honey, linen, and cream that are transitional and bring warmth to the palette, whereas stark white elements could be too harsh. This warmth carries through in the textural brass and gold elements throughout the design."
Wedding Planning & Design: RSVP Events | Photography: Lauren Fair Photography | Floral Design: Melissa Broadwell | Venue: Green Door Gourmet | Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier | Hair & Makeup: Erin Ryser | Paper Goods: Ink & Press Co. | Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes | Veil & Lingerie: Girl & A Serious Dream | Garters: The Garter Girl | Jewelry: Walton’s Antique & Estate Jewelry | Menswear: Street Tuxedo | Tabletop Rentals: White Glove Rentals | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Styling Surfaces: Locust Collection | Mixology: Bar Magnolia | Ribbon: Tono & Co | Candles: Creative Candles | Cakes: Copper Whisk Cakes | Furniture Rentals: Please Be Seated
FRENCH BLUE
From RSVP Events: "Tailoring your color palette to your venue offers a truly seamless cohesion in your wedding design, creating an effortless, thoughtful, and curated effect. This color palette and every aspect of the wedding design was inspired by Château de Villette, a magical venue nestled just outside Paris. Hues of French blue, cream blush, dove, rose, butter, sapphire, and gold gilded accents feel right at home at Château de Villette. In this design, the filigree molding of the dining room was the inspiration for custom bridal headpieces handcrafted by Lena Rom. Tasseled menus echo the tasseled keys in each door of the château, and the antique French plates at reception act as a nod to the antique French china displayed throughout the venue. Château de Villette is known as Le Petit Versailles (Little Versailles), as the splendid gardens were designed by André Le Nôtre, who also designed the gardens of Château de Versailles. To reflect this, the Heather gown by Chana Marelus embodies the symmetry iconic to traditional French gardens, as seen in the gardens of Château de Villette and Versailles."
Wedding Planning & Design: RSVP Events | Photography: Molly Carr Photography | Floral Designer: Lily Paloma | Dress Designer: Chana Marelus | Jewelry: Maison Mellerio | Paper Goods:Shasta Bell Calligraphy | Rentals and Table Linens: Madame de la Maison | Hair Adornments: Lena Rom | Shoes: Bella Belle | Venue: Chateau de Villette | Hair & Make-up Artist: Kassaundra Stephens | Candles: Creative Candles | Ribbons: Daucus Tinctura
BURNT RUST & ORANGE
From planners, De Vasco's Daughters: "Katie and Elliott's intimate fall wedding color palette began with the groom's love of his university in Texas. The university's colors are orange and white. They fell in love with the idea of a custom suit, made for him in a gorgeous rusty red/orange. Katie's auburn hair completely complimented our first choice of colors. From there we added beautiful champagne and blush tones to add balance, along with creating a more feminine bridal feel. As well as shades of blue. We wanted a sophisticated fall palette, with lots of depth and texture, that fit both Katie's classic style to Elliott's more rugged aesthetic."
Planning: De Vasco's Daughters | Photography: Perry James Photography
EMERALD GREEN & WHITE
From planners, De Vasco's Daughters: "For Natalie and Mitch's November wedding....they wanted a Black Tie affair. The venue they chose acted as a blank slate, with its clean lines, all white walls and natural lighting. Natalie chose a rich emerald green for her bridesmaids. Naturally, we worked with black, ivory and emerald greens for our main colors. Then added touches of silver and gold for some elegance. As well as shades of toffee and blush to add more texture, interest and depth. Being a November wedding, they wanted it to be both elegant and sophisticated, without seeming too "holiday". We used a mixture of linens for our table - soft matte gold and lush emerald green velvets dressed the guest tables, while the head table was dressed in a subtle, almost birch-like linen on ivories and metallics. Even the petite wedding cake was a perfect combination of ivory and black and sat proudly displayed on a vintage chest painted in green!"
Planning: De Vasco's Daughters | Photography: Perry James Photography
