Month by Month: Wedding Themes and Colors for Every Season
Here we try to do just that. Granted, these are just suggestions ... and they don't take into account destination weddings, or seasons outside of North America, for that matter. Not to mention: a grandly-decorated venue is a blank slate you can transform into anything, any time of year. And some of these themes and colors are really fine for year-round use, though we didn't want to repeat them over and over (Black & White or Fifth Avenue Aqua being two examples).
But all disclaimers aside: if you want some great color combination or theme inspirations for January, June, or anything in between, read on!
March, April
If your climate cooperates, this is a wonderful time to celebrate spring's earliest bursts of color, flowers and delicate life forms: Lilies of Valley and Shasta daisies, daffodils and tulips, butterflies and dragonflies. Brides are instinctively drawn to pastels like lavender or yellow, whimsical and romantic pairings like red and pink, or combos with a modern bent like pink and lime green. A monochromatic look using all shades of pink is also totally spring (and stunning).Some popular themes for spring? Cherry Blossom, Butterfly, and Irish or St. Patricks, to name a few.
Also, popular spring color combinations that double as themes include Aqua Blue (Fifth Avenue Style), and Pink & Green.
May, June, July
Summer brides sometimes complain that they can't find any summer themes, besides the usual beach or garden. Not to worry though: there's more here than you might expect. Summer also offers some of the most brightest, most energized palettes for brides who aren't afraid to play it modern. Contemporary picks include orange and fuchsia, green and hot pink, black against any kind of eye-popping-color, and chocolate brown and pink (or aqua).Favorite themes for summer are numerous, but here are just a few: Garden, Daisy, Enchanted Forest and Victorian Garden, Beach, Starfish, Hawaiian Luau, Preppy/Nautical and Poolside. Don't forget Patriotic or Baseball, Fairytale or Asian Garden, Polka Dot or 50's Retro, and South of the Border, Rustic Country or Western.
Color Themes for the warm summer season include all kinds of Green, Cornflower Blue, Orange & Fuchsia, Black & White Toile with summery accents like yellow or pink, Aqua Blue (beach style), and the lighter purples, like orchid or Aubergine.
August, September, October
The colors alone bring this season near to the hearts of many brides who can't imagine tying the knot any other time of year. From russet to pumpkin orange and cinnamon to vanilla, the scents and famers' market decor of an outdoor Autumn wedding makes a setting like none other (not to mention the awesome photos!). Another plus: the grapes are ripe, and it's time to celebrate a brand-new season of wine.Popular colors for this time of year include latte, mocha and chocolate brown, rust orange and burgundy, hunter green and gold. Nature-minded themes are all the rage right now, including New England Harvest, Harvest Modern and Halloween, "Perfect Pear" and Apple, Tuscan and Wine Theme, Herbal and Rustic Country. Chocolate Brown also amounts to a theme ... one that suits the season to a 'T'.
November
November's long been a sticking point for brides who want to stay close to nature, but aren't huge fans of the bright, brassy colors of autumn. We've try to address this dilemma with our new "Fields of Gold" page, which pays homage to the natural world and November's subtler palette of creams and golds. For more urban, indoor and delectably chic approach, seize on this time of year for a 1930's Retro / Art Deco Theme, with its November-friendly palette of gold, ivory, sepia and black, and its oh-so-apt nostalgic feel.
December, January, February
Friends and family are stuck inside, desperately hoping for a romantic diversion. Which is why this time of year's about making big, elegant gestures: going back in time, playing with lighting levels, indulging in romantic fabrics and heavy molding ... in short, transforming an ordinary interior into a portal to another world. Favorite colors for this time of year include ice blue, silver and white, gold, red and green, metallics paired with black, ivory on white and vice versa, and all the shimmery jewel tones.Top themes that fit the season include those with a pale palette and opulent look, such as Calla, Parisian or Versailles, or those with a holiday feel, such as Christmas, Victorian Christmas, Winter Wonderland, or Diamond or Crystal Theme. Of course, Valentine's Day is a natural for those marrying in February, but the bold red and white palette works just as well for any other deep-winter setting. Finally, maybe it's the Oscars, or just a need to cut loose after too many dark afternoons, but there's no better time of year to hold an Old Hollywood or even Vegas theme wedding.
