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May wedding colors

May wedding color palettes with named colors and hex codes, the flowers in season, the usual weather, and a free generator to make your own.

May is late spring, with blossom finishing and peonies starting. Blush Petal, Lilac Mist and Sage Leaf are the classic May palette, and Butter or Sky Wash add a lift. The 10 palettes below suit it; each one opens in the editor.

Memorial Day weekend is busy for travel and venues; a different weekend can be easier on guests. The generator above is set to spring shades for May, with the flowers in season.

Your style

Modern minimal

Clean lines, a few good things and plenty of space.

Season

Showing summer shades because you were not sure of the season. Change it any time.

  • MainSky Wash#BFD6E6
  • AccentSage Leaf#9CAF88
  • NeutralCloud#F5F3EF
  • GreeneryEucalyptus#86A397
  • MetalCool Silver#B7BBC0

Locked colors stay put when you shuffle.

  • Main

    Sky Wash

    Hex code: #BFD6E6

    The color you will see most: linens, ribbons, the biggest flowers.

  • Accent

    Sage Leaf

    Hex code: #9CAF88

    A second color for details: stationery, a few flowers, napkins.

  • Neutral

    Cloud

    Hex code: #F5F3EF

    Paper, tablecloths, backgrounds: the quiet one.

  • Greenery

    Eucalyptus

    Hex code: #86A397

    Leaves and foliage in the flowers and on the table.

  • Metal

    Cool Silver

    Hex code: #B7BBC0

    Cutlery, frames, candle holders and foil.

Text on your paper

Your main color is a little pale for text on your neutral (1.4 to 1; 4.5 to 1 is easier to read). A deeper shade, #596d7b, would read clearly.

In season for spring

Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Ranunculus, Anemones, Cherry blossom, Lilac (South), Peonies (South), Lilac, Sweet peas, Dogwood, Lily of the valley, Peonies, Garden roses, Irises, Snapdragons

A guide only. A florist will know what is growing near you.

A veil shade to look at

With a neutral like yours, Off White is the veil shade we would look at first. Colors look different on every screen, so see it in person where you can. We never promise an exact match. Your palette leans cool, so a white with no yellow in it sits well.

Your board

Your style, your five colors, the flowers in season and the pictures you picked, on one page. Show it to a florist or a stationer.

Modern minimal

Spring

  • MainSky Wash#BFD6E6
  • AccentSage Leaf#9CAF88
  • NeutralCloud#F5F3EF
  • GreeneryEucalyptus#86A397
  • MetalCool Silver#B7BBC0

Flowers in season

Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Ranunculus, Anemones, Cherry blossom, Lilac (South), Peonies (South)

Colors look different on every screen. Check real samples before you buy.

The link carries the board and nothing else. Anyone with it can look; nobody can change it.

  • Colors look different on every screen. Check real samples of fabric, paper and flowers before you buy.
  • You do not have to match your venue.
  • A palette is a starting point. Most couples change their minds, and that is fine.

10 named palettes

  • Clean Air

    • Sky Wash#BFD6E6
    • Sage Leaf#9CAF88
    • Cloud#F5F3EF
    • Eucalyptus#86A397
    • Cool Silver#B7BBC0

  • Meadow Morning

    • Butter#F4E3A1
    • Sky Wash#BFD6E6
    • Oat Milk#E6DAC6
    • Moss#8EA23C
    • Soft Brass#B8975A

  • Salt Air

    • Sea Glass#A9CFC7
    • Peach Sorbet#F7C5A8
    • Cloud#F5F3EF
    • Eucalyptus#86A397
    • Rose Gold#C99A8B

  • Late Blossom

    • Mulberry#7A3B63
    • Cherry Blossom#F8B8CB
    • Oat Milk#E6DAC6
    • Bay Leaf#52614A
    • Rose Gold#C99A8B

  • Powder Room

    • Rosewater#EDC5C5
    • Thistle#C3AFC9
    • Clotted Cream#F7E9C2
    • Lichen#B3C2A4
    • Pale Gold#CDB27A

  • Sage and Blush

    • Sage Leaf#9CAF88
    • Blush Petal#F2D4D0
    • Cloud#F5F3EF
    • Lichen#B3C2A4
    • Pale Gold#CDB27A

  • Peach and Sky

    • Peach Sorbet#F7C5A8
    • Sky Wash#BFD6E6
    • Cloud#F5F3EF
    • Sage Leaf#9CAF88
    • Rose Gold#C99A8B

  • Mint and Peony

    • Garden Mint#B9D8C4
    • Peony#E7A4B0
    • Snowfall#FFFFFF
    • Fern#5E8C4A
    • Pale Gold#CDB27A

  • Cherry Blossom Season

    • Cherry Blossom#F8B8CB
    • Dusty Blue#8FA9BE
    • Cloud#F5F3EF
    • Lichen#B3C2A4
    • Cool Silver#B7BBC0

  • Lavender and Fern

    • Lavender Field#B9A5D0
    • Lemon Zest#E4E48A
    • Oat Milk#E6DAC6
    • Fern#5E8C4A
    • Pale Gold#CDB27A

Your palettes (0 of 1)

Nothing saved yet. Save a palette to keep it and compare it with others.

