Winter is almost certainly not the first season most of us will think of when we begin to think of weddings. We might be put off by the snow, the cold and other factors. But the truth is that winter weddings can often be some of the most gorgeous and memorable weddings of all. Whether you’re excited about photo shoots in the snow, winter-themed decorations and color schemes or off-season prices, winter has a lot to offer.

If you’ve already begun to imagine that nature in winter doesn’t have a lot to inspire us with, then think again. Nature in winter is an explosion of beauty, and all it takes is a little creativity to see how you can use it to inspire your colors for a winter wedding.

Draw Inspiration From Nature

Nature might largely be asleep during winter, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of sights to draw from as you seek the best winter wedding colors. Here are just a few of the natural elements you might draw from.

1. Snow and Ice

You might think that snow and ice are purely white, and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. However, there’s so much more to them than just bland white. When the light and shadows fall just right, snow and ice can be lavender, blue, and silver. By using shades of these colors and adding splashes of white, you can seek to recreate a snow-inspired look that manages to be more than just solid white.

2. Flowers

What’s that? Flowers in the winter? It’s true. While the majority of nature’s blooms might have their day during the warmer months, there are other flowers that weather the cold and can provide inspiration for your winter wedding color palette.

A few such flowers are:

• Cyclamen
• Hellebores
• Nemesia
• Ornamental Kale
• English Primrose
• Winter Jasmine

For winter wedding color themes based around winter blooms, why not combine the yellow of winter jasmine with the orange of nemesia? Such a combination would be especially striking set against a neutral and snowy white backdrop.

3. Trees

The foliage may have disappeared from the deciduous trees, but the evergreens are still as pretty as ever. Let yourself be inspired by the smoky blues and dark greens of these pine trees. You might combine such a misty blue with yellow or orange for a bold and contrasting look that still captures the spirit of winter.

Think Neutral Tones

For winter wedding color ideas, neutral shades are a popular choice. This is not to say that we recommend choosing beige and gray as your colors, however. Instead, think of selecting one or two colors, and then pair those with a neutral to set them off.

Some common neutrals you may see used in this way include:

• White
• Black
• Gray
• Lavender
• Pale Blue

To illustrate what this might look like, imagine choosing dark green and violet as your colors. You might pair that with a soft gray.

Another commonly used idea in terms of winter colors for a wedding is the idea of metallic accents. Metallic shades make fabulous accents when set up against a heavier color. Think of shades like copper, silver, or gold. You could choose to pair silver with blue and purple, or copper with green.

Mix and Match Your Winter Shades

Let’s apply the same color techniques and principles we’ve been using to our winter color palettes and see what color combinations for a winter wedding we might come up with.

1. Complementary

Choosing colors from opposing sides of the color wheel will create an eye-catching look no matter what season it is. In the winter, you might choose soft lavender and lemon yellow. To top it off, you might add a neutral gray into the mix.

2. Monochromatic

As we’ve learned, a monochromatic color scheme is one that utilizes various levels of saturation of the same color. One wintertime use of a monochromatic color scheme might be different shades of purple. The lightest shades might be pale lavender, and the darker shades might be a rich plum.

3. Analogous

While many winter weddings choose a more neutral color scheme, an analogous color palette can be the right decision as well. One such color scheme to consider for your winter wedding might be soft shades of greens and yellows, such as the ones found in this white ranunculus spray.

Chapter 3: How to Choose Color Palettes for Spring Chapter 5: Choosing White for a Wedding Color