As for color themes that suit this time of year? All-White, Regal Red, Black & White, and Royal Purple.
What'd We Miss?
We know this list is hardly exhaustive... there are plenty more themes and color schemes tailor-made for autumn or spring. Why not share some of your favorites below?
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I need input! My wedding is not until nxt june(2010), and since i am planning and doing what i want, as far as details, for the wedding. I let him (sort of) pick the colors. His favorite are royal blue and orange.. and i tweaked it to be navy blue and orange. Now i was just wondering, since orange is his primary favorite color, should i just let the groomsmens accents be orange and have the bridesmaids wear navy dresses with an orange sash and flowers or what kind of a combo should i do? Thanks for your help!
La Trecia,
yes, have the complete bridal party in navy, guys too. it looks equal to black or brown’s classiness. i like th orange sash. but you will get a more streamlined and even more classic look with plain navy for girls. i prefer plain dresses with a bouquet of orange shades ranging from light to dark. mostly light and medium though. i dont know the formality of your wedding, but a clutch of roses or clutch of gerbera daisies would fit the bill. depends on the look your after. okay for the reception, have white, gold or silver , and orange centerpieces. keep it soft and romantic yet bold. using white will simplify your tables, easier than colors. and orange napkins and centerpieces will be beautiful.
google image navy blue and orange wedding
Thanks
I am getting married in November and would like to have a “FALL” wedding, my ideas are: burnt orange, yellow, browns.
What do you think?
deborah, google image autumn wedding and also autumn wedding board, then rustic autumn wedding board and rustic fall wedding board. i wasnt sure if it was rustic or not. i posted a pic i fell in love with!!!
i love it!!!
*A Thanksgiving Wedding( i love this so much!! would go with the bouquet pic i posted!)
*fall into love Thursday ( here you could replace red with burnt orange or add it, i love that bouquet of leaves!!)
*Dramatic Autumn Wedding in the Berkshires
me and my fiancee we getting married this dec 2009 near christmas in a garden wedding at 3pm. we are planning to have a plum and yellow gold is it a good comibation? your suggestion colud help me a lot and kindly give me some sample pictures thank u
rose, here are some links below. i am gonna post what i think will work(shades), i am trying to find shades that wont look LSU or athletic. incorporate a white cake with edible shimmer dust or glitter. add sparkle within places with sequin ribbon. i would put the girls in eggplant or aubergine( keep dresses jeweltone, will look fab on their skin) and have guys in simple black and white tux or suit. add color with colored bout. bm carry a bouquet of ( different shades of purple, you carry yellow and white) and have centerpieces a mix of the 3 colors. use white or icy purple linens( with a bit of sheen) you will want shimmer due to winter ice etc. dont be afraid to add crystal stems to this decor.
*Real Wedding: A Damask Affair ( this is different and beautiful, its captivating!!)
*Mustard and Eggplant ( this is the colors i mean, if using purple and yellow)
*Tiffany & Mark in Findlay, OH
*Inspiration boards request
*My Inspiration Board!!!
*photos ( here are some pics by color, the pics are all gorgeous!!)
rose, here is another sample. bouquets in pic is what i see bm carrying. i was trying to make it gardeny at wintertime. i hope you like it.
hi… help please…. we’re planning to have the wedding on June and motiff or color is one thing that we quite cant decide on. my fiancee likes tangerine… and for me i like a color theme that relates to ‘planet green’… also, i’ve checked out ‘autumn colors’… which i liked very much… any ideas? anyone?
rich,
not to worry, just pair tangerine and green. its a beautiful color scheme that goes perfect in summer!! just google image orange and green wedding.
