Choosing your wedding colour palette isn’t just about picking your favourite shades—it’s about setting the emotional tone and visual language of your entire celebration. From your floral choices to your stationery, attire, and décor, colour has the power to unify your wedding day into something truly memorable.
Here are five expert-backed tips tailored for Canadian couples to help you build a colour palette that feels intentional, stylish, and completely you.
1. LLet the Season Inspire Your Palette
In Canada, our four seasons offer dramatically different backdrops. Let nature guide your choices:
- Spring weddings: Fresh greens, soft pastels, pale yellows, or lilacs
- Summer weddings: Bold corals, citrus tones, turquoise, sunflower yellow
- Fall weddings: Rust, copper, burgundy, forest green
- Winter weddings: Icy blue, deep emerald, navy, or rich jewel tones
Seasonal palettes enhance the natural beauty of your wedding photos and often help with vendor availability for in-season florals.
What to Wear for Winter Wedding Photos
Canadian Wedding Budget Breakdown
2. Take Cues from Your Venue
Your venue is your canvas—don’t fight it, work with it. A rustic barn might call for neutral earth tones or sage green. A luxury ballroom? Try black and white with gold accents. A beach elopement? Think soft sand tones with ocean blues or dusty rose.
Pro Tip: Ask your photographer how different colours photograph at your venue during your tour. Light plays a big role in how colour appears in your images.
3. Match the Mood—Not Just the Theme
Instead of locking into a theme like “boho” or “vintage,” ask: How do we want our wedding to feel?
- Romantic and soft? Use mauve, blush, and dusty blue
- Playful and fun? Think bright coral, teal, or tangerine
- Moody and dramatic? Try black, plum, or deep forest green
Matching your colours to your emotional goals is one of the most powerful ways to create cohesion in your visuals.
4. Stay True to You (and Maybe the Trends)
You don’t have to chase trends. But they can be a helpful springboard if you’re stuck. Check out:
- Pantone’s Colour of the Year
- Wedding trend blogs
- Floral designers’ seasonal palettes
Just make sure you adapt any trend to suit your personality, story, and setting. For example, take a trendy terra cotta and soften it for spring—or deepen it for fall.
5. Use Colour to Create Visual Flow
Once your palette is chosen, carry it through your entire day:
- Stationery
- Signage
- Attire
- Florals
- Table décor
- Lighting
Using colour with intention creates a visually cohesive experience—and helps your photographer tell a story that feels polished and immersive.
Wedding Photography Styles: Finding the Look That Speaks to You
Planning Your Canadian Wedding?
Choosing your colour palette is just one part of designing a day that feels like you. For more planning tips:
- Explore our Canadian Wedding Planning Guide
- Use our Glossary of Wedding Terms
- Read Real Wedding Planning Horror Stories
These resources were created by photographers across Canada to help you plan with confidence, clarity, and creativity.
Want a Photographer Who Gets Your Vision?
Your colour palette is part of a bigger story—and the right photographer will help you tell it.
Browse our directory of Canadian wedding photographers to find someone who aligns with your style, your values, and your vibe.