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Associated with concepts like creativity, luxury, royalty, and mystery, the color purple comes in endless shades that evoke all sorts of feelings and emotions.
From pretty lilac pastels to deep plum jewel tones, purple shades run the gamut from ultra-light to super dark, making it easy to create a purple wedding theme for any type of celebration at any time of year.
Looking for purple wedding ideas for your big day?
Here are the shades of purple we’re loving right now, plus color palettes, wedding flowers, decor ideas, and bridesmaid dresses to help you create a gorgeous purple wedding theme.
Shades of Purple That Make Perfect Wedding Themes
There are endless shades of purple that make for a gorgeous wedding theme, where pastel, muted, jewel-toned, or deep.
Here are some of our all-time favorites, from light to dark.
Lilac
Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Mobile / Ashley Upchurch
As soft and light as purple can be, lilac is ideal for spring, summer, and early fall weddings. Pinky undertones make it look oh-so-dreamy and add romantic appeal.
Lavender
Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Columbia / Ryan & Alyssa
Just like the flower itself, a lavender wedding theme is light and airy. This shade has blue undertones that make it easy to create multi-tone color palettes with various shades of blue.
Pastel Purple
Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Birmingham / Sarah Van Hecke
Pastel purple works for almost every season, though we especially love it for spring and summer weddings. Muted, dusty shades look incredible paired with various blues, yellows, and greens.
Amethyst
If you prefer a color that falls somewhere between a pastel and a jewel tone, consider amethyst as your go-to purple hue. This shade is deep but not dark, making it a great option for fall, winter, and spring.
Dark Purple
Often called violet, dark purple is a bold choice that works for spring, summer, and fall weddings. It’s also a universally flattering shade that will make every bridesmaid feel confident and look radiant.
Royal Purple
With a bluish hue, royal purple is a vibrant, energetic color that you can wear at any time of year. Paired with classic black, it creates a bold, modern color palette.
Plum
Plum is simply lovely for fall and winter weddings. Whether it’s classic plum, deep plum, or eggplant, this jewel tone exudes rich, elegant style.
Shop Purple Bridesmaid Dresses now!
Our Favorite Bridesmaid Dresses for a Purple Wedding
Photo: Bella Bridesmaids OKC / Haley Henson
Aside from color, the most important things to consider when choosing bridesmaid dresses are the season, the level of formality, the fabric, and the silhouette.
Whether you’re having a casual summer celebration or a formal event in fall, these purple bridesmaid dresses may be perfect for your wedding day!
Related: How to Get the Most Accurate Bridesmaid Dress Measurements
Amsale Sonia Dress in Lilac
In a column gown silhouette, the Amsale Sonia dress in lilac offers elegance and romance for a formal wedding. This structured faille gown has timeless charm with a strapless bodice, slim skirt, and pleated detailing.
Dollhouse Natalie Dress in Lavender
A high-low hem and a long shoulder drape add glamorous appeal to the Dollhouse Natalie dress in lavender. Perfect for a semi-formal wedding, this stretch jersey midi dress features a one-shoulder bodice, a figure-flaunting silhouette, and a slight flounce at the hem.
Dessy 2894 Dress in Lilac Haze
In lightweight lux chiffon fabric, the Dessy 2894 dress in lilac haze is designed to flatter every bridesmaid’s body type. Sleeveless with a V-neckline, this pastel purple gown is oh-so-pretty in a dusty shade that works for every season.
Jenny Yoo Grant Dress in Amethyst
The Jenny Yoo Grant dress in amethyst is a chic choice for formal weddings from fall through spring. This luxe satin design exudes modern elegance in a sleeveless silhouette with a high cowl neckline and gathered seams.
Related: The Bridesmaid’s Guide to Dress Alterations
Social 8188 Dress in Tahiti
In soft crepe fabric with ruffled short sleeves, the Social 8188 dress in Tahiti is simple yet chic in a full-length circle skirt silhouette. This vibrant purple dress is detailed with a flattering V-neckline, inset waistband, and center front slit.
After Six 6651 Dress in Regalia
Lovely in any season, the After Six 6651 dress in regalia is thoughtfully crafted in lightweight lux chiffon fabric with a beautiful drape. This royal purple gown features a full-length skirt, empire waist, and draped one-shoulder silhouette.
Alfred Sung D900 Dress in Deep Plum
The Alfred Sung D900 dress in deep plum is a sophisticated choice for a formal fall or winter wedding. In a column silhouette crafted in satin twill, this gorgeous gown features a sleeveless bodice with wide straps and a basque neckline for a polished, refined look.
