You’re engaged! Now comes the wedding planning process. Believe it or not, one of the first things you should focus on is choosing your wedding colors.
When it comes to choosing wedding colors, it can be hard to know what’s best. You might be tempted to choose your favorite color, but you should also ensure that the color has enough shades that work with your preferences and the rest of the theme.
While it is true that there are other factors to consider, the color scheme and color combinations chosen for a wedding are one of the most talked about subjects. For example, consider your wedding season and your event’s level of formality to decide on the perfect color combination for your big day!
To help you out, we’ve put together this little guide to choosing your wedding colors and listed some of the most popular wedding colors for the 2023 wedding season.
What to Think About When Choosing Your Wedding Colors
Once you’ve finalized your wedding color, things like tablecloths and flowers will be much easier to organize. Here is what to think about when picking your wedding colors:
The Time of Year
Your wedding colors should reflect the time of year you’re getting married. It’s common knowledge that colors tend to be associated with different seasons, but seasons are far more nuanced than the winter/summer divide. It’s important to note how you style your wedding palette to match the mood of the time of year.
To illustrate, the typical colors of a spring wedding are soft and fresh, like pastels. On the other hand, summer weddings often have brighter colors and those that resemble tones found in sunsets. Fall and winter wedding colors usually include darker shades, metallics, and neutrals. Using an accent color can allows you to lighten or darken your color palette for different seasons.
The Venue
View some venues before deciding on the final color scheme to get a feel for what colors work best with the venues you are considering. Venues like warehouses or open fields are often blank slates – in other words, any color you choose will work. With these venues, there is no strict guideline of what you have to do, so you can be as creative and use as many or as few decorations as you want to create a truly personal touch.
If you’re considering a design with many decorative features, consider incorporating those details into your color scheme. That might mean considering adding a flower to your centerpieces that match the carpets or finding charger plates that match the lighting. Clever use of colors that match your space can bring out its best features.
Finally, keep in mind that spaces with natural lighting, like outdoor venues or art galleries, are perfect for natural tones, but sleek or modern spaces like hotels or lofts are best with more bold colors.
The Wedding Style
Your choice of wedding colors will affect the environment and ambiance at your wedding. You should consider your personal taste and be sure to choose a palette that complements the theme, feel, and vision for your day. Assessing your wedding style is essential when choosing your wedding colors.
When looking for a fun and energetic environment, it makes sense to include eye-catching colors like pink, turquoise, red or yellow. If you’re looking for something timeless, choose black tie. Basic colors like navy blue, black, ivory, and gold or silver will look gorgeous. Think about what you would like in your wedding decor and atmosphere, and then pick colors accordingly. Get inspired by your dream wedding style, and go from there!
Your Preferences and Skin Tones
Personal preferences are hugely important when choosing wedding colors.
Wedding colors can be tricky. If you’re still unsure where to begin, look at the colors you already surround yourself with and what looks great on your wedding party! Take cues from their skin tone, hair color, and the colors you love in your own home decor and wardrobe.
A great way to develop a color palette that suits you is to create a Pinterest wedding board with images you like. Don’t limit yourself to wedding images, either. Any color scheme you are drawn to will help you narrow down your choice.
Choosing Wedding Colors: Where to Use Them
You can feature your wedding colors in a few places, so consider these when establishing your wedding color palette.
Stationery
Your wedding stationery, such as wedding invitations, thank you notes, and place cards, are often created with your chosen wedding colors.
Wedding Attire
The wedding party is one of the most obvious places your wedding color palette will be featured. Many brides opt to have bridesmaid dresses in a feature color or shades of the same color, while the groom’s party may choose ties or handkerchiefs that will take cues from the color palette. A fun way to display some of your other favorite colors is through your shoes, accessories, or even on your wedding dress!
Flowers
Flowers are a fantastic way to incorporate your wedding colors in an elegant, fun, and fresh way. It also allows you to bring in colors that are not featured as prominently in your wedding attire, wedding decor, or accessories. Bring your color choices to your florist and see what they can come up with—the sky is the limit!
The Cake
Traditionally, wedding cakes have been white, but now many couples choose more elaborate and colorful designs. If you are a traditionalist, you can always add a highlight color as a topper or decoration around the cake.
Linens, Place Settings, and Decor
It may be challenging to coordinate your color scheme across the different elements of your wedding, but one of the best ways you can do this is with your table settings. Table linens in various colors allow you to create a colorful backdrop for your place settings, linen runners, and other tableware.
The Bar
You can choose to serve a signature cocktail that incorporates your wedding color and offer paper straws and napkins that also feature the colors.
The Best Wedding Colors 2023: What’s Trending
With so many colors to choose from, the possibilities of your wedding color combination are endless. But to make things easier, we’ve compiled a handy guide outlining some popular color combinations for 2023 that go well with the different seasons.
For Spring Weddings
Spring weddings mean that the flowers are gorgeous and there’s plenty of romance in the air. Couples who take advantage of this season and get married have a light and airy palette to choose from. Here are some color palettes for spring weddings, ones you can use as inspiration for your wedding day.
- Lilac, Blush Pink & Vintage Yellow
- Rose Quartz, Dusty Blue, Light Pink & Cream
- Royal Blue, Champagne, Cream Rose & Mauve
- French Blue, Vintage White & Navy
- Emerald & Silver
- Sage & Ivory
- Lemon Yellow, Stormy Gray, & Light Gray
For Summer Weddings
Summer weddings will always be a popular choice, and with good reason! The season has several great trademarks, such as sunny days, fresh greenery, and bright color schemes. Check out these summery color combinations:
- Marigold Yellow, Navy Blue & Slate Gray
- Forest Green, White & Gold
- Petal Pink, Cornflower Blue & Mauve Purple
- Mint Green, Peach Pink & Watermelon Pink
- Baby Blue, Buttercream Yellow, Pastel Pink, Lavender
- Bubblegum Pink, Cotton Candy, Strawberry Red
For Fall Weddings
Coming up with a seasonal wedding theme is much easier if you’re thinking about the already established color schemes that come with autumn. It’s easy to create a cohesive mood and atmosphere by playing with darker tones or those that mimic the changing leaves. Here are some of our favorites:
- Plum, Gray, Copper & Dusty Rose
- Rose Gold, Burgundy & Oatmeal Beige
- Burnt Orange, Cream & Moss Green
- Crimson Red, Gold, Magenta & Raspberry Red
- Tan, Peach, Sand
For Winter Weddings
One of our favorite seasons for weddings is winter. We love how it offers a change from the norm with ambiance, decorations, and gowns that would be hard to do in any other season. Get inspiration from these color combinations:
- Black, White, Taupe Gold & Shimmery Gold
- Emerald Green, Garnet Red & Snowy White
- Silver, Ice Blue, Frost White & Metallic Gray
- All White
Your Wedding Colors
It’s not uncommon for brides to feel confused when choosing wedding colors. That’s why it’s essential to have some guidance in picking the perfect shades you and your partner will love. Choose your wedding colors and tie them together with a wedding gown from Viero Bridal.
With flagship locations in Chicago, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, one of our bridal consultants can help you find the wedding gown of your dreams. Book an appointment today!