*Lindsey & James in Napa, CA
*Cindy & Doug in Grand Rapids, MI
*Thara & Joel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands( this always captures my attention!!its just stunning, this would give you the tangerine and green, plus a little of the autumn colors)
*orange
I am getting married June 13 2009. We have decided on Navy blue as our main color but cant decide on any accent colors!! Help!
lisa,
could you tell me what other colors you like? your fh? what does your venue look like? navy and white looks crisp and clean, add yellow it makes it softer, romantic. a hot combo is navy and pink aslo navy and green. pair it with beige and it looks nautical. navy is as versatile as black, no wonder its becoming popular!! i love it!! for starters, google image navy blue and pink wedding , then navy blue and white wedding, navy blue and yellow wedding. check out those color combos to see if anything jumps out. for a june wedding since you are having a deep color, i would add a lighter color to soften it up. though 2 dark colors can look very glam and celebrity worthy. you can look at navy blue and orange wedding too. though i would lighten this up for a romantic feel, unless you are looking for a bold color.
I asked someone about this because my daughter also wants to use Navy blue for her bridesmaid dresses (she is wearing an ivory wedding gown). The suggestions we’ve gotten have been great! We especially liked the idea of a celery green (colorful, but not lime), or coral. We’re still trying to figure it out. Good luck and let us know what you decide!
jewel, hi. why not use all 3 colors? have bm in navy and have them carry a beautiful bouquet of celery green,white and pale coral, wrap stems with ribbon, no hanging ribbons. then take sapphire rhinestones (decent size) and have lined in a row of front side of the ribbon wrap for a bejeweled bouquet. have men in dark blue. keep ceremony decor in green and white. then in reception have crisp white linens, coral, green, white centerpieces in blue vases, think about renting bue stemware too. or keep it simple… in napkins tuck a blue flower sprig(hydrangea?!?) have cake in white and blue. stick to timeless decor such as lots of greenery and simple flowers. think about adding faux or real green berries to the arrangements.
Pink in any hue goes really well with Navy blue. I went to a wedding last summer that had hot pink with Navy - a very fun look.
I’m planning a wedding for November. I have no clue what colors to do or what kinda of theme or any decorating ideas. Can anyone help?
i would love to have a november/fall wedding. i absolutly love the fall colors and country ideas (i’m a country girl through and through) i think that pumpkins are awesome for a november wedding. if you take smaller ones and take off the stem, put floral pins around them and get small lanter globes, and you have an awesome table piece. besides burnt orange you could use a forest green or even burgendy and wine colors. mums are good fall flowers and you could also get some bails of hay or straw for decorating around the reception area. for cards you could get a fake tree or even a branch off a real tree and hot glue some fake fall leaves on it here and then and use clothes pins for ppl to attatch the cards. it looks really nice strung w white christmas lights or even orange halloween lights. i think a good favor idea would be caramel apples. and they sell the sticks at craft stores and a lot of grocery stores have the caramel “wrapples” (sheets of caramel you easily wrap around the apple and bake a few minutes so they stick). melted milk chocolate and white chocolate put in an icing bag or even just sandwhich bag w a small hole makes elegant drizzles to decorate your apples. sunflowers are good too flower wise but some ppl are against them so another good orange flower is tiger lilys. well i hope you like some of these ideas and maybe use some!!!
sorry, i forgot to say something about the first idea w the pumpkins…. u put votive candles on top, then the pins around to hold on the lantern globe lol…. sorry got ahead of myself and didnt proof read
hi kasey, do you have what type of ceremony you want it to be? casual or more formal? do you want a fall theme or would you like to steer from that a bit? for starters google image fall wedding board and here is some greats from real weddings at thebridescafe.com for more weddings!!
* Real Wedding: Jen & Mark
* Real Wedding: Dana & Todd
* Real Wedding: Davida & Chris
* Lyndsey Hamilton Events
I have just gotten engaged, and I really want to start thinking about my colors right away! I’m not sure when exactly I want to have our wedding, so I want to pick the colors first and go from there. I like grey for bridesmaid dresses, but everyone I have told said it would be ugly. I recently watched “Bride Wars,” and I’m now hooked on Lavendar bridesmaid dresses. Any opinions?
jenna,
* Color Ideas?
(scroll down)
* Board #258: Grapefruit & Gray
* Johnson-Garcia Wedding
( look how they did the lavender and grey here, so gorgeous)
* Wedding Wednesday - Plum and Silver Wedding
* Inspiration Board: Lovely Lilac & Gray
( my overall fave! this is soooo pretty!! show everyone how beautiful this is!) do a reverse. most bm dont want grey. so put them in the lavender or lilac. then tie your beautiful deeper shade of purple florals with a wide satin grey flowing ribbon. Don’t you just love the colored sugar crystals on top of the mini cakes? how great is that? this will wow your guests!)
