Happy February! For couples getting married this fall, that means that important decisions are being made right now. If you're in this position, then this article is for you!
If you are not sure where to get started on how to select colors for your fall wedding in 2022 or 2023, here are our top tips.
5 Tips to Help Decide on Your Wedding Color Scheme
Wedding colors help set the tone for the overall wedding experience that you and your guests will enjoy. According to this quote by Wassily Kandinsky, “Color transmits and translates emotion.”
We couldn’t agree more. Think about the different emotions which colors evoke, and then contrast that with the way that you want your wedding to feel. Now keep that in the back of your mind as you begin to look at the following for inspiration.
1. First, start thinking about colors that bring you joy. Making decisions for your wedding can often feel complex or daunting. When it comes to colors, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Begin thinking about the colors that you actually like. Not the colors you ‘think’ you should choose for the palette, like those that frequent the pages of a wedding magazine, but the colors that already make up your world.
Do you and your significant other have a color that you both like? Is there a color palette that is common in your home? Are there colors that make you think of a favorite vacation, your first date, or painted on the walls of favorite day-date coffee shop? Perhaps there’s another wedding that you loved which featured a unique color combination, or bridesmaids’ dresses that were rich and vibrant.
Once you start paying closer attention to colors, you’re likely to find a color or color combination that stands out. From here, you can start to envision the framework of what they might look like at your wedding.
2. Research the best seasonal flowers as a point of reference.
If you’re trying to figure out how to select colors for your fall wedding, a great place to start is the flowers. As you begin to research, you may find a flower that you love, or unique color tones or combinations.
According to Zola.com, there are both ‘early fall’ and ‘late fall’ flowers, with October as an important transitional month in between. You will want to select flowers that bloom well during the season so that they’re accessible for your wedding décor. Here is what they recommend for both aspects of this season.
“The calendar states that late September is the official start of fall. However, many of us consider back-to-school time (late August or early September) as the unofficial start.
The long days of late summer allow for enough warmth for some of summer’s best blooms to linger.
Sunflower
Dahlia
Alstroemeria
Fritillaria
Chrysanthemum
Stock
October Wedding Flowers in Season
Chocolate Cosmos
Zinnia
Aster
Purple Statice
Wheat
Weather can be tricky towards the end of fall, which officially ends close to Christmas. Fluctuating temperatures and shorter days will impact what florals bloom in your local area; however, some blooms thrive on chillier days.
Camellia
Rose
Paperwhites
Eucalyptus
Pansies”
3. Reference wedding decisions that have already been made. Do you already have some elements of your wedding that are already set, like the venue or a theme? These foundational decisions could influence the colors you decide to use.
For example, if you’re planning Halloween-themed nuptials, then the color palette may naturally lean towards dark black, navy, or grey, with pops of plum or burnt orange. But if you have a wedding planned in the forest underneath a towering canopy of trees, then you’re more likely to select more earthy tones.
Once you have some of the initial details planned, then you can use color to help tie it all together.
4. Do a search on Pinterest for contrasting colors. How a wedding typically varies from another party (like a birthday) are the contrasting colors. It’s not often that you see a wedding that features just one color---you will find that many have at least two or three.
Since there are so many ways that color will be featured throughout the ceremony and reception, having a few colors will give you more to work with. To elevate the look, contrasting colors add depth, dimension, and visual interest.
For example, if mauve is your primary color, then balance it with maroon, beige, or grey. Or if you plan to feature dark emerald as the main shade, then add a pop of lavender or burgundy. It’s best to have the primary color, and an alternate color from the other end of the color wheel. In addition, maybe even a neutral or metal-tone to help it feel cohesive.
To get some help with how to select colors for your fall wedding, do a search on Pinterest! Type some of these searches into the search bar and an image might jump off the page:
Best colors for a fall wedding
Wedding color palette using ‘(fill in the blank with color)’
(Fill in the blank with color) wedding color contrast
(Add your wedding theme) fall wedding colors
(Add a wedding descriptor like ‘romantic’ or ‘outdoor’) fall wedding colors
Fall wedding color palette
Fall wedding color combinations
Unique fall wedding colors
Fall wedding bouquet ideas
Fall wedding inspiration
(You could also replace “fall” with “autumn” or “winter”, depending on which part of the season you’re getting married.)
5. Get input from your wedding planner, or other vendor partners. When you decide to partner with a wedding vendor, it’s likely because you trust that they understand your vision for the big day. Throughout the planning process, wedding pros are likely to provide you with valuable guidance. Regardless of the type of role that these individuals play, many in the industry have experienced a broad variety of types of weddings. From floral designers to officiants or wedding venue coordinators, tap into their wealth of knowledge. Ask if they’ve seen color combinations that they like, or if they have ideas on where you should research this important decision.
Finalize the Decision on Your Fall Wedding Color Palette
Do you have a few colors that have risen to the top of your research? Once you’ve narrowed down to a few options, save them on to a Pinterest board or in your camera roll. Give yourself a break from the color research and then come back to them with your significant other to see what feels right.
We recommend that you select your top two selections of different primary and complementary colors. Then, begin researching some of the rest of your wedding logistics. Once you start making decisions on other elements (like the theme or the wedding attire) then this might naturally help make your final decision. Maybe the bridesmaid dress in the first color option won’t be available in time for your big day. Or maybe that color charger for your wedding meal costs 2x the price, or the flowers that come in that shade aren't commonly available in your state. You might begin to see that one of your color palettes makes more sense.
As you plan to make the final decision, make sure you’re involving your spouse-to-be since the color scheme plays a big role in the overall look and feel. And if you can’t align on one, see if there’s a happy medium or a unique way to combine the colors that you separately prefer. As you begin to visualize your wedding and are able to see a specific color palette, you'll know you've decided on the right one.
If you’re getting married next September, October, November, or December of 2022 or 2023, we hope you enjoyed our advice on how to select colors for your fall wedding. And if you need a Texas wedding videographer or photographer, learn about our package prices and add-ons, then check out our portfolios for photo and video.
[Photoshoot in the spotlight: Sara and Calvin in Spring, Texas.]
Choose Joy,
The Joy Team