Pantone Color of the Year Wedding Ideas

Every December, the Pantone Color Institute names one shade its Color of the Year, and every December our inbox fills up with the same question: how do I actually use that at my wedding? This page is our running answer. Every color since 2015 is below, newest first, with the palettes it pairs with and budget-friendly ways to work it into your day.

A quick tip before you dive in: you don’t need to build your whole wedding around a Pantone color. Most of these shades work best as an accent, in bridesmaid dresses, florals, linens or stationery, paired with neutrals that carry the rest of the palette. If you’re still deciding on colors, start with our guide to how to choose your wedding colors, then come back here for inspiration.

2026: Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201)

Soft white bridesmaid dress, white rose bouquet and ivory tie styled in a Cloud Dancer wedding palette

For 2026, Pantone chose a white for the first time: Cloud Dancer, a soft, airy off-white with a hint of warmth. Pantone pitched it as a calm, quiet shade, and for weddings it is the easiest Color of the Year yet to use, because you are probably using it already.

Pairs well with: sage and eucalyptus greens for a garden look, champagne and soft gold for a classic black-tie feel, or terracotta and rust for a warm fall wedding.

Lean into an all-white ceremony with white florals and greenery. Baby’s breath, spray roses and carnations keep the cost down.
Choose off-white linens instead of bright white. They photograph softer and hide wear better on rentals.
Use texture to keep a white palette from looking flat: linen napkins, a ribbed or pleated cake, and candles in mixed heights.

2025: Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230)

Mocha brown satin bridesmaid dress with a bouquet of brown, cream and blush flowers and a matching tie

Mocha Mousse is a warm, creamy brown, somewhere between milk chocolate and latte. It is a natural fit for fall and winter weddings, and it gives a neutral palette more depth than beige or taupe alone.

Pairs well with: cream and blush for a soft, romantic look, dusty blue for contrast, or burnt orange and deep green for an autumn table.

Mocha bridesmaid dresses flatter almost every skin tone and are easy to rewear.
Swap a tiered cake for a chocolate or coffee dessert bar that matches the palette.
Use kraft paper, wood and dried florals in your decor. They read as mocha without a custom color order.

2024: Peach Fuzz (PANTONE 13-1023)

Peach chiffon bridesmaid dress beside a bouquet of peach roses and ranunculus with a peach groom tie

Peach Fuzz is a soft, velvety peach that sits between pink and orange. Pantone described it as warm and comforting, and it works in every season depending on what you pair it with.

Pairs well with: silver and white in winter, yellow and light blue in spring, lavender or greenery in summer, and rust and gold in fall.

Peach garden roses, ranunculus and carnations are easy to find in this shade, so florals are an affordable place to start.
Use it in stationery and signage, where a single accent color goes a long way.
Try a signature cocktail in the same color, like a peach bellini or an Aperol spritz.

2023: Viva Magenta (PANTONE 18-1750)

Magenta red satin bridesmaid dress, crimson rose bouquet and matching tie in a Viva Magenta palette

Viva Magenta is a bold crimson red with a hint of pink. It is a statement color, so it works best for couples who want their palette to feel energetic and celebratory.

Pairs well with: blush and ivory to soften it, deep green for a jewel-tone look, or black and gold for an evening wedding.

Keep the big pieces neutral and use magenta in a few high-impact spots: the bouquet, the groom’s tie or pocket square, and the cake.
Red-toned real weddings are a great source of ideas. Browse our real weddings with red palettes.

2022: Very Peri (PANTONE 17-3938)

Periwinkle tulle bridesmaid dress with a hydrangea and sweet pea bouquet and a periwinkle tie

Very Peri is a periwinkle blue with violet-red undertones. It mixes the calm of blue with the playfulness of purple, which makes it a lovely spring and summer wedding color.

Pairs well with: silver and white, butter yellow, or lilac and sage.

Periwinkle bridesmaid dresses are easy to find at every price point.
Hydrangeas, delphinium and sweet peas bring the color into florals naturally.
See more ideas in our real weddings with purple palettes.

2021: Ultimate Gray (PANTONE 17-5104) and Illuminating (PANTONE 13-0647)

Gray bridesmaid dress and gray suit tie with a bright yellow sunflower and tulip bouquet

For 2021, Pantone paired a steady, mid-tone gray with a bright, sunny yellow. Together they feel cheerful but grounded, and the gray does the heavy lifting so the yellow can pop.

Pairs well with: white and silver for a crisp spring look, or soft greenery for a garden wedding.

