Grace
- Dec 6, 2019
- 5 min read

All about your wedding colors

Six weeks ago we returned our final 2019 wedding gallery, signaling the beginning of the off-season. At first, it was nice. We had the opportunity to update our website and portfolios. We reorganized our home office. We moved our 2019 weddings to our external hard drive. We watched all 9 seasons of "How I Met Your Mother". I picked up the guitar. And now I'm studying color.

I first found a love for color pairing at Kendall and Ellen's wedding. There was something so cool about how all of their wedding colors went together.

I didn't know much about the actual theory of color, but I loved pairing different photos from their wedding together to create gorgeous collages. Once I started reading about the theory of color, I realized there actually is a method to the color pairing madness. I won't go on about color theory because there are a lot of awesome blogs out there who already do that and I'm a total novice. Instead, I'm going to give you some tips on planning and creating the perfect wedding color scheme. I'm also going to post some of our favorite wedding color schemes we've seen in 2019. I can't wait to see the color palettes of 2020.

Tips & Tricks

Think about the season

I'm all about pushing the norms, but I have to admit that some colors naturally lean towards certain seasons.

Fall: Rich and dark colors (think leaf tones)
Winter: Deep hues and cozy neutrals (emerald green & plum)
Summer: Bold and bright colors like yellow, purple, red, or blue
Spring: Pastels (but don't be afraid to bring in some deep splashes of plum or coral

Think about your venue

It's easier to coordinate with your venue than to cover anything that clashes with your color scheme. Be mindful that none of your colors clash with your venue. Look at the colors used in your venue's drapes, carpeting, walls, etc.

Throw in a neutral or two

Neutral hues can make your base colors pop! It will also keep you from choosing too many colors that could clash.

Stay true to you

Look around your house or your favorite spots. Your closet is a great place to check for colors that complement your style and personality. Start with the colors you gravitate towards.

Get Inspired

Hop on Pinterest and check out some inspiration from real weddings. We have a whole Pinterest board on wedding styles we love.

Textures are awesome

Bring some dimension to your color scheme! Some easy add-ins are burlap, velvet, or sequins.

Don't go color-crazy

We recommend 3-5 colors in your scheme.

Getting started:

Pick a base color

The base color in your palette will be the color that shows up the most throughout your wedding. This can be anything from a gorgeous navy blue to a deep ruby red. Have a favorite color? Use it! If you're afraid of using too much of your favorite color, consider using a neutral for your base color and your favorite colors for one of your complimentary colors.

Choosing your complementary colors

Once you choose your base color, you're ready to add in some other colors. If your base color is bold, consider a softer complimentary color and vice versa.

Some general options for choosing a color scheme are:

Monochromatic color scheme - choose some different tints and shades of one color.
Complementary color scheme - choose colors opposite your base color on the color wheel in different tones, tints, and shades.
Analogous color scheme - choose colors right next to your base color on the color wheel.
Split complementary color scheme - choose colors that are on either side of the color opposite your base color on the color wheel.
Triadic color scheme - choose colors that are equally spaced around the colors wheel. This method can be tricky, but way cool when accomplished.