8 top tips to pick your perfect wedding colour scheme

Choosing your wedding colour palette is one of the most important style decisions you’ll make. Your colours influence everything from florals and stationery to outfits, décor and photography, so getting them right matters.

This step-by-step guide will help you explore different wedding colour schemes to confidently select a theme that feels cohesive, intentional, and uniquely yours.

1. Define your overall wedding style

Your wedding colour scheme acts as a foundation for all your other design decisions. So, before diving into colour swatches, think about the feeling you want from your day. Do you imagine something elegant and refined, bold and contemporary, or relaxed and romantic? 

Exploring how different wedding themes and colours work together can help you identify what resonates most. A garden celebration may suit soft, organic hues, while an urban wedding could lean towards dramatic contrasts or muted neutrals.

2. Use your venue and location as a guide

Your venue is one of the biggest influences on your wedding colour schemes. Why? Because the location’s colours, textures, and architectural style set the visual tone of your décor. Your wedding colours should complement these elements to create a cohesive and balanced look.

Consider architectural details, flooring, walls, and the surrounding landscape. Letting these elements guide your wedding colour scheme ideas ensures your palette feels harmonious rather than forced.

For example, outdoor weddings often benefit from colours that complement nature, like soft greens, earthy neutrals, muted blues, and floral pastels. An elegant, modern venue might work best with clean, understated colours such as black, white, champagne, or soft grey.

3. Consider the season and natural light

Seasonal changes can subtly shape how colours appear on the day. For example, autumn’s warm, golden light can make reds, oranges and earthy tones glow more richly. Winter’s cooler light softens colours and brings out crisp blues and neutrals.

Light also plays a crucial role. Natural daylight, candlelight, and evening lighting all affect how wedding colours are perceived. Test your colour palette in different lighting conditions to choose shades that photograph beautifully throughout the day.

4. Think about bridal fashion and attire

Your outfit choices are central to your colour story. They play a huge part in the visual tone for the day, influencing how every other colour (from décor to florals) interacts within your wedding’s overall palette.

While classic white remains popular, your bridal dress colour can be a powerful design element. You may want to embrace a colourful wedding dress or subtle tones that add personality and depth.

There’s a growing interest in wedding dresses with colour, floral embroidery, ombré skirts, or coloured linings. These details can inspire your wider bridal colour combinations and influence everything from bouquets to table styling.

5. Build a cohesive colour combination

Strong palettes usually include a main colour, supporting shades, and one or two neutrals. Exploring wedding colour combination ideas can help you understand how contrast, tone, and balance work together.

For instance: 

• Sunflower yellow as the main colour

• Sage green and soft blue as supporting shades

• Neutral tones like ivory or warm beige to keep the palette grounded and visually cohesive

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, browsing curated wedding colour scheme ideas or editorial-style wedding colour scheme ideas can help narrow down what feels right. Pinterest is a good spot to find this information.

The goal is cohesion, not too many colours competing for attention.

6. Test your colours across wedding details

Before finalising your wedding colour schemes, test how your palette works across different elements. Colours can look very different on fabrics, florals, and accessories. Testing ensures everything feels consistent and intentional rather than mismatched.

Mood boards and sample layouts can be incredibly helpful at this stage. Here’s how to do this:

• Collect swatches, photos, or samples of fabrics, florals, stationery, and décor elements that reflect your chosen colours. 

• Arrange them together on a board or digital canvas to see how the shades interact, noting which combinations feel harmonious or need adjustment. 

• Include textures and metallics, as these can shift the appearance of colours. 

By experimenting with different arrangements, you can identify the strongest palette and make informed decisions for each wedding detail.

7. Trust your personal taste

While trends can be inspiring, the best wedding colour palette is one that feels authentic to you. If a combination excites you every time you see it, that’s usually the right choice. Trust your instincts!

Remember: Your wedding doesn’t need to follow rules, it just needs to feel like you. If you’re curious about what’s emerging next or need some inspiration, take a look at our 2026 wedding trends for fresh ideas you can adapt to your own style.

