Birthday
HydrangeasA wedding colour sets the tone for the whole celebration: invitations, décor, bridesmaids' dresses, the groom's boutonniere and, of course, the bridal bouquet. Here are the most popular palettes — blue, red, yellow, green and purple — the flowers that suit each, and how to keep the look balanced.
For ready-made options in different colours, see bridal bouquets and flowers for newlyweds.
How to choose a wedding colour
- One main colour and one or two accents — for example blue + white + a touch of gold. More than three colours usually looks busy.
- Think about the season. Spring brings lilac, tulips and peonies; summer delphinium, lavender and sunflowers; autumn dahlias, chrysanthemums and berries; winter amaryllis, evergreens and roses.
- Consider the dress and skin tone. Contrasting colours pop against bright white; soft pastels suit ivory and champagne.
- Check how it photographs. Very dark shades (burgundy, ink blue) can look flat in photos — add lighter flowers.
For shape and size, see our bridal bouquet guide.
Blue weddings
Blue is one of the most traditional wedding colours: in English-speaking countries the bride wears "something blue" for luck. Few flowers are naturally blue: delphinium, hydrangea, muscari, eryngium, forget-me-nots and cornflowers. Blue roses and orchids are usually dyed. Blue looks best paired with white.
Red and marsala weddings
Red means passion and ceremony. Roses, ranunculus, peonies, dahlias and anemones work well, and amaryllis in winter. The deep wine shade marsala became popular in wedding floristry after Pantone named it Colour of the Year for 2015; it is softened with peach and cream.
Yellow weddings
Yellow is sunny and joyful — ideal for summer and autumn weddings outdoors. Yellow roses and ranunculus, craspedia balls and freesia work well, with sunflowers and mimosa in season. Soften yellow with white, cream or grey-blue. See also what yellow flowers mean.
Green weddings
Green suits eco weddings, garden celebrations and boho style. Eucalyptus, ruscus and ferns form the base, with white flowers and green accents: Anastasia Green chrysanthemums, hydrangea, bells of Ireland. More in our article on green flowers.
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Purple and lilac weddings
Purple means luxury and romance. In spring use lilac and tulips, in summer lavender and lisianthus, in autumn asters and chrysanthemums, and callas and orchids all year round. Lilac is especially lovely with silver eucalyptus and white. For purple flower ideas, see purple flowers.
FAQ
Can a bridal bouquet be entirely blue?
It can, but natural blue flowers are few and are usually combined with white and greenery. An all-blue bouquet almost always includes dyed flowers.
Should the groom's boutonniere match the bouquet?
Not exactly, but it should echo one of the bouquet's colours or flowers.
What is the most versatile wedding colour?
White with greenery and a single accent — it works in any season, venue and style.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
