17 Vibrant and Colorful Wedding Ideas

Want a lively wedding that doesn’t look over the top? Here are some of our favorite colorful wedding ideas that add character without being corny.

Whether you’d like to add a simple pop of color in your bridal bouquet or deck out your entire wedding venue in rainbows, we’ve got you covered. In this post, we’ll talk about our favorite wedding ideas that will help color-loving couples plan their special day. We also share our favorite tricks for incorporating a kaleidoscope of hues regardless of your budget.

Keep reading to discover some of the most creative colorful wedding ideas that will make your ceremony and reception design look like a real treat.

Check out these colorful wedding ideas and planning tips

Tips for planning a colorful wedding

Wait! Put down that hot pink fabric dye and neon streamer set. Before you get too deep into the party section of your local Target, we’ve got some planning tips for you to consider if you want to elevate the look of this theme.

1. Have one palette

Even if you are doing a rainbow theme, you need a base to work from. These colors will coordinate and have specific hues you’ll need for decision-making. That means if a retailer has bright blue napkins, you can reference your palette and know whether or not it will go with your chosen color scheme. Remember, not all bright colors are created equal!

2. Include many neutrals

Not everything has to be super bright and zany in order to have a colorful wedding. Incorporating white, beige, black, navy, brown, or even green will keep your celebration styling appropriate for a wedding.

3. Perfect your placement

Be picky about where and when you use color in your design scheme. Bright colors attract attention and work best for creating focal points in spaces like wedding altars, reception halls, and even on wedding invitations. Muted tones, on the other hand, soften the look of whatever they are added to and can be used against neutrals for a more subtle effect.

4. Save some money

What we love most about colorful wedding themes is that they leave plenty of room for DIY. From dyed tablecloths to hand-tied bunting, making some of your own decor for this theme is the way to go.

Plus, major retailers such as Walmart or Party City offer colorful options that are often more affordable than official wedding shop versions. Items such as cocktail napkins, solid color photo props, and balloon arches would all fit right into a wedding design scheme without making it look like a birthday party.

5. Stick to three

Most experts agree that having more than three colors would be too much for a wedding. Unless you’re doing a tie-dye or ombre theme, this rule of thumb will save you from making tacky choices. This doesn’t mean you have to stick to a single shade of those colors. You just want to focus on those color families when choosing your items.

Colorful wedding ideas for decor

Whether you’re hosting a neon-themed wedding or are a fan of all things maximalist, these fun suggestions will add that extra whimsy you’re looking for.

6. Mix and match colored accessories

You can use your two primary colors for all your table accessories. Mix in some neutral textured pieces with a solid color table linen to pull it all together. This colorful Palm Springs wedding used a pink and orange combo for candlesticks and holders, glassware, and bouquets.

7. Add pressed flowers to your wedding cake

These rainbow-colored edible flowers look stunning against organically-styled white icing. Mix all the colors together or create an ombre with the tiers by putting the darkest shades at the bottom and working your way towards lighter shades at the top. Notice how in this example of a pressed flower wedding cake they use a variety of sizes including large flower heads, medium flower heads, and small blooms as well as stems and leaves for filler.

8. Hang colorful flower baskets above the tables

If your venue allows, you can hang bright bouquets or flower baskets in macrame hangers from the ceiling to add color and height to the entire design. We love the idea of pairing traditional terracotta pots with white-washed versions for more texture. Choose florals that are large, showy, and overflowing to really make a statement. And if you use live flowers, they’ll make great gifts for guests after!

9. Make a pom pom arch

One of the most underrated products in the party section of any store is the paper pom poms. Not only are they fun to look at, but they are also fun to put together. Some may even fold flat and can be easily stored for future use. Combine sophisticated shades of pink, fuchsia, teal, and orange for the perfect colorful fall wedding pom pom arch. We recommend varying the sizes and shapes of the poms to really make them stand out.

10. Thrift or make your own tinted glass

Did you know you can tint glass at home? It’s an easy, beginner-friendly DIY you can use for your battery-powered candle votives, florals, and more.

11. Create a colored sunglasses display

We are obsessed with this fun shelving display for colorful sunglasses. Not only do they make great wedding favors but they are also perfect for photo props. Add some velvet lounge seating and disco balls for a great kickback area.

Colorful wedding ideas for the ceremony and reception

With brightly colored wedding palettes, the key is to have a design through line. Forgetting the big picture can leave you with a feeling that something is off or just plain ugly! Plan a cohesive design to bring together all of your colorful decor, attire, and menu choices together harmoniously from when guests first arrive to when they say goodbye using these ideas.

12. Be sent off with outdoor colored bubbles

We adore these vibrant bubbles from Crayola, but any colorful bubble product will do. The Crayola version comes in three colors--yellow, pink, and purple--and would be the perfect sendoff as you leave the ceremony. Just make sure the bubbles aren’t pointed directly at your white wedding dress!

If bubbles aren’t your thing, we’re also a big fan of these colored ribbon wands for photos. Bonus: they’d be easy to make with some wood dowel rods and upcycled ribbons.

13. Drape colorful curtains behind focal points

The simplest and most eye-catching way to incorporate a lot of color into any wedding venue design is to combine temporary hooks or rods with swathes of vivid fabrics. Add them behind your altar to brighten up photos of you saying “I do”. Place them behind your wedding party dining table at the reception. Or even place them on either side of the entryways to make a strong first impression on guests.

14. Bring in transportable backdrops

We love these colorful DIY wedding arches and rectangles! Grab a few different lightweight sheets of wood cut to the dimensions of your choosing along with some sample-sized cans of paint.

We recommend varying the heights of the wood pieces. In this example, it looks like the pieces vary from two to six feet. But also, don’t forget to consider the dimensions of whatever vehicle will be used to transport them to and from the venue.

After you have your wood bought and cut, arrange your display before you begin painting. Layer taller pieces behind shorter ones and overlap corners until you have the perfect configuration. Then, tape off the pieces you want to paint in more than one color and get to work!

This colorful wedding hack is amazing for a few different reasons. It’s affordable, but makes a big impact. The pieces are lightweight enough to transport between your ceremony and event venue. You can keep one or more of the backdrops for future parties and events long after the wedding is over. And you can customize it to include all the primary colors of your palette which will bring together the entire look of your colorful wedding design!

Dress and accessory ideas for your colorful wedding

Whether you choose a patterned dress or a playful colored heel, there are many a ton of ways to dress to theme without going overboard.

15. Add a floral skinny tie

Whether it’s just one person or the entire bridal party, we love the simple yet colorful pattern of these floral ties. Simple patterns against a white or neutral background will pop without being overkill. A fun stripe or polka dot would also be perfect.

16. Do monochrome rainbow outfits

Once you determine what order everyone will stand in, you can turn your wedding party into a rainbow. Have everyone wear the same color head to toe, and if they’re carrying flowers, make sure those match too.

17. Wear a colorful patterned dress

This tip isn’t for everyone but if you’re already excited about a colorful wedding why not go all in with a beautiful nontraditional dress? Whether it’s a boho pink flower pattern dress with textured embellishments or green and orange watercolor couture gown, there are lots of ways to express yourself with your wedding dress. Plus, wearing a dress that isn’t necessarily sold for weddings will typically save you some extra bucks. What’s not to love about that?

Plan the colorful wedding of your dreams

If you’re a fan of the color teal you simply have to check out these other fun teal wedding ideas!