Hi,
I am new to planning and the whole color scheme thing. I really love purples and my FI loves green. Is there a nice way to combine the two of these? I also like teal or even a chocolate brown. We are getting married in May of 2010, so I am wondering if anyone has ideas for nice colors that would go nicely in May? Also, I am unsure what would be the main color and which color would be a good accent color. Thanks!
kel,
why not go with a simple purple and green wedding? have the bm in brown, can have guys in brown. another option is guys in black with brown vests. have a chocolate covered wedding cake. tie in brown into your linens. purple and green will pop against linens or have white linens with purple and green centerpieces. add folded place cards that stand by plates in white with brown calligraphy writing.
* Lavender/Purple brides…
* brown and plum color palette?
* Real Weddings: Tiffany + Rick 5.31.08
also go to theknot.com and look under wedding photos then purple details.
These are great links, thanks! I appreciate the suggestions
Hi! I am having a June 2009 wedding. My bridesmaid dresses are a gold/toffee color and I am having trouble figuring out an accent color. I really like fall collors, particularly burnt orange and deep reds. The wedding is going to be very formal. Any ideas on how to incorporate an accent color into flowers and reception decor?
kristina,
* Fall Wedding Theme Decoration and Centerpiece Ideas
* The Grand Del Mar April 2008
( i think this might be it!!)
* Mike Lieberthal & Kelly Culbert Wedding
Please help My wedding colors are Lavender and Brown any decorating ideas?
tracey, what type of theme are you having? indoors, outdoors, simple elaborate?
* Purple Violet Lavender Wedding Inspiration Board
* Brienne & Daniel are married!
(this is just beautiful, this wedding is best from spring to early fall, the aisle, how great is that! i love the different bunches and colors of flowers on the chairs! only to bring them together in the centerpieces. I think this would give your color scheme an edge, but you wouldn’t have to use every color here , just softer ranges of lilac, lavender, and maybe a slightly deeper lavender in the mix) this would look wonderful against brown linens.
i love the idea of simple wedding lollipops tied with ribbon that says thank you or wedding day, laid on top of each plate. a fun unexpected touch to give a light hearted feel. also consider gathering ecclectic containers, heirloom or flea market, and arrange elegant flowers in each. for the wedding ceremony, consider grouping different size urns filled with flowers at beginning and front of aisle. these can also be moved during cocktails to the reception and placed strategically.
Hi guys!!!
I am getting married in September 2009 and I still don’t have a clue what colour to go with!!! I was thinking of maybe cream with gold or maybe beige…I also have a problem with choosing bridesmaid dresses…can you please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!
zanele,
* Wedding Theme - Grecian
( i absolutely love this board, have been wanting to use this! love the pop of color it really sets the tone, so elegant and the muted floral colors are perfect for september)
* Wedding Wednesday: Gold & Ivory
* Gold digger!
* Wedding Wednesday - Elegant Gold Affair (wow!)
you can put your bm in any neutral classic black, brown, white, grey, green(which goes with everything), champagne, or even a classic peach tone as in the link above could work as a neutral.just dont add the color of their dress into the color scheme. let them be a pop of color in a beautiful creamy setting.head over to jimhjelm.com for beautiful dresses. also jcrew.com for unbeatable dresses and prices!
Im getting married aug or sept of this year and need help with finding my colors. I love (royal) purple and was wondering if chocolate would work with this. What flowers should I use?
chiquita, hi!! oh absolutely! i will give you some ideas. but i will tell you a monochromatic color scheme in this would be stunning.
* Inspiration Board: Purple, Ivory, Brown
* Wedding Wednesday - Dramatic Purple Wedding
* Wedding Wednesday - Plum and Silver Wedding
there are some beautiful ideas here i truly hope they help! there are also beautiful flowers in sept. sometimes you may have a late summer early fall types. hydrangea(which is a solid fave of mine, i recommend it highly, though it can be pricey-it it lush and can be big impact with a single stem) roses, chrysanthemums, etc. check your florist for local in season flowers which are least expensive. happy planning!!
