Our Favorite Wedding Color Palettes

By Emily Platt
July 27, 2011
KT Merry

Set the tone of your event—no matter your vision—with one of these pretty color combinations.

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KT Merry

Choosing your wedding's color palette is the first step in planning your event's design. The shades you pick will influence the décor you select, from the flowers to the rentals, and may also impact your attire and other elements of the big day. But settling on a color scheme isn't always easy. A lot—including your personal preferences, your celebration's season and theme, your venue's appearance, and more—can play a role in the decision.

One of the best ways to brainstorm a colorscape is to see examples from other weddings. Their details, and how well these parties match your own vision, may help you make the right choice for your own nuptials. With that in mind, we rounded up some of our favorite color palettes and saw how they were employed at different events.

Ahead, expect to see a wide range of different wedding color schemes. They run the gamut from traditional to unique, and feature every color in the rainbow. Whether you're romanced by blue or tickled by pink, obsessed with cool or warm hues, or want something vibrant or muted, there's a combination that you might like here.

As you browse, jot down a few that speak to you. Then, share the inspiration with your planner. A professional will be able to guide you and make recommendations based on what you provide them with. For more ideas, turn to a color wheel, or even paint chips from your local hardware store. And don't stress about finding the "perfect" combination—there are tons of gorgeous ones!   

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Blue and White

Erich McVey

This ethereal invitation suite—by Papillon Card and  Veronica Halim—resembled the sky, but your options don't end there. Combine white with a brighter shade, like aqua, for a fresh and lively palette, or a darker hue, like royal blue, for a formal event.

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Red, Yellow, and Orange

Michael Radford

The warm combination works throughout the year, but it's especially perfect for a fall celebration. This Artisan bouquet, which featured a variety of different roses in the trio of hues, was carried by an autumn bride.

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Green and White

A Bryan Photo

Consider this one of the most classic wedding color palettes, often achieved with touches of greenery in an otherwise-white event design. 

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Pastels

Meghan K Sadler

Pretty pastels are another common choice. We like how Jessica Sloane mixed blush with powder blue here.

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White and Black

Shannen Natasha of The Wedding Artists Collective

A black-and-white palette like this one exudes modern elegance, which is exactly the vibe that many future spouses want.  

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Metallics

Alison Conklin
Fun and Festive Ideas for a New Year's Eve Wedding

Up the glam factor with shiny shades like those in this New Year's Eve wedding's stationery suite. The paper goods came about thanks to Michael McCormick, Spark Letterpress, and Manayunk Calligraphy.

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Red and White

Greg Finck

Red symbolizes love and luck, among other things, making it a favorite color for weddings. Pair it with white to balance its powerful personality, as this bride did with her Vera Wang dress and Madame Artisan Fleuriste bouquet.

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Jewel Tones

Charla Storey Photography

Emerald, sapphire, ruby, amethyst—possibilities abound. Whatever you choose, you're gauranteed a majestic color palette, as shown in this Layered cake.

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Neutrals

Kyle John Photography

Let your venue's beauty speak for itself with a neutral color palette. At this wedding, for example, and bride (in Maria Korovilas) and all of her guests wore earthy, organic shades.    

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Pink, Purple, and Green

Nichole Meredith

Mix magenta, violet, and verdant green for a tropical feel, as represented by this bride's The Bellevueva bouquet.

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Pink, Orange, and Green

Patricia Lyons Photography

Set the tone for a summer wedding with saturated hues like those in these Cheree Berry Paper invitations.

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Shades of Blue

Lucky Malone Photography

Blues are frequently combined for weddings on the water, but you can use the hue at more than just a nautical event. Navy and baby blue fit surprisingly well into this industrial event, proving the color is universal.

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Red and Green

David Jenkins

These two colors will always be associated with winter and holiday weddings. Deeper shades, like garnet and forest green, keep things classy rather than gaudy.  

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Purple and White

Koby Brown

Purple ranges from luxurious to peaceful, depending on the hue used. For a clean color palette, you can't go wrong pairing it with neutrals, as in this Strawberry Milk arch.

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Pink, Red, and Green

Abby Jiu Photography

There's something so alluring about this unexpected color palette, and that's especially true when the shades are vibrant, like in these ceremony programs printed by Ellen Weldon Design.

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Blue, Yellow, and Green

Koby Brown

This combination is definitively cheery, whether you use turquoise and lemon (shown in this tablescape planned by Ema Giangreco), cornflower and goldenrod, or another happy mix.

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Purple, Green, and Black

KT Merry

No one says that your wedding has to be light and airy. Moodier color palettes, like this Cheree Berry Paper stationery suite's black, wine, and moss scheme, can be just as enchanting.

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Yellow, Orange, and Green

Paige Jones Photography

Give your event a glowing effect with fiery colors in more subdued hues. This Moon Canyon bouquet was sunny and lovely.

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Pink, Red, and Blue

Charla Storey Photography

Berry shades are appealing to brides and grooms that desire a rich colorscape. Best of all, tons of flowers come in the colors, like those in this The Southern Table arrangement, so there's no shortage of ways to bring these shades into your day.

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Monochrome

Joel Serrato

Sticking to a single color doesn't just make planning easier—monochrome designs epitomize cool. It's no wonder that this couple couldn't get enough of the light pink featured in their Kelsey Malie wedding invitations.

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Pink, Orange, and Blue

Rachel Meagan Photography

Peach, periwinkle, and lilac coexisted in this wedding's flower installation. We highly recommend the blend for a spring celebration.

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Neons

Sarah Kate Photography

Neon for a wedding? Yes, if you play your color cards right. Electric purple and highlighter yellow were surprising (but masterfully pulled off) on this reception table planned by Emily Clarke Events.

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Blue, Green, and Orange

Elizabeth Messina

For a lighthearted event, consider these colors. The hues in these The Idea Emporium paper goods were memorably joyful.

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Pink and Blue

Michael & Carina Photography

Not only are the colors beloved on their own, but they complement each other in really beautiful ways, which this pair's Abbeydale and Monique Lhuillier attire proved.

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