Summer is the season of warm weather, beautiful blooms, and—of course—weddings. Naturally, summer wedding colors tend to reflect the best qualities of the season; since guests can gather outdoors in balmy temperatures, nature’s lush hues are often the inspiration for the big day’s decor. Therefore, many look to the landscape of their venue to provide a gorgeous jumping-off point: coastal shades for a beachfront ceremony; botanical tones for a garden party; verdant hues for a farm setting. No matter what you choose, the colors in your summer wedding color palette should complement your festivities and enhance the ambiance of your celebration.
Selecting the colors for your summer wedding palette is an incredibly important part of the wedding planning process. It can define the linens for the tablescape, the florals in your bouquet and centerpieces, and the details in your paper goods. While your wedding design should always be a reflection of your own creative expression, reflecting the seasonality of your soirée is never a bad idea. To help spark some ideas, we’ve gathered some of the most popular summer wedding colors loved by couples and wedding planners alike.
Blue
If you want to include something blue in your summer wedding, consider adding it to your color palette. Blue comes in so many gorgeous shades from pale turquoise to rich cornflower, that it can easily be infused into your décor plans. The hue looks lovely tied into a celebration in the warmer months as it naturally complements a waterfront view, a sunny sky, or seasonal florals. Consider using light blue draping to add drama to your tent or fill your centerpieces with colorful hydrangeas, a symbol of abundance and gratitude. To enhance your ceremony, line your aisles with tall blue delphinium or include petite clematis blooms to your bouquet for a sweet dose of color.
Navy
While navy is definitely a shade of blue, it also stands on its own thanks to its dark tone. It’s excellent for grounding a summer wedding color palette—especially when black might feel a bit too harsh; if you want to lend more depth to your celebration, navy brings dimension without feeling stark. For a wedding with a more traditional feel, navy can be an excellent choice to add a classic touch to your paper goods and linens. It can also adds drama and modernity when contrasted with other neutrals or pastel hues.
Blush
Up the romance at your wedding by including blush in your color palette. Paired with ivory, sage, or light earth tones, this pastel hue provides a sweet balance to the aesthetic of the day. Blush roses, orchids, and ranunculus are all lovely florals that can capture this hue in your palette. To embrace the color further, try incorporating soft pink linen napkins, taper candles, or chargers to your tablescape. Some brides even wear the shade on their big day.
Yellow
Sunny yellow is a vibrant shade to include in your summer wedding color palette. The cheerful hue instantly brightens any celebration and captures the lightness of the season. Since yellow is often a bold hue, it’s wise to be delicate with your design choices when incorporating the shade. Yellow flowers like sunflowers, mimosa, daffodils, and roses bring joy to arrangements, while printed tablecloths, drapery, and paper goods that highlight the shade can add a vibrant, summer touch to your design aesthetic. Or, opt for a delicate shade of butter yellow for just a hint of the color. Deep gold and mustard can infuse extra warmth in sunset celebrations, too.
Green
It’s hard to have a summer wedding full of florals without naturally including green within your palette. While it often serves as a base hue for arches and floral arrangements, green can also become the star of your wedding decor when featured in your paper goods, linens, and even bridesmaid dresses. A tropical beach celebration can lean into the color with accents of emerald and chartreuse, while shades of forest, sage, and olive bring a natural dimension to a formal affair.
White
A white wedding is nothing new, but it’s a classic for a reason. Summer whites bring an elegant air to your celebration and allow your venue’s natural beauty to shine through. To give your white wedding a bit more personality, make sure to enhance the neutral shade with texture. Incorporate hydrangea, delphinium, baby’s breath, or calla lilies to bring volume and unique shapes to floral arrangements. Rough-edge linens, cakes with ruffled buttercream frosting, and glowing taper candles can also enhance the visual interest of your décor.
Orange
Orange can be an unexpected addition to a summer wedding color palette. While it may feel too bold to center a wedding around, it can be a lovely accent color to incorporate into a bright color scheme. Marigolds are a favorite to include in floral arrangements at Hindu wedding ceremonies, while other blooms like zinnia and poppies can bring a burst of color to your festivities. You can even incorporate citrus fruits into your arrangements for a Mediterranean-inspired celebration. For a more understated approach, look to muted shades of orange like peach and apricot. Or, use a deeper shade like terracotta or rust.
Purple
If you want to put a focus on your florals at your summer wedding, consider incorporating purple into your palette. The season produces many beautiful blooms in a range of shades making it easy to infuse purple into your celebration’s bouquets and centerpieces. Some favorites: larkspur, hydrangea, sweet peas, and irises. Weddings in the early summer can include freshly bloomed wisteria or lilac, too.
Beige
While beige might feel boring for a wedding, it’s anything but. This soft neutral tone is perfect for a celebration that wants to embrace elegance or an understated vibe. Utilize natural ceramics for tableware and decor, play with earth tones, or enhance the texture of your aesthetic with dried flowers and grasses. Cream and beige shades also work well with metallics and glass for a sleek, minimalist effect and pair well with pretty much any other color.
Fuschia
If you want to bring vibrancy to your summer soirée, then fuschia is a gorgeous choice. Since it is such a bold shade, you may want to keep this hue as an accent color in order to not overwhelm your palette. Bold floral installations of blooms like bougainvillea can instantly brighten up a ceremony space; protea or peonies are also intriguing choices.