* Elizabeth & Matthew in Beverly, MA
* Lauren & Jason in Afton, VA
( i love the purple hydrangeas in the brown containers)
chiquita, i thought a simple ivory or cream floral would be breathtaking against this color scheme!!
We are planning a wedding for December 2009. We want our wedding colors to be royal blue and silver. My dress is white and the I want to bridemaids to have royal blue dresses with silver jewelry and shoes. Do you think this would look fabulous? Please respond.
wanda, oh absolutely!! beautiful color scheme.
* Board #260: Something Blue
* Wedding Wednesday: A Silver and White (Winter) Wedding
* The Wind That Blew My Heart Away (scroll down for royal blue dress)
* Hydrangeas - My new fav flower!
Wanda, I love that color duo! I’m getting married in October with sapphire blue and steel grey for colors. Here’s a beautiful color board I found that really shows off the striking contrasts you can achieve with these colors. I know it’s not exactly the same, but it’s similar enough that maybe you’ll find some inspiration from it!
Blue and Grey
hi!! I am planning a wedding for early October 2009. I really want royal blue dresses, but am having a hard time deciding on colors for the flowers. my dress is ivory, but what colors can i use for the bridesmaids flowers, without it looking like a summer wedding? Any advice will really be appreciated!
hi jen, i would choose shades of tangerine, apricots mixed with pinkish tones, deep burnt orange and golden yellows.
* autumn floral art
these 2 bouquet pics are from martha stewart wedding, under fall wedding bouquet. i think either 1 of these are absolutley amazing with the royal blue color. it doesn’t look summery at all! i was stunned when i saw the combo together, its unforgettable! i used a dress pic from jcrew.com i also tried a more vibrant orange bouquet with it but it didn’t have the same appeal, i like the muted tones best.
Hi, my wedding is in May 09, and it’s taking place in a fancy ballroom, my fiance and i prefer a classical and a fancy elegant theme, i wanted a white wedding but i’m afraid white would look too plain, what colors can i add to white that can stand out and keep the classical and elegant fancy theme?
nana, white will not look to plain if it is done right. smile! the thing is texture. white is so classy. but another color that could be added is the elegance of blush or gold. plus plenty of greenery will add a pop of color, just add some shimmery accents.plus a colored runner will give a beautiful contrast, such as simple black.
* Glam Up Your Table for a Party
* Table Setting in Silver and White
* A Wedding in White
* An Inspired Wedding
* Pink and Gold Inspiration . . .
I am planning an early Oct.2009 wedding and my fiance and I have not yet decided on our color scheme. I would love to have a darker pink shade, but my fiance’s favorite color is orange. I want the wedding/reception to have a classy feel, and not be too wacky. Is there a softer way to incorporate both of these colors together, or should I choose between them?
kelly, i hope these inspire, i marked the ones i thought were gorgeous. keep the florals simple is your going for a classier vibe. simple 2 colored roses in clear glass vases are all it will take, surrounded by etched or ornate votives. bm in pink or orange would work, but i think pink will be the best choice, it will look better for most skintones. crisp white paired with these 2 colors will make it amazing. i wouldn’t choose between them, cause they are a very fab color scheme.
* Wedding Wednesday: Pink, Brown, Orange and Yellow Engagement Dinner
* Wedding Wednesday - Pink & Orange Tapestry Bridesmaids’ Luncheon
* Wedding Inspiration
* Pink and Orange: A Modern Setting
* “Centerpiece & Place Setting of the Week”
* Orange and Pink Wedding
( beautiful and classy, set on simple white linens)
* Have a stylish wedding — within a budget
( this is gorgeous as well, brighter orange and hot pink but very classy) also google hot pink and orange wedding for lots of pics! hope these help!!
I’m getting married in April of 09 right before Easter.
