How To Choose Your Wedding Colors

How will you choose your wedding colors?

Will you go with your favorite color? Or will you go with a color that fits your venue? Will your wedding colors coincide with the season in which you get married? Or, will you choose your wedding colors based on what’s popular and expected?

There’s a lot to consider with wedding colors, isn’t there?

Here’s the thing. When it comes to the colors you surround your wedding with, like the ones that the groom’s bowties, the bridesmaids dresses, and even the linens match with, you need to choose what feels right to you. Yes, you have options with how you make that choice. But still, you have freedom to decide what colors speak to you, and why.

This post is going to go over how to choose your wedding colors. It will review the different ways to gather inspiration, and encourage you to follow your heart. I mean, if you asked me before I got engaged what my wedding colors would be I’d likely would have said purples or maybe greens. However, based on the season and venue, we opted for reds, golds, and oranges. It just felt right.

Let’s get into it!

BASE YOUR WEDDING COLORS OFF YOUR WEDDING VIBE OR THEME

Do you have a wedding vibe or theme identified? Not sure what I’m talking about?

A wedding theme is the thread that pulls your whole wedding together. For example, perhaps you’re getting married on the beach. You may have shells on your invites, seafood at dinner, and your colors may default to sandy yellow and sky blue. A wedding vibe, on the other hand, is how you want your guests to experience your wedding. Maybe you want them to feel luxurious and pampered. If so, your wedding colors may default to deep purples or forest greens.

See where I’m going with this? Starting with the theme or vibe can help you actually “see” the colors you should choose.

By the way, if you need help determining a wedding vibe, check out this post.

THINK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

Perhaps you want your wedding colors to reflect you, and what colors you really love to wear.

I know some people who look amazing in red. If this is you, choosing red flowers, burgundy linens, or crimson décor may fit, even though you yourself are not wearing red. There are other people who love blue. Putting their bridesmaids in blue dresses, and then surrounding themselves with the bridesmaids is a no-brainer. Sometimes a simple choice, like what color you look good in, is the easiest way to choose your wedding colors.

CHOOSE WEDDING COLORS THAT YOU TRULY ENJOY

Along the same lines as choosing wedding colors based on your style, maybe you choose yours based on what you just . . . like.

I once went to a wedding where the wedding color was brown. The couple loved leather couches, had a brown labrador retriever, and just really, really liked brown. The bridesmaids wore brown, the napkins were brown, and everything looked cohesive and put together. Would brown be my first choice? No. But the bride and groom liked it, and that was what mattered.

USE THE SEASON YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED IN TO INSPIRE YOUR WEDDING COLORS

As mentioned earlier, you can gain a lot of inspiration from the time and season in which you get married when it’s time to choose your wedding colors.

For example, spring weddings may be bright and colorful. Think pinks, greens, and yellows. Summer is warmer, and maybe a little softer, with pale blues or more neutral beige colors. Fall is vibrant with reds, deep purples, oranges, and golds for a color palette. And for winter, you can’t go wrong with dark blues, black, white, or silvers.

BASE YOUR WEDDING COLORS OFF OF OTHER PEOPLE’S WEDDINGS

I don’t usually recommend that you copy other weddings, but it’s totally okay to use other weddings as your inspiration.

If you see a wedding online, or have attended a wedding, and you really liked the colors used, it is okay to go ahead and use those colors at your wedding. You do not need to copy the exact usage of the colors, but you can incorporate them where you see fit. For example, say your friend had a wedding with navy blue and pale pink as their colors. Where they had pink flowers and blue bridesmaids’ dresses, you could have blue flowers and pink bridesmaids dresses. It’s similar, but not exactly the same.

START WITH YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS

Sometimes the easiest way to choose your wedding colors is to start with your flowers.

Meet with a florist and ask them about flowers. Find out what flowers will be in season when you have your wedding. And then find out what color those flowers are. You may find that a seasonal flower, that is likely lower in cost than those out of season, has the perfect color for you. From there, base everything else on the color of your flowers.

USE A COLOR WHEEL

Have you heard of a color wheel? It’s a wheel that showcases complementary colors. The colors that pair well together lie across from each other on the wheel.

To properly use a color wheel to choose your wedding colors, first pick a color that speaks to you. There does not have to be a huge reason for why you like it, the point is that you like it. From there, pick a few more that will pair well with it. There you go, you’ve got your wedding colors.

GO FOR A WEDDING COLOR PALETTE

Sometimes picking a color or two is just too limiting. Remember, it’s okay to pick a color palette.

An example of this was from my own wedding. We decided to go with “fall colors”. This meant that any colors that leaves can turn counted as a great color for our wedding. We ended up with different shades of red, dark purples, oranges, and golds. They all matched each other, and the end result looked great.

LET YOUR VENUE LEAD YOU TO YOUR WEDDING COLORS

Are you getting married in a garden? Or a golf course? Perhaps a winery?

Let the venue you choose lead you to your wedding colors. A garden will pair well with colors naturally found in nature like greens, browns, and pinks. Golf courses are great for whites and blues. And wineries? Maybe choose deep purples, rich reds, or canary yellows as an homage to the wine. You can also find inspiration at the venue itself, if it has a focal point that speaks to you.

LET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY VOTE ON YOUR WEDDING COLOR OPTIONS

If you’re really having difficulty when it’s time to choose your wedding colors, delegate the choice to your friends and family.

Maybe you make a contest of it. It can also be a vote among a group. Or, you can simply ask someone you trust to make the final decision. No matter how you go about it, putting the choice in other’s hands can do two things. First, it alleviates any weight you’re carrying with making the choice. And, if they choose a color or two that you really don’t like, you can always veto and go with what your heart really wants.

DON’T OVERTHINK YOUR WEDDING COLORS

After all the tips in this post about choosing wedding colors this may seem like a strange recommendation. However, I’ll say it anyway. Don’t overthink your wedding colors.

In the grand scheme of things, wedding colors are not the most important part of your wedding. Yes, they tie things together and create cohesiveness. However, they will not make or break a wedding day. Your guests will not really care what your colors are as long as they are comfortable, fed, and entertained at your wedding. So, let go of the pressure. Choose what feels right and don’t fret about it.

THOUGHTS ON HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING COLORS

Friends, there are so many ways to choose your wedding colors. You can pick a color that you like. Or, you can gather inspiration from the season you’re getting married, or the venue you choose to get married in. When in doubt, ask your friends and family for help. And, of course, remember that your wedding colors are just one decision. It will be okay no matter what you choose. Happy wedding planning!

More On Wedding Style From Hummingbird Wedding Advice

12 Super Fun Bridal Shower Themes You Need To Consider

Do You Really Need A Wedding Theme?

Did you find this post helpful, inspiring? PIN it to your Wedding Planning Board on Pinterest!