If you’ve said yes and set the wedding date, then it’s time to think about the look and feel of the big day, and it all starts with your wedding color palette for 2021. Many consider picking wedding colors to be one of the most important steps as you start your planning process, as it sets the tone for things to come.
Lucky for you, we’ve assembled our favorite 2021 wedding colors that we’re confident will inspire you as you plan every last detail, to make your day one that you and your loved ones will remember for decades to come!
Wedding Color Palettes: 2021
When picking your wedding color palette, the first thing to consider is what vibe you want your guests to feel when they are celebrating your nuptials. Romantic? Bohemian? Global? Natural and organic? Your colors suggest the feeling you want to convey and evoke.
Second, you’ll want to think about how you want to incorporate these colors into your day. Some couples weave in their color palette with subtle hints and interesting textures, while others go all out and want their colors to be front and center. Starting with your overall vision and vibe, then drill down to the color that will translate that vision.
Fabulous Fuschia
Bright, bold, and happy, fuschia is one of the increasingly popular wedding colors for many reasons.
First, unlike some other tones, fuschia is a shade that works throughout all four seasons, and second, it is a statement color that contrasts nicely with white or a refreshing green, so it complements florals exceptionally well.
Eye-Catching Cobalt
It’s not navy. Colbalt is not midnight blue. It’s not sky. Cobalt is a wedding color all its own. If you love the ocean and all things nautical, this is the shade for you. Pairing well with soft grays and bright yellows, cobalt can completely transform a space into a sea-worthy surprise.
Yellow For the Win
After an impossibly grim 2020, the optimism of yellow is a welcome sight. Considered one of the rising shades of 2021, yellow works in myriad details and decor elements. Whether it’s jaw-dropping centrepieces featuring lemons or pears, tablescapes or decorative micro arrangements, or bouquets featuring yellow tulips, daisies, daffodils, or sunflowers, yellow is sure to bring good vibes to any wedding celebration.
Nothing But Neutrals
Beige, ivory, taupe, and shades of white layered in interesting and eye-catching ways is sure to lend a whimsical, natural, and even bohemian feel to your wedding day. Textural elements including pampas grass decor, burlap runners, linens, and throw pillows can give your wedding visual interest while also giving you the ability to easily mix and match in creative ways.
Sensational Sage
Natural tones are especially whimsical, earthy, and extraordinary. Suppose you’re a couple who is conscious of the environment or gravitates toward subtle statements.
In that case, sage green is a refreshing palate cleanser that aligns beautifully with other earth tones including tan, beige, and chestnut brown, or can work in contrast to blues and even, when done sparingly, merlot.
Divine Deep Purple
Admittedly, there are tons of variants of deep purple, ranging from rich plum to magnificent mulberry. But for a wedding color palette in 2021, bold and unapologetic, deep purples work with neutral colors.
If you want the hue to take center stage, another way to present deep purples with impact is by having multiple shades incorporated at once. For example, have each of your bridesmaids wear a dress in a different deep purple tone.
Ravishing Rose Gold
Rose gold will continue to be one of the most in-demand wedding color palettes in 2021. Rising to popularity in recent years, rose gold can be woven into all facets of the wedding including but most especially on paper. Think: invitations, ceremony programs, table assignments, menus, thank you cards, and more.
Punchy Papaya Orange
According to The Knot, papaya orange should be considered as part of your wedding planning color palette. Calling the shade a modern-day answer to the coral and peach hues of yesteryear, papaya orange pairs beautifully when juxtaposed with a contrast color like navy blue as well as a softer hue like a soft green. It’s also a great accent color, especially in the spring and summertime (hello, signature cocktail inspo!).
Pantone’s 2021 Colors of the Year: Ultimate Gray & “Illuminating”
Pantone, the color-matching system created in 1963 and today considered the leading color-matching system in the world, announces its color of the year every December for the year ahead, much to the delight of eager graphic and interior designers everywhere.
Historically, the colors have become ubiquitous in nearly every way, including weddings. Ultimate Gray is a solid, familiar gray that makes a beautiful base color for a wedding with its malleable tone. “Illuminating” is a vibrant yellow, so together they are a captivating, contrasting combo.
Light Blue
Even beyond the wedding color palette trends in 2021, light blues continue to dominate wedding palettes. In 2021 we can expect variations of this popular hue. The Knot cites periwinkle, powder blue, cornflower, and French blue as the tones we can expect to see rising to the top this year. Idyllic for wedding day fashion, light blue shades work beautifully for bridesmaids’ dresses. Don’t forget ties for groomsmen, and as a ribbon waist accent on your bridal gown.
Thoughtful Ways to Incorporate Color Into Your Wedding
There are myriad ways to incorporate your chosen wedding day color palette into every facet of the festive event. Introduce your colors from the outset: with your save-the-dates. Send out printed save-the-dates or officially launch your wedding website. This is your first opportunity to give your guests a sneak peek of what is to come.
Start with the Bridal Shower
Whether you are planning your bridal shower by yourself or with help, connect it to the ceremony with your color of choice. Your bridesmaids can take some wedding day inspo and incorporate your colors into this milestone event. Shower invitations and favors are other great ways to reiterate your wedding day color palette.
Up the Color at the Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner is the ultimate preview of what is to come on the big day, so be sure to use your wedding colors to build the excitement. Create a signature cocktail inspired by your wedding day colors. That can mean the actual beverage itself is that color or the garnishes reflect the hues. If your wedding will incorporate citrus tones like lemon, lime, orange, or papaya, a signature drink is a celebratory way to highlight those shades.
An Interesting Ceremony Program
At your ceremony, the program is the first piece your guests will have in their hands, and it can be creative, contemporary, or traditional. If you have a colorful design element or a signature monogram, the program is your opportunity to reinforce that “branding.” From romantic taper candles for the candelabras to an aisle runner to floral pew markers, other design elements are all chances to weave in colorful hues.
Tables, Linens, and Arrangements
Place settings, table linens, and centerpieces at both the rehearsal dinner and wedding are an excellent way to festoon your wedding day colors. Chargers are the foundation of any place setting. They typically sit on top of the tablecloth or placemat, between the arranged flatware and beverage glasses. They can significantly impact the look and feel of your entire reception venue.
Hints of Color Cocktail Hour Lounge
When it comes to color, also consider integrating different textures to create layers and contrast. A cocktail hour lounge with couches and tent swaths can be transformed with uplighting in your signature shades. Think generously draped fabric that drapes from the top of the event tent and often around the sides.
Wedding Color Palette 2021: Both Bright and Neutral
In the end, trends and popular palettes are a great source of inspiration, but your wedding day color palette should reflect you as a couple. Choose hues that bring you joy and that will frame your day as the milestone memory you will carry forever.