8. Coordinate the colour palette with the wedding party

After defining your core colour palette, think about how it translates to the wedding party. Bridesmaids, groomswear, and accessories should complement, not overpower, your main colours.

For example, you might assign each member of the wedding party shades that harmonise with your main palette. Then, you can use accessories like bouquets, ribbons, or shoes to subtly echo the main colours. 

Some couples also choose to encourage a coordinated guest aesthetic. Suggesting or subtly inspiring colourful wedding guest dresses can create a visually stunning atmosphere and elevate your overall look in photographs.

Choosing a wedding colour palette by season

A simple way to refine your wedding colour palette is to consider the season of your wedding. Each season naturally lends itself to certain tones, textures, and moods, making it easier to choose the best wedding colour scheme for your big day.

Here’s some seasonal inspiration for your wedding colour scheme:

Top colours for a spring wedding

Spring weddings often feel light, romantic, and fresh. This season is ideal for soft pastels, gentle neutrals, and floral-inspired shades. 

Typical spring colours include:

• Blush pink 

• Lavender

• Pale blue

• Sage

• Soft yellows

Spring is a popular time to experiment with delicate bridal colour combinations, especially when florals are a key design feature. These softer wedding colour schemes work well with garden venues and natural daylight, creating an effortlessly elegant atmosphere.

Summer wedding colour palettes

Summer allows for brighter and bolder wedding colours that feel joyful and energetic. 

Popular summer palettes often include:

• Coral

• Fuchsia

• Turquoise

• Sunshine yellow

• Fresh greens

• Crisp whites

• Soft metallics

This is the perfect season for playful and expressive wedding colour scheme ideas, particularly for outdoor or destination celebrations. Summer weddings also pair beautifully with colourful wedding dresses and lightweight fabrics that enhance the vibrancy of your palette.

Wedding colours for a fall wedding​

Autumn weddings are known for rich, warm, and earthy tones. 

Autumnal colours typically include the following:

• Burnt orange

• Terracotta

• Deep red

• Mustard

• Forest green

• Warm browns 

These deeper shades lend themselves well to elegant wedding colour schemes, especially when paired with textured fabrics and candlelight. Autumn is also a beautiful season to explore layered wedding colour combination ideas that feel grounded and timeless.

Winter wedding colours

Winter weddings often embrace drama, contrast, and sophistication. Popular winter wedding colour schemes include:

• Emerald green

• Burgundy

• Navy

• Plum

• Crisp whites

• Metallic accents

Winter palettes also pair beautifully with statement fashion choices, including bold bride dress colour options or richly toned accessories.

Wedding colour palette FAQs

How many colours should a wedding colour palette include?

Most wedding colour schemes include a main colour, one or two complementary shades, and a neutral. This balance keeps your design cohesive without feeling overwhelming.

However, it’s up to you how many colours you want to include in your wedding theme. There are no hard and fast rules! 

Can I mix bold and neutral wedding colours?

Yes, mixing bold and neutral wedding colours is a great way to create contrast and elegance. Neutrals help ground brighter shades and allow them to stand out without dominating the design.

Do wedding themes have to match colour schemes exactly?

Your wedding themes should guide your colours, but they don’t need to be literal. Using subtle references through tone and texture often feels more refined than matching everything exactly.

Is it okay to choose a non-traditional bridal dress colour?

Absolutely. Choosing a unique bride dress colour can add individuality and set the tone for your entire celebration. Many couples now use their outfits as inspiration for bridal colour combinations.

How do I make sure my colours photograph well?

Testing your wedding colour palette in different lighting and across multiple materials helps ensure your colours look consistent in photos. Soft contrasts and complementary tones tend to photograph best.

Showcase your wedding colour scheme at The Lawrence

Wedding colour schemes play a key role in shaping the look and feel of your day, from styling and florals to the overall atmosphere of your celebration. 

At The Lawrence, our elegant spaces offer a timeless backdrop that works beautifully with a wide range of wedding colour schemes. Whether you’re planning something soft and romantic or bold and contemporary, our venue provides the flexibility and setting to complement your ideas.

Explore weddings at The Lawrence and discover how our venue provides the perfect backdrop for your big day.