I loved the color red since I was little, but everyone tells me it;s a bad color for spring…what can i do, I love red.
liz, if you want red then by all means go with it!! tulips or gerbera daisies everywhere will bring spring to mind! it is a great color, and not bad at all for spring!! the bouquet in the pic stood out to me. i didnt know what formality your wedding is. i love how the red in bouquet is dominant. while the other colors give off a lighter vibe. ( but all red would be stunning in spring flowers) i woul dkeep my linens light and add red centerpieces. keep the whole theme light and airy, like spring. add plenty of greenery for a spring wedding. plenty of ribbons. for more on spring weddings head over to theknot.com and weddingchannel.com
* Tiffany & Tyler in Lost Pines, TX
liz, this is very pretty. i forgot about using red peonies.
* INSPIRATION BOARD #1 - RED VINTAGE GARDEN CHIC
Heeeeellllllpppppppp please. my wedding is spet 12, 09. i have no idea what the colors should be please me
kira, give me a few color ideas that you and your future spouse love. fave colors( this can be adjusted if its not the best shade for your venue), sentimental colors etc. also what color is your venue? this will help me to come up with beautiful colors for your wedding!! the first color that comes to mind is burgundy. it is a beautiful, simple yet elegant color that can go with brown or black effortlessly. do you have a theme in mind? may i suggest a simple 2-3 color scheme, it will keep your wedding so simple, if you are diy. green and white is another fab color scheme. that will help me find pics that could fit your possible wedding colors. please post me back, i would love to help!! look at link i provided. this is one of the most gorgeous color schemes there is. cocoa and blush. its simple, elegant, timeless and can be dressed down or up, blush or cocoa looks wonderful on most skintones, its more of a nuetral that will fit in to any theme or venue. it also is a very budget friendly scheme, and you can find these shades most anywhere. white flowers such as orchids just pop against it. it has that beautiful creamy color scheme feel to it. if you want to add a fallish decor to it then go ahead cause it will fit, just add fall leaves to the florals.
* Narda and Albert in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
( this is similar, but more in champagne) also a champagne with white colored wedding would look amazing or gold and white.
* Emily and Galin in Pensacola, FL
I want to get married in May. Any ideas on colors ? My soon to be hubby wants white and teal. What do u think? I’m not sure if I’m crazy about teal.
kelly, here are a few links…. teal is gorgeous and would be beautiful for a may wedding. what is your fave color? or what colors were you considering? because i might be able to put together something that would coordinate with teal.
* Inspiration Board: Teal Blue + Chocolate Brown
* Wedding Wednesday - Teal & Lime Bridal Shower
* Naomi & Brian’s Aqua wedding in the Garden
* Purple, Aqua, and Chartreuse ( i know this is aqua but it is a close kin to teal)
* Leigh & Brett in Andover, MA ( go to theknot.com and check out wedding photos…blue details also in search box type teal weddings and it will bring up real wedding gallery)
* Jason and Stacy’s Waterfront Wedding
* Board #264: Teal and Gold
google image teal wedding board for lots of pics with different accent colors to it. also google image teal and white wedding board , then aqua wedding
Please help!~My wedding is in August 09 and it is on the beach…I need to know what will be good colors to wear I know it is a fall mouth but it is the hottest month in florida will this change what colors I need to go with. I really don’t like gold I am more of a silver/nickle girl but it is in august…what do I need to do?
brandi, actually you can have summer wedding colors too. its a in between month. late summer early fall. you dont have to go rustic, cause i am from louisiana and its still a summer month to us!! you can wear a variety of shades, but in luck with this month, plus go for what you love and looks great on you!! no matter venue or season. other colors are blue, green(if your skintone looks good with mint green it would go with following link!) shades of pink, yellow, champagne, beige, pewter, just about anything! didnt know formality of wedding so i gave a few ideas!!
* We Think You’ll Love…
(lengthy but worth it scroll down for dress colors according to skin/hair color.
* Fall Wedding Color Schemes
* Stationer Inspiration Board: Checkerboard ( chocolate latte with mint green, this would be gorgeous paired with a silver wedding dress and silver accents!! I love this wedding its simple, elegant and right down beautiful!)
* Perfect colors for an August wedding
* Wedding Wednesday: An Orange & White Orchid Occasion
( this would be beautiful with silver)
brandi,
* “Military/2nd marriage/Colors…HELP!!!”