How to Choose the Right Color Palette for your Wedding Theme

Once you’ve decided on the theme for your wedding reception, the next big question is: What colors will make it come alive? And so begins the quest for the perfect palette!

To be honest, every wedding theme may actually use any number of color combinations—each one equally promising. Our aim, then, is to help you narrow down the options to a color motif that suits not only the theme itself, but also the reception venue, the season, and your own personal style as a couple. So, what theme have you chosen? Let’s choose a palette for it!

Gold and Pink for an Asian Theme

Bring an elegant, luxurious feel to your Asian-inspired reception, with table settings decorated in tones of gold, bronze, copper, and brown softened with cherry blossom pink.

“Asian” need not mean the traditional red, gold, and black. Try something different. Retain that opulent look with burnished metallics like gold, bronze, and copper combined with the earthy hues of wood and paper. Then add a softening touch with the pink of cherry blossoms.

1. a satin table cloth in matte gold fabric
2. copper and bronze striped table napkins
3. gold origami cranes as place cards
4. brown and white glazed earthenware bowls paired with lacquered wooden chopsticks
5. cherry blossom centerpieces in rice paper and sinamay wrapped vases

Here’s a tip you can use: To make this palette your own, you could mix and match other elements such as gold plate chargers, copper or bronze colored vases, soft pink napkins, origami napkin accents, large earthenware bowls holding pink floating candles, ceramic tea cups with a brown handpainted glaze, and arrangements of pink orchids.

Aqua and Brown for a Sunny Latin-Inspired Theme

For an outdoor Latin-style reception, play up the casual vibe with an attractive aqua and brown color duo. Like water and chocolate!

Not all wedding palettes need be sweet and feminine. For instance, consider this appealing match-up of vibrant aqua and delicious chocolate brown that we chose for a Latino-inspired outdoor reception. The palette just basks in the sunlight!

1. a tablecloth in vivacious aqua
2. dark brown napkins rolled up to resemble Cuban cigars
3. simple white dinner ware
4. pops of color from the cigar box centerpieces holding bird-of-paradise blooms

Here’s a tip you can use: To recreate this palette with other elements, try brown woven place mats, square wooden plate chargers, napkin rings or glass charms made with aqua beads, sweet treats for guests presented in aqua-colored tissue, candy dishes filled with chocolates, aqua chair adornments, and fresh daisies, carnations, or calla lilies for that splash of orange.

Black and Red for a Sultry Spanish Theme

Recreate the romance of Spain at your reception with a pairing of dramatic black and scarlet—brought in with black lace and red roses!

Black at a wedding? You have to be kidding, right? Well, picture a Spanish señorita in a sweeping mantilla of black lace and a red rose in her hair. That’s the image we channeled into this dramatic tablescape for a Castillian-inspired reception! Can’t you almost hear the guitars and castanets? This color combo would also be great for an engagement party.

1. an overlay of black lace running the entire length of the table and down the ends
2. blooming red roses and flowing black satin ribbons adorning gold tiffany chairs
3. taper candles in ornate silver and glass candelabra
4. decorative candles with fancy metal accents
5. red-wrapped favors filled with Spanish wedding cookies

Here’s a tip you can use: You can put together a similarly stunning display using such elements as mini arrangements of red roses lining the center of the table, black Spanish fans hanging on each chair, red fabric napkins, black lace cuffs as glass adornments, decanters of deep red sangria, and an ornate silver tray holding a grouping of different red candles.

Ivory and Green for a Balmy Beach Theme

A seemingly simple ivory and green palette comes alive with an interplay of textures in this beach-themed reception table setting.

You need not be anywhere near a beach to capture that balmy seaside ambiance! Simply apply a color palette featuring variations of ivory, white, and sand and a refreshing burst of green—and you could swear you feel that ocean breeze blowing!

Our tablescape pulls off this look by combining:

1. a textured beige table cloth that resembles a sandy beach
2. centerpieces of broad shapely leaves in rock-lined glass vases
3. table ware in crisp white and clear glass
4. seashell dishes holding tea lights
5. sachets filled with seashell-shaped chocolates
6. strands of pearls and loose scattered shells, pebbles, and sea glass
7. napkins in a brown mesh fabric for contrast

Here’s a tip you can use: To bring the beach to your own table display, think of elements in tones related to ivory such as burlap table runners, sand-colored napkins, woven straw place mats, and dinnerware in a beige to brown ombre finish. Then, combine these with elements in shades of green, like paper seaweed cutouts as place cards displayed in shell cardholders, slender leaf strips tied around the napkins, favors of sea-scented potpourri or shell soaps in olive-colored tissue wrapping, and arrangements of leaves chosen for their interesting shapes and variations of green!