Wedding Guests' Color Palette

There is no “guest color palette”. The only people whose wardrobe you dictate at your wedding is your wedding party. And that is done so the WP stands out from the general crowd. You don’t want your guests dressed your wedding colors also. Plus, it is just bad etiquette to dictate guest wardrobe.

Please forget this idea. It's a burden and an imposition. Your guests are loved ones, not props.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for your response. I'm honestly confused by the wedding guests' dress code because I've seen some invites asking their guests to wear specific colors.

View Quoted Comment That’s terrible. It’s rude and bad etiquette. A couple should never dictate their guests’ wardrobe unless it is for religious purposes, or the formality of the venue requires it (ie, the venue requires black tie attire to enter, etc.). Don’t follow those peoples’ bad example.

You can give them a dress code of semi formal or black tie but giving them colors to wear if they are not attendants is overstepping. Guests are not props for your pictures. Don’t do this.

Yeah fully agree with everyone else. You can ask them to dress formal or semi casual etc but do not give them colors to wear. They're not props for pictures and anyone that does do that is rude and inconsiderate and you shouldn't be expecting your guests to go out and buy new outfits in specific colors for your wedding

View Quoted Comment That’s really a faux pas. The only people are allowed to be bound by a “color rule” are the wedding party.


Many people think the guests’ clothing colors will really matter, but I can tell you as a recent bride that has all of her pictures back from the photographer: they really don’t. Your most important pictures will not be affected by what guests wear. Letting them be will save your sanity and then from harboring frustration against you and your future spouse.

A lot of weddings include attire details in the invites, although it’s more to do with style than color. It’s too complicated to come up with a wedding guest color pallet. Easiest would be to just tell people to wear black! Not every guest is going to want to buy new clothes just for your wedding but everyone’s got black in their closets already.

As others have said, I would avoid telling your guests what to wear outside of the dress code and anything else they might need to know for their own comfort (like if it’s going to be particularly hot/chilly that time of year and you want to give them a heads up or something). You’re really not going to notice what people are wearing the night of, and the other guests won’t be in your wedding party portraits. If you have a wedding website, you can make a note on the dress code page that the wedding party will be wearing emerald and gold. I still wouldn’t go so far as to request guests not wear those colors, but some guests actively worry about that and appreciate knowing.

I would not make a note of what the wedding party will be wearing as some kind of heads up to guests as that can come across as an implied warning or suggestion. People know who the wedding party is because they are the ones walking down the aisle and standing up with the couple. If someone is unnecessarily worried about that, I'd tell them to wear whatever makes them happy and comfortable.

Those who responded here chastising the OP, need to know that what may be normal for you may not be normal for others, so please don’t judge, but use this as a learning experience, we are not monolithic and you did not inquire of the OP their rationale or cultural background.


That being said, I know that in some cultures, including mine, this is the norm. The brides side wears a certain color palette and the groom’s side wears another color and it is normal I saw a card that you can share from Zazzle to ask your guests pick colors to wear from a particular palette and have the disclaimer that it is not mandatory. I think that’s fair to do. You can briefly explain this aspect to your guests. Those who can and want to will and vice versa.

View Quoted Comment

Thank you for this. It's not asking a lot of guests if you give them months and months notice. I feel its hard to only do 5 colors so I literally picked like 25 with my fiance so they don't feel so limited. But any bride/groom who gets really upset with their guest for not wearing the right shade shouldn't have a wedding. Making a color palette to be like "this is the vibe" and how formal the occasion is is NOT being extra in any way. It's so lame of people to get so worked up for this type of thing, it's a PARTY. The hosts can do what they WANT. And if the guests don't won't to do that then fine, don't come just send a wedding gift. But realistically just wear a top/bottom or a dress of that shade, if your shoes or pants or jacket aren't the right shade I mean at least you tried.

I am having a small wedding and asking my friends and family to wear our colors since we are not having a wedding party... you do what you want to do! It's your day boo!