Your wedding colours will influence everything from your flowers and bridesmaids’ dresses to your invitations, linens, and décor. They help bring your day together visually and emotionally, tying in with your personal style, the season, and your venue.
But with so many shades and palettes to choose from, how do you narrow it down? If you're feeling overwhelmed, these eight simple steps will help you find a colour scheme that suits you and your big day perfectly.
Get Inspired by Your Setting
The look and feel of your wedding venue can offer an excellent starting point for your colour palette. Whether you're saying "I do" in a rustic barn, modern hotel, or botanical garden, the natural tones and textures of the setting will help guide your choices. Instead of fighting your surroundings, use them to your advantage and build a cohesive atmosphere. A well-matched colour palette will enhance the beauty of your space rather than clash with it.
Choose colours that complement existing décor, architecture, or outdoor surroundings.
Look at the tones in flooring, walls, woodwork, or foliage as a base for your palette.
Consider how your chosen colours will appear in natural light or indoor lighting.
If your venue has strong colours, such as carpets or drapes, avoid clashing by selecting harmonising shades.
Keep Your Priorities in Mind
Every couple has unique priorities when it comes to their wedding day. Whether it’s a show-stopping gown, stunning floral displays, or a sentimental heirloom, these elements can influence your colour decisions. Let your most important design features take centre stage and use your palette to support them. This helps you build a colour scheme around what matters most.
Start with your biggest visual priorities, such as your dress, flowers, or table settings.
Ensure your colours enhance—not overpower—key features of your day.
Think about how your palette will affect photo aesthetics, especially in highlight moments.
Choose a secondary colour to support your statement pieces without distracting from them.
Think Seasonally
The time of year can naturally influence your wedding colours. Just like in fashion, seasonal shades help reflect the mood and tone of your celebration. Spring suits soft pastels and fresh greens, summer loves bold brights, autumn leans towards earthy rusts and golds, while winter embraces deep jewel tones and icy neutrals. Thinking seasonally ensures your colours feel appropriate and effortlessly stylish.
Embrace seasonal blooms and foliage for budget-friendly, on-theme colour inspiration.
Match your colours to seasonal backdrops like snowy landscapes or sunny gardens.
Avoid picking out-of-season colours that could feel mismatched or awkward in context.
Let seasonal textures—like velvet in winter or linen in summer—influence your styling.
Set the Mood
Colours evoke emotions. Think about the atmosphere you want your wedding to have—romantic, lively, minimalist, rustic—and choose colours that help you express that mood. A romantic wedding might lean on blush and gold, while a modern celebration could feature monochromes or bold contrasts. When your colours match the tone of your day, everything feels more cohesive and intentional.
Define your desired wedding style—romantic, classic, whimsical, or contemporary.
Use soft neutrals for calm and elegance or bold hues for energy and personality.
Match lighting and décor to enhance the emotional impact of your colour palette.
Be consistent in mood across all elements—from stationery to cake and floral design.
Look to What You Love
Your home, wardrobe, and favourite personal items can all be great sources of colour inspiration. Chances are, you're already drawn to certain tones without realising it. These are the colours you’ll feel most comfortable with—and they’ll likely reflect your personality, too. Pull from your everyday style to create a palette that feels authentic and "you."
Open your wardrobe to spot repeated colours that you gravitate toward naturally.
Consider the accent colours in your home décor—walls, cushions, artwork, etc.
Use colours from sentimental items like heirlooms, jewellery, or keepsakes.
Don’t overlook favourite textures and patterns that can influence your palette.
Do Your Research
Before committing to a colour scheme, take time to gather ideas and explore what’s possible. Wedding magazines, Pinterest boards, Instagram posts, and blogs are full of inspiration. Pay attention to what keeps catching your eye and look for recurring patterns in the images you save. Researching gives you clarity and helps refine your taste before making final decisions.
Create a mood board to gather and compare potential colour schemes.
Save images from real weddings that have the vibe you’re aiming for.
Look at how professionals pair colours across different wedding styles and seasons.
Take note of what you don’t like as much as what you love—this helps you eliminate options.
Consult the Colour Wheel
You don’t need a design degree to use the colour wheel—it’s a simple but powerful tool. It can help you understand which shades pair naturally together and which create contrast. Analogous colours (next to each other) offer a soft, harmonious look, while complementary colours (opposites) add bold contrast. This step ensures your palette is balanced, pleasing, and purposeful.
Use analogous colours for a soft and romantic feel, ideal for timeless weddings.
Try complementary pairings for a bold, dramatic statement with plenty of contrast.
Explore monochromatic schemes for a modern, sleek look using varying shades of one hue.
Don’t be afraid to mix neutrals with accents for a grounded but visually interesting palette.
Don’t Overthink It
Perfection isn't necessary when choosing your wedding colours. What matters most is that you and your partner feel happy with the look and feel of your celebration. Your colours don’t need to match everything exactly—small variations add depth and personality. Trust your instincts and don’t let the process become a source of stress.
Choose colours you genuinely love instead of chasing trends or outside opinions.
Use your palette as a guide, not a rulebook—allow for flexibility in the details.
Don’t feel pressured to stick to just two colours; accent tones add interest.
Remember that consistency is about feel, not exact matches across all elements.
Conclusion
Choosing your wedding colours should be an enjoyable and creative part of planning your big day. It’s not about following trends or finding the "perfect" shade—it’s about capturing your personality, setting the tone, and creating visual harmony.
By drawing inspiration from your surroundings, priorities, season, and personal style, you can craft a colour palette that feels natural and meaningful. Use the steps above as a guide, but ultimately, go with what you love. Your wedding should look—and feel—like you.
If you're ready to start bringing your dream day to life, let your colours lead the way.
