Choosing wedding colours seem quite simple when brides and grooms already know what
colours they want. However, it can still be a little daunting, as these wedding colours will set the
mood and stage for the entire look and feel. Not to mention, they will be forever documented in
your wedding album, site and photos. No pressure!
But here are a few tips and brainstorming ideas to help you push through those obstacles and to
narrow down the colour or colours of your dream wedding.
1. Consider your wedding date
Your wedding day may have a huge impact on your colour choices. Living in Canada, we are
blessed with four seasons, and these seasons have their specific seasonal colour palettes. Select a
season and you may narrow down to a few colour options you like in that seasonal palette.
2. Venue
The venue of your choice will also guide you to choosing your wedding colours. The general
look and feel of the building and its interior and exterior environments such as the walls, carpets
or flooring, decorations, and landscape will help to inspire your colour choices or compete with
your colour choices. If that happens, there is nothing wrong having slightly different colour
schemes for your different venues. Use the same colour to tie in both venues.
Here is an example from our spring wedding featuring Roselie and Michael. The colours were
the warm neutral whites, pink and coral pastels along with soft blues. These colours went very
well with the venue’s interior space and exterior environment.
3. Take inspiration from nature
I believe flowers are one of the best go to things in nature to gain colour inspiration. You can get
many different colour combinations that you have never thought about putting together. Also,
these colours will not clash as they are found in nature! If there are too many colours to select
from, choose a main dominant colour and a couple of secondary colours to accent. The
dominant colour can be bolder and brighter where the secondary colours can be a little more
subdued and softer.
4. Variations of colour
If you have one colour in mind and you are not sure if you want to add another colour, you may
explore the different shades and tints of that colour. Go lighter or go darker! One of the best
ways to figure the best colour for you is to think of how you would decorate your own home.
Grab those paint chips from a hardware store and mix and match what you like!
5. Set the mood
Your colour choice also relates to the mood of your wedding. Think of a few adjectives you
want your wedding to feel like and then associate those words with colours. For example, an
earthy and fresh wedding may consists mainly of greens and earth tone colours, whereas a rich
and luxurious wedding may consists of purples, golds and silver colours.
6. Draw from personal interests or objects
Colour inspirations do not need to come from nature or from feel. Maybe there is something you
love like a piece of clothing, object, or movie. You can use those colours and create your
wedding colour scheme.
For example, here is an article from the Huffington Post on a couple’s wedding theme based
from The Little Mermaid movie. Their colours were inspired by The Little Mermaid colours
such as the bold red, soft corals, and different kinds of blues.
Credit: Mark Brooke Photography & Mathieu Photo
There are many ways to choose a colour scheme that works! There is no wrong or right way of
selecting colours. But these are a few ideas to help narrow down your dream colour or colours
for your dream wedding.
Happy Choosing! Happy Wedding!
- Bonnie