Dress the wedding party in gray and let yellow show up in the bouquets. Sunflowers, billy balls and yellow tulips are affordable in season.
Gray suits are one of the easiest colors to rent and reuse. See where to buy or rent wedding suits.
Use yellow in small doses: napkins, candles, a lemon-themed dessert or a lemonade bar.

2020: Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052)

Classic blue bridesmaid dress beside a white and blue bouquet with a navy groom tie

Classic Blue is a deep, dependable navy-leaning blue. It is one of the most wedding-friendly Colors of the Year, because it works for every season and every level of formality.

Pairs well with: blush and ivory for a soft look, gold for a formal evening wedding, or white and red for a nautical or summer feel.

Navy bridesmaid dresses and suits are easy to find and easy to rewear.
Blue makes a natural “something blue”: shoes, a ribbon on the bouquet, or a stone in your jewelry.
Blue and white stationery looks polished and prints affordably.

2019: Living Coral (PANTONE 16-1546)

Coral bridesmaid dress with a coral peony and ranunculus bouquet and a coral tie for a summer wedding

Living Coral is a lively orange-pink with a golden undertone. It feels warm and playful, which makes it a great fit for beach, summer and destination weddings.

Pairs well with: turquoise and aqua for a tropical look, navy for contrast, or blush and cream for a softer palette.

Coral ranunculus, garden roses and peonies give you the color in your florals without custom dyeing.
Coral bridesmaid dresses flatter a wide range of skin tones, especially in summer light.
Add it to the bar menu with a grapefruit or blood orange signature cocktail.

2018: Ultra Violet (PANTONE 18-3838)

Ultra violet purple bridesmaid dress with a purple anemone and lisianthus bouquet and matching tie

Ultra Violet is a deep, blue-based purple. It is dramatic, so most couples use it as an accent rather than the main color.

Purple uplighting is one of the cheapest ways to transform a reception room. A few uplights on pillars add a subtle glow, and a full ring of lights every five to ten feet makes a dramatic statement.
A purple cake with sugar flowers or soft ruffles keeps a bold color feeling elegant.
Use it in accessories: ties, shoes, a sash or a bouquet wrap.

2017: Greenery (PANTONE 15-0343)

Fresh green bridesmaid dress with a lush greenery bouquet, a green tie and small potted succulents

Greenery is a fresh, zesty yellow-green, like new spring leaves. It is the easiest Pantone color to use on a budget, because greenery itself is one of the most affordable wedding florals.

Pairs well with: white and ivory for a clean garden look, blush pink for a romantic palette, or navy for contrast.

Use garlands of eucalyptus, ruscus or smilax on tables instead of expensive centerpieces.
Try potted herbs or succulents as favors that double as decor.
Spring and summer ceremonies outdoors bring this color in for free.

2016: Rose Quartz (PANTONE 13-1520) and Serenity (PANTONE 15-3919)

Pale pink and powder blue bridesmaid dresses with a pastel bouquet and a light blue groom tie

2016 was the first year Pantone named two colors: Rose Quartz, a pale pink, and Serenity, a powdery blue. Together they make one of the prettiest pastel wedding palettes there is.

Mix and match bridesmaid dresses in both shades. Our guide to affordable bridesmaid dresses has plenty of options.
Dress groomsmen in light gray or blue suits so both colors feel connected. See where to buy or rent wedding suits.

2015: Marsala (PANTONE 18-1438)

Marsala wine red bridesmaid dress with a burgundy and blush bouquet and a marsala tie

Marsala is a rich, earthy wine red, named after the wine. It is a beautiful fall and winter color, and it pairs well with blush, gold and deep green. When it was announced, we built a whole month of DIY projects around it, and they still work for any wine-toned palette:

Every Pantone Color of the Year since 2015

Year	Color	Pantone number
2026	Cloud Dancer	11-4201
2025	Mocha Mousse	17-1230
2024	Peach Fuzz	13-1023
2023	Viva Magenta	18-1750
2022	Very Peri	17-3938
2021	Ultimate Gray and Illuminating	17-5104 and 13-0647
2020	Classic Blue	19-4052
2019	Living Coral	16-1546
2018	Ultra Violet	18-3838
2017	Greenery	15-0343
2016	Rose Quartz and Serenity	13-1520 and 15-3919
2015	Marsala	18-1438

Pantone announces each new Color of the Year in early December. We’ll add it to the top of this page as soon as it’s out, along with ideas for using it at your wedding.