Best Color Combinations for a Purple Wedding Theme
Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Miami / Carla Garcia Costa
To create a stunning wedding color palette centered around purple, you’ll want to choose at least one additional color that provides contrast and balance to your main color.
Whether you’re thinking pale tones for spring or deep tones for fall, there are many bridesmaid dress colors that complement purple wedding color schemes.
Purple and Blue
Purple and blue go beautifully together, and there are lots of shades that you can combine to create your ideal wedding day color scheme. For spring or summer, mix and match light purples like lilac and lavender with shades of light blue. For fall, consider pairing amethyst with navy or dusty blue. For winter, go deep and dark with shades of navy blue and plum.
Purple and Gold
Purple and gold are the classic colors of royalty! To pull off this color scheme in a cohesive way, pair deep plums or bright royal purples with mustard, or dark purples with brighter yellows. For a soft, pastel wedding party in spring, we absolutely love lavender or lilac with butter yellow.
Purple and Black
Every shade of purple works in combination with black. This two-tone color scheme is elegant and sophisticated whether you team black with light lilac or dark plum.
Purple and Green
Because there are so many shades of purple and so many shades of green, a purple and green color palette is a chic pairing that works in every season. Lavender and lilac look amazing with both sage green and olive green. Plum and amethyst complement shades of forest and hunter. Pastel purples and dark purples look amazing with organic green shades like fern and willow.
Purple and Pink
A purple and pink color palette is a timeless wedding day combination. You can never go wrong with lavender and blush pink for spring. Pastel purple and rose pair well if you prefer a bit more color saturation. For fall and winter, dark purple, amethyst, and plum look gorgeous beside jewel-tone pinks like magenta and fuchsia.
Purple and Grey
Purple and grey contrast with one another beautifully, no matter the season. We love deeper purples paired with dark greys for fall and winter weddings, while lighter purples and light to medium grey tones are ideal for spring and summer.
Purple and Purple
If you can’t pick just one shade of purple, don’t! We’ve seen striking wedding ceremonies and receptions that combine as many as three or four shades of light, medium, and dark purple into wedding party attire and wedding decor.
Related: How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Colors
How to Bring the Purple Theme into Your Wedding Decor
From table linens to food to floral arrangements, there are endless ways to bring purple wedding decor into your ceremony and reception.
Here are five tips for decorating with purple accents to carry the color throughout every element of your big day.
Purple Flowers
Lavender. Iris. Bellflower. Anemone. Orchid. Indigo. Hyacinth. Gladiolus. Wisteria. We could go on and on.
Hundreds of species of plants and flowers naturally grow purple blooms, so it’s a cinch to incorporate fresh purple flowers into your decor. Think purple floral centerpieces, purple blossoms around your wedding arch, potted floral arrangements lining your ceremony aisle, and — of course — purple flowers in bridesmaid bouquets and groomsmen boutonnieres.
Purple Fabrics and Linens
When it’s time to design tablescapes for dinner service, consider purple fabrics for napkins, tablecloths, and table runners.
You can also add purple ribbons to reception chairs for a classic look or drape feature walls with purple fabric for a dramatic, regal vibe.
Purple Stationery and Signage
Before the big day, send purple save-the-dates or purple wedding invitations. At the reception, print menus, place cards, escort cards, seating charts, or signage boards with purple lettering to carry the theme throughout the reception space.
Purple Lighting
Whether you want to create a serene, energetic, or opulent vibe, drenching your entire reception space with purple lighting is a bold, interesting way to add instant ambiance to your wedding venue.
Purple Food and Beverage Options
A purple wedding cake is one of the easiest ways to inject your favorite hue into food and beverage service, but it’s certainly not the only way! Consider creating a menu that includes purple foods or accents such as:
- • Proteins topped with blackberry or plum glazes
- • Purple leafy green salads
- • Purple potatoes
- • Purple carrots
- • Purple cauliflower
- • Purple macarons
- • Purple petit fours
If you want to extend the purple theme even further, you can style your tables with purple glassware, dinnerware, or drinkware.
Related: When to Order Bridesmaid Dresses (Full Timeline)
From pale and dreamy to dark and moody, purple can be whimsical, luxurious, casual, regal, serene, or energetic. No matter what your aesthetic, season, or level of formality is, a purple color scheme may be exactly what you need to bring your wedding day dreams to life!
Follow us on social media for even more wedding day inspo!
