For those who have been dreaming of their wedding day, you’ll most certainly agree that every detail matters… including the colors that you choose for your wedding palette.
In fact, did you know that there’s a psychological factor involved when it comes to color? The ones you choose play a big role in setting the tone and ambience of your big day.
For example, your color scheme can affect the mood of your guests, and create a certain aesthetic and atmosphere.
You see, color has the power to evoke emotions subconsciously and thus it can influence the overall experience for everyone, including you and your partner.
So before we jump into different color palettes for different styles of weddings and elopements, let’s cover the basics…
Your destination wedding; what is a color palette?
A color palette is a selection of colors used in every element of your wedding celebration.
Like a backdrop to your day, it can range from your attire, wedding flower centerpieces, the bouquet, and invitations, to your table linens, wedding cake design, arch, and more.
Choosing a color palette for your destination wedding involves selecting one primary color, one or two complementary colors, and perhaps an accent color. A color palette could be made up of two to three colors all the way up to five or six colors.
And while it’s a fun and creative process to choose these colors, it can also be a little tedious for those who are indecisive.
Are you having trouble deciding on a wedding color palette? Here are some of my suggestions…
You could think about a color or colors that make you smile or that are a staple in your closet or in your home.
Alternatively, perhaps there’s a color palette you simply love but have never had the opportunity to really use for an event or in your home. Or there are colors you’ve always envisioned for your wedding day and can finally bring them to life.
This is your palette to play with and there really are no right or wrong choices.
6 tips to help you find the perfect color palette for your destination wedding
Need a little inspiration? Sure! These may help you if you’re a little stumped on where to start…
1. Go with the season
You can use the season in which you’re getting married as your guide if you’re unsure of a destination wedding color palette. Think about the spirited blooms of spring, the beautiful hues of summer, warm fall tones, or rich, deep colors for winter.
2. Create a mood board
There’s a plethora of inspiration online just waiting for you to discover. From social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok to Pinterest and blog posts, collect what appeals to you and you could put together your own mood board. This could help you narrow down your favorite colors to create a palette.
3. Go for colors you love & that reflect your style
Your wedding day is a chance for you to be surrounded by the colors you love and that reflect your unique personal style. It’s like showing off your personality, making it more unique.
If you’re unsure of which color palette to go with, go with one that makes you feel comfortable and warm, whether it’s neutral, more colorful, or anything else in between.
4. Compliment your venue & location
Think about your venue and location… its colors and aesthetics. Using those to guide you, you could find a color palette that compliments whilst creating harmony and cohesiveness.
5. What emotions do you want to evoke?
Colors are very impactful and can evoke different kinds of feelings and emotions. For example, red is an energizing and romantic color, blue is calming and serene, champagne is warm and intimate, and green is fresh and lush.
6. Do you want to incorporate any cultural or symbolic significance?
Are there any cultural or symbolic references that you’d like to incorporate into your destination wedding day? You may want to consider those while thinking about your color palette.
Why should you choose a color palette for your destination wedding?
Choosing the right color palette for your destination wedding, whether it is small or large, means having a base in which to coordinate every other aspect of your big day. For example, your decorations, bridesmaid’s dresses, boutonnieres, table decor, stationery, and flowers.
Another reason why you should choose a color palette is because, as mentioned above, it can affect the mood and overall ambience of your big day and evoke various emotions. It also gives you the chance to carefully curate your unique and desired aesthetic to create the look and feel that you really want to exude.
Additionally, choosing your own color palette is especially important if you’re opting for a small destination wedding without a wedding planner. It’ll prove invaluable to you as a guide when choosing your decor.
I recommend choosing your color palette near the beginning of your planning, along with your venue, so that you can base the rest of your decision-making around it.
I also recommend thinking about things from a visual perspective. If you choose a cohesive color palette, it will definitely reflect, making your photo gallery look great with photographs that match. Your color palette will indeed have a big impact on how your photos turn out and their mood.
Now for the more exciting stuff…
10 color palettes for different venues & styles
From a beach wedding to a jungle wedding, a laid back wedding to an elegant wedding, plus elopements, here are 10 color palettes you may love for your destination celebration.
These color palettes are merely suggestions so feel free to make it your own, mix and match, or simply use them as inspiration.
Wedding color palettes for a beach destination wedding
1. Coral & blue
Calm yet cheerful, this color palette uses a range of light and dusty blue tones with seashells or mother of pearl details that give it an ethereal look. It’s a more low-key color palette for a coastal setting that’s natural and airy with a pop of coral.
Wedding color palettes for a jungle destination wedding
2. Aqua, Rattan, Orange, Magenta & Pink
Picture an abundance of decor and floral design elements on the reception tablescapes ranging from orange and deep magenta, to pale pink. Then perhaps some rattan lanterns, and colorful glassware to really finish up the look. This jungle-inspired color palette is bursting with life and brimming with potential.
3. Yellow, tangerine, coral, white, beach glass blue
Vibrant and joyful, this color palette allows for tons of vibrant blooms whilst using the jungle greenery as your backdrop. You could opt for a classic white base with touches of a floral flair with your pale yellows, tangerine, and bright coral. Add in bits of glass blue and you’ve got a color palette that’s unique and striking.
Wedding color palettes for a laid back destination wedding
4. Terracotta
This laid back color palette brings in a sense of warmth with its rust-inspired terracotta hues. And to bring it even more to life, consider ceramic accents, wood, and orange, yellow, and white blooms.
5. Earth tones, sage green & champagne
Sage green, along with earth tones, gives off a fresh and natural feel, perfect for a laid back outdoor destination wedding. These tones will compliment the neutral champagne color, creating a relaxed aesthetic.
Wedding color palettes for an elegant destination wedding
6. Blue-ish greens
Create a beautiful and contrasting effect with a mix of blues and greens which will allow your brilliant white dress to stand out amongst everything else.
7. Romantic blush
A timeless classic, blush is delicate, elegant and brings a soft, feminine touch to any wedding. From your wedding dress to bridesmaid dresses, stationery, arches, aisle runners, centerpieces, and more, there are so many ways to incorporate romantic blush into your big day.
8. Black & white
It’s urban, minimalistic and sophisticated, black and white can be simple but it’s always a classic. It highlights two individuals who embrace their individualism and autonomy whilst welcoming a modern type of love. Using monochrome shades, you can bring a beautiful vision to fruition for your elopement or wedding.
9. Sage & French blue
This color palette is pastel-inspired with a hint of contrast and slightly bolder colors, fantastic for an elopement. With its sage, French blue, pale pink, gold, and cream, it exudes romance and class.
10. Peppy Pink
If pink hues are your thing, these trending colors could be the perfect color palette for your beach destination wedding. In fact, why not double down on the pink hues by using a technique called ‘color drenching’? This is when you focus on using one color over and over again. In this case, you would fill all your spaces with all things pink.
With these color palette tips, we hope you’re more the wiser on picking the perfect colors for your destination wedding or elopement… big or small!
Organizing this part of your big day should be something inspiring and exciting, so take your time and enjoy the creative process.
And remember that there are a slew of other online social media platforms and websites available to help you (as well as a wedding planner, if you choose to have one).
Enjoy your beautiful wedding planning!
Ring the Wedding Bells
Check out more of my blog posts for advice and tips on destination wedding photography, lighting, timeline, and planning.
