Planning a wedding? You’ll probably need to decide on your wedding colour scheme. The colour scheme sets the tone for the wedding and highlights the theme of your big day.

So if you find yourself in the thick of wedding planning asking how to pick wedding colours, then you’ve come to the right place.

From choosing complimentary colours for outfits to colour palettes for your wedding stationery, we’ve got everything covered in this guide.

Read on to find out how Adobe Express can help you showcase your dreamy wedding colour palette.

How to pick your wedding colour palette.

With hundreds of different colours, hues and tones to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start with your wedding colour palette. Luckily there are some tips to help you narrow down your favourite variations.

Think about how many colours you’ll use.

Creating a wedding palette means choosing multiple colours that compliment and contrast in just the right way. You’ll usually need to pick two or three primary colours – known as hero colours – that work well together, and then at least one accent colour. This could be a metallic shade – such as gold or silver.

For example, if you’re having a spring wedding, your colour scheme might include green and pink hero colours, with subtle gold accents.

Consider which colours work well together.

You might have some favourite colours that you love to pair together. A good way to find out if your wedding colour palette works is to use a colour wheel or colour analysis.

The colour wheel uses colour theory to determine which colours pair together best and they’re usually used by artists and designers to create palettes for projects. There are many ways to use a colour wheel, but for complimentary colours simply pick a shade you like and then directly opposite it on the wheel is its perfect match.

You could also use a seasonal colour analysis test to check if the palette compliments your own appearance.

Compliment the setting and time of year.

The season you choose to get married in can have a huge impact on your wedding colour schemes. Spring and summer are a great time to use pastels and softer tones such a yellow, light pink, baby blue, sage green and lilac.

Autum and winter weddings might suit warmer, deeper tones, such as burgundy, burnt orange, emerald green and other jewel tones.

Match the mood and theme of your wedding.

Naturally, you’re going to want to pick colours that fit the theme or mood of your wedding. A Christmas-themed wedding would suit shades of red and green with gold – traditional Christmas decoration colours. However, a festival-themed wedding would suit bright and vibrant colours that evoke the spirit of summer.

Consider the flowers and decorations.

Flowers and decorations play a huge part in your wedding. Depending on the time of year, different flowers will be in bloom. You could choose your wedding palette based on the flowers you want. Peonies would bring blush pink into the theme, while hydrangeas could bring an abundance of blue hues. Roses are usually flexible thanks to the many colours they’re available in.

7 wedding colour scheme ideas.

Struggling to decide on a colour palette? Below are some wedding colour ideas you could use for your upcoming nuptials.

Light floral tones.

Perfect for spring and summer weddings, light floral tones can be a great option for indoor spaces, breathing fresh air into the room. Opt for light pink, lilac and a soft green accent, with your choice of metallic for smaller details.

Cream and gold.

A cream and gold colour scheme is a classic option for any wedding. The simple contrast between these two shades creates a minimalist feel, which can be elevated using different textures in your wedding decor and stationery. This would look especially fabulous in an elegant manor house setting.

Soft green shades.

Using different shades of the same colour can make a big impact on your wedding decor. Choose a combination of light and dark greens to add a touch of nature to your big day. You could also use delicate white accents for a simple contrast among the greenery.

This kind of tonal colour palette would look amazing both indoors and out – making it a versatile option for any wedding venue.

Black and white.

A pairing quite like no other, black and white is a bold statement for a wedding. Think Hollywood glam – both elegant and timeless. An indoor setting, such as a hotel, would suit this perfectly.

Blue hues.

Getting married by the sea? Reflect your surroundings in your wedding colour palette with a gradient of blue hues. From deep navy to sky blue, this colour scheme evokes a sense of calm among the chaos of wedding planning.

Peach and mint green.

This light and refreshing wedding colour palette can look stunning in spring/summer celebrations and compliment a range of locations, from manor houses to barn weddings. Make the most of your wedding florals here to really set the tone of your colour scheme.

Jewel-toned palette.

A rich colour combination of ruby red, emerald green and golden yellow hues is sure to impress. These deep tones pair perfectly with an autumn wedding. You could create a gentle clash between the colours on your wedding stationery, and get each of your wedding party to wear a different shade. The photos are sure to dazzle.

How to show off your wedding colour scheme.

There are a few ways you can bring your wedding colour scheme to life – whether it’s before the big day, during the celebration or after it.

Here are some ideas:

• Flower bouquets and arrangements. Your wedding flowers and arrangements are the best way to showcase every colour in your palette, from lush green foliage on a staircase to perfectly pink bouquets.
• Clothing, shoes and accessories. It’s your wedding, which means you get to set the rules. Look at ways to incorporate your wedding colour scheme in your outfits and accessories. Whether it’s matching ties in the primary hue, or bridesmaid dresses for each colour in your palette, the choice is yours.
• Venue decorations and the cake display. From table centrepieces to the sashes on the chairs, there are plenty of ways you can weave your colour scheme through the decorations.
• Wedding stationery. You wedding stationery includes cards, invitations, menus, banners, signage, table name cards and more. It’s the perfect place to give guests a taste of your theme – before and during the wedding.

Wedding colour themes, ideas and examples.

How can Adobe Express help you pick and plan your wedding colours?

Adobe Express has a variety of helpful tools that can help bring your wedding colour palette to life. Here are some ways you can utilise Adobe Express for your special day.

1. Set the tone with eye-catching invites.

Add colourful touches to your wedding invitations and customise them exactly how you want. With a range of wedding invite templates to choose from, you can capture the theme of your wedding perfectly. Add your names, the date and venue in your primary colour to create something special.

2. Design your own wedding menu.

For your first meal as newlyweds, you want a menu that stands out. Use Adobe Express to create your own menus in the matching colour combinations. Not sure where to start? We have wedding menu templates to make the process even easier.

3. Create a mood board for your wedding.

Organise your colour palette into your very own wedding mood board, to kickstart the wedding planning process. Fill the board with all your ideas, inspiration, images and colour scheme to stay on track when organising your big day.

4. Personalised t-shirts for the morning after.

Create personalised t-shirts for yourselves and your guests. Imagine arriving at breakfast with a “just married” t-shirt or matching tops in the colours from your big day.

5. Thank you cards for guests.

Say thank you to your family and friends for attending your wedding and any wedding gifts you received. Personalise and print your own cards with Adobe Express – adding in accents from your wedding palette.

Generate wedding template ideas in a range of colour palettes with AI.

Unlock the capabilities of Adobe Express’ template generator. Design and customise a range of wedding templates in your preferred colour palette to use throughout your day.

Whether you want menus, invites, cards or wedding schedules, simply enter a text prompt and the tool will generate a template you can use again and again.

Generate text effects and add unique touches that showcase your and your partner’s personalities. Experience the seamless design process of Adobe Express’ template generator.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

How many wedding colours should you have?

You should aim to have at least two hero colours and an accent colour when planning a wedding colour palette. An example of this would be black and white with silver. The black and white are the hero colours, while the silver will provide the accents.

What is the best colour scheme for a wedding?

The best wedding colour scheme will depend on a few factors including the time of year, location, theme and even just your personal taste. You can use the colour wheel to help you choose colours that pair well together.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.