How to Choose a Wedding Color Palette

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Bride — Photography by Forth & Able

OVERWHELMED BY CHOOSING A COLOR SCHEME? WE CAN HELP!

Last week on the blog we gave you all our tips on how to find your wedding style. Now that you know your style, it’s time to choose your color palette! Having a defined color palette is a crucial step in the planning process. A carefully selected color scheme will help you create a cohesive look that is uniquely yours and reflects who you are as a couple!

You probably have some idea of what colors you want to drive your wedding design, but it can be so overwhelming searching through thousands of ideas on Pinterest and Instagram. Follow our steps below and we’ll help you choose the perfect color palette for your dream wedding!

Take a look at your (dream) venue

Your venue should also help drive the decisions around your color palette. If you already have your venue booked, consider the color of the walls, the carpets, the flowers that grow outside, and the permanent fixtures like lighting. Think about how the colors you like will look in the space. You can also find photos of past weddings that have taken place at your venue. Which colors complemented the space, and which colors clashed?

If you don’t have a venue yet, visualize your dream venue. Is it an open-concept warehouse with white walls, or a ballroom that features patterned wallpaper and glamorous gold accents? The colors inside your venue are a great guide for selecting wedding colors, because you can ensure that the entire design of your wedding will be cohesive. A blank slate-style venue (like a tent) can make this even easier!

PRO TIP: PLANNING A FALL WEDDING? Check out SOME OF OUR FAVORITE fall VENUES!

Consider your wedding date

One of the easiest ways to narrow down your color options is to think about the season in which you’re getting married. Think of seasonal colors as guidelines. They’re totally optional, but a great way to ensure your colors will complement the trees and flowers in the background. Fall weddings tend to have lots of earthy colors and jewel tones, while spring weddings tend to rely on pastels and softer tones. In the summer we see lots of warm and bright colors, and in the winter we typically see cool tones and neutrals. Remember that these are not rules you MUST follow, but seasonal colors exist for a reason - they’ll look good every time!

If your wedding date coincides with a holiday, there are more color guidelines for you to follow if you prefer. You can always use the traditional colors of that holiday (like red and green for Christmas), or you can choose various shades of those colors (like burgundy and sage) to make it feel less like a theme. Take a look at the photos featured in this article, for example. Our Love Potion Styled Shoot was planned as a twist on the traditional Valentine’s Day theme. Instead of bright red, we selected soft pinks and mauves for a subtle, romantic, elegant vibe. You can use a holiday to influence your design without it feeling tacky!

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Tablescape

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Bride and Groom

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Coupe Glass Cocktails Pink

Decide how you want to highlight your wedding style

Once you have picked a wedding style, you will have a much easier time narrowing down your color palette. Think about the mood or vibe you are trying to create on your wedding day. Are you planning a jaw-dropping, classic, elegant wedding? You could easily pull off an all-white or black and white color palette. Do you want your wedding to feel comfortable, homey and fun? Go for warm colors. Are you getting married on a boat? Navy blue is a classic choice. Take some time researching your wedding style and look for inspiration from others. If you don’t see your vision anywhere, you could be the first one to create that vision and share it to inspire others!

PRO TIP: NOT SURE WHAT YOUR WEDDING STYLE IS? WE CAN HELP YOU FIND IT!

Look around your home for inspiration

There are two things that you’ll have after your wedding day: your new spouse and tons of beautiful photos! Then those professional wedding photos will end up in frames around your house. When you choose your wedding color palette, try to imagine those colors gracing the walls of your home. Make sure you select colors that you’ll be happy to look at every day!

You can also use your home design as inspiration for your wedding photos. If you tend to decorate with lots of earth tones, you’ll probably like having those colors in your wedding décor. You might even be able to repurpose wedding items as decorations in your home!

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Sweetheart Table

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Bouquet Pink Mauve

How to create a color palette

Now that you have thought about your wedding season, venue, style, and your home, it’s time to select your wedding color palette! We’ll start with a base color. This is the most prominent color in your design, and you’ll see it everywhere, from the flowers to the attendants’ dresses to the tablescapes. You can choose any color you want, or even skip the color and go with white or black as your base.

The next step after choosing the perfect base color for your foundation is to decide on two or three accent colors. You can use color theory or a color wheel to find complementary, monochromatic, analogous, triadic, or tetradic color schemes. If you’re going for an ombre or monochromatic color scheme, select shades and tints of your base color. For a bolder look, we love the triadic color scheme. Looking for a way to balance your base color? Choose a complementary color scheme!

Once you have chosen your base and accent colors, you should consider metals. From candles to charger plates to jewelry, you’ll most likely have quite a few metallic pieces in your wedding. Decide which metal will go best with your color palette: gold, silver, rose gold, copper, bronze, or gunmetal? You can always mix metals if you prefer that look.

Take your base color, accent colors, and metal color and pop them into a color scheme maker (we love this one from Coolors) so you can see them all together. Now you have the perfect image to use as you shop for attire, decorations, and everything in between!

PRO TIP: IF YOU KNOW YOUR WEDDING DRESS WILL BE IVORY OR BLUSH, remember to include THAT COLOR in THE PALETTE INSTEAD OF WHITE. THIS WILL BE HELPFUL WHEN SELECTING LINENS AND OTHER ITEMS!

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Place Setting

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Stationery

Minnesota Wedding Planner The Lynhall Availed Wedding and Event Planning Bridal Gown Dress

Hire a wedding planner to do the rest!

Have your color palette ready to go, but don’t know how to find décor to complete the look? It’s time to get help from the pros! Hiring a wedding planner or designer means you’ll have an expert to help you find the perfect vendors, source decorations, and make sure every decision aligns with your vision and color scheme.

PRO TIP: LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO HERE!

At Availed Wedding + Event Planning, we offer a variety of wedding planning packages in Minneapolis, MN and beyond so you can get the design help you need. Consider our Event Design or Complete Coordination packages if you’re looking for a little extra help with bringing your vision to life! Send us an inquiry today or set up a free consultation with our Lead Planners.

Thanks for reading, and happy planning! - Lexie