    The palette marked as ours is the one your invitations, RSVP page and printed table plan will use.

    About the flowers and the names

    • The color names are ours, each given with its plain hex code.
    • Flowers in season are a guide written for this page and checked by hand.

    Ways to use colors in May

    • Blush Petal, Lilac Mist and Sage Leaf are the classic May palette, and Butter or Sky Wash add a lift.
    • Pick one of the palettes below and keep three colors the same while you try different accents: lock the ones you like and shuffle the rest.
    • Look at Sky Wash and Sage Leaf first: they are the first two in this month's list.

    May wedding flowers

    Peonies, Lilac, Sweet peas, Ranunculus, Garden roses, Irises, Snapdragons.

    In season in May. A florist will know what is growing near you.

    The usual weather in May

    • New York: usually 71°F by day and 55°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 3.
    • Chicago: usually 71°F by day and 52°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 3.
    • Los Angeles: usually 74°F by day and 58°F at night, with rain on fewer than 1 day in 10.
    • Atlanta: usually 81°F by day and 58°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 4.
    • Charleston: usually 79°F by day and 68°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 6.
    • Seattle: usually 66°F by day and 49°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 4.
    • Denver: usually 72°F by day and 43°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 4.

    These are averages from 30 years of records, not a forecast. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (US public domain). Try the date picker for your own town.

    Wedding Date Picker

    May colors for the wedding party

    • Soft sage, dusty blue or blush for the wedding party, in light fabrics.
    • Mid-grey, stone or a soft navy suit; a sprig of the main flower in the buttonhole.
    • Mismatched dresses in the same family look relaxed and photograph well.

    What colors to wear to a May wedding

    • White, ivory and cream are usually the couple's, so most guests leave them to the couple. The same goes for a very pale champagne.
    • If the invitation names the wedding party's color, wear something different.
    • In some traditions all black is for mourning and all white is for the couple, and red can be the couple's color at some Chinese and Indian weddings. If you are not sure, ask, or check the invitation for a dress code.
    • Otherwise, wear what you feel good in. Colors that suit the season are always welcome.

    How to choose May wedding colors

    1. Start with one thing you love. A season, a color, a photo of the venue or a dress, or nothing yet. Any of them is a fine place to begin.

    2. Pick a few pictures. Three short rounds. Choose two to four in each, and the quiz names your style.

    3. Check the five colors. You get a main color, an accent, a neutral, greenery and a metal, each with our name and a hex code.

    4. Change what you like. Lock the ones you love and shuffle the rest, make any of them lighter or darker, or choose from about 120 named colors.

    5. Share it. Make a board for your florist or stationer, or send a link to your partner and see what you both chose.

    Questions people ask

    What are the best May wedding colors?
    Clean Air, Meadow Morning and Salt Air are three that suit May. Open any of them in the editor above and change it.
    What flowers are in season for a May wedding?
    Peonies, Lilac, Sweet peas, Ranunculus, Garden roses, Irises and Snapdragons are at their best in May. Ask your florist what is growing near you.
    What is the weather like for a May wedding?
    New York: usually 71°F by day and 55°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 3. Chicago: usually 71°F by day and 52°F at night, with rain on about 1 day in 3. Los Angeles: usually 74°F by day and 58°F at night, with rain on fewer than 1 day in 10. These are averages from 30 years of records, not a forecast.
    Is May spring?
    May is usually counted as spring, so spring colors suit it. Memorial Day weekend is busy for travel and venues; a different weekend can be easier on guests.
    How far ahead should we book a May wedding?
    Popular May dates can go a year or more ahead, so start with the venue's free dates. The date picker shows how busy each day usually is.

    Find your veil shade

    Britten's veils come in Ivory, Off White, Pale Ivory and Champagne. Your palette will suggest one; colors look different on every screen, so see it in person where you can.

    Related

    • Wedding Style QuizPick a few pictures and get a named style, five wedding colors, the flowers in season and a board to show your florist. About a minute, no account.
    • Wedding Date PickerCompare up to four dates side by side: weekday, how busy, holidays, sunset and the usual weather. Shortlist three and make one your date.
    • Wedding ChecklistEnter your date and see every step in order, from the venue to the marriage license. Tick things off, add your own, print it.