Black and White Wedding Ideas to Help You Pull Off this Classic Palette

A black and white wedding color palette is a timeless scheme that is popular at wedding ceremonies in any season. This classic color combination can look elegant or edgy, depending on the elements you choose to incorporate into your look.

Whether you’re craving a wedding reception that exudes Old World charm or you’re looking for a modern twist on this classic favorite, here are some of our best tips for pulling off a black and white wedding.

What You Need to Know 

• A black and white wedding color palette is a modern take on a classic color combo, making it a great staple palette for your wedding festivities for your big day Choosing to incorporate these hues into your wedding reception can either look classy or edgy, depending on how you style the palette.
• You can incorporate these colors into your table settings, furniture, wedding cake, floral arrangements or stationery.

Is a black and white wedding color palette too common?

While a black and white palette is definitely popular, that doesn’t mean you should worry about it looking too basic or common. The devil is in the details, and there are definitely ways you can personalize your black and white wedding without looking generic.

Is a black and white wedding combination classy?

Black and white weddings are undeniably elegant. If you utilize high-quality linens and focus on classy black and white décor, your wedding will have an air of sophistication that is elevated by this luxurious color combination.

Black and White Wedding Ideas

When you’re in the wedding planning stages, it’s important to focus on where you want to showcase your color scheme. Here are some of our favorite ideas for where you can incorporate black and white pairs to ensure you have a seamless look throughout your big day.

Black and White Wedding Cake

For a bold look, punctuate your wedding reception with a black and white wedding cake. For a statement making showstopper, ask your baker to cover the cake with black fondant to make this dessert pop. If you really want to surprise your guests, you can even opt to have a black cake interior wrapped in white frosting. If you want to opt for something a little more subtle, weave in a black and white patterned linen for your cake or dessert table. Have fun with your wedding cake and choose a look that feels true to you and your partner’s personalities and ties in with the rest of your wedding theme.

Black and White Wedding Dress and Tuxedos

While a wedding dress is traditionally white, that doesn’t mean you can’t add a splash of color to it. Opt for black shoes, jewelry or hair pieces to tie your theme together, or incorporate black design elements into your wedding dress. You can also choose a black dress, if you’re feeling especially nontraditional — it’s your day. For the men, the black and white color combination is a little more straightforward to achieve. Choose a traditional tux and crisp white shirt, which you can pair with a black bow tie to complete the look. For ultimate cohesion, have your wedding party dress in the color palette, too.

Black and White Wedding Décor Ideas

There are so many black and white design elements you can incorporate into your ceremony space. Here are some ways you can showcase this color palette at your ceremony or wedding reception:

• Choose black and white solid or patterned table linens to create a clean and stylish feel at your wedding reception. Choose coordinating napkins that tie in the black and white look and create an additional design element on your tabletop.
• Frame your guests’ tables with modern black chairs to achieve a clear look. This looks especially good when paired with white table linens.
• Adorn your ceremony space with white roses, or use them as centerpieces at your wedding reception.
• Order floral arrangements that pair white blooms with black flowers. Alternatively, you can request black cups or jars to hold your flowers. Think lilies or orchids for a dramatic look.
• Achieve an air of sophistication by placing black taper candles at your wedding reception or during the ceremony.
• Create lounge seating with black and white furniture and complementary pillows.

Black and White Wedding Stationery

Establish the look and feel of your black and white wedding before your big day by showcasing the color on your stationery. Send out your invitations on stark white paper with sharp black ink for the ultimate contrasting look. This classic black and white combination is sure to set the tone for your celebration.

How to Pull off a Black and White Wedding Ceremony

Having a black and white wedding color palette is a simple way to achieve timeless beauty or edginess at your event. This classic combination is easy to pull off, and it’s sure to delight family and friends on your wedding day.

Summary

Using a black and white color palette at your wedding could be an excellent idea. This classic color combination can either look elegant or edgy, depending on how you choose to incorporate these elements into your look. You can have these colors present at your wedding reception or the ceremony itself. Either way, you can achieve the look of your dreams when you use these colors on your wedding day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is black and white good for a wedding?

Black and white are excellent colors to incorporate into your wedding. This classic combination pairs well for weddings in any season, day or night.

How to style a black and white wedding?

You can choose to style a black and white-themed wedding however you would like. However, you need to be intentional during your planning process to incorporate these colors strategically throughout your venue. You can go for an industrial vibe or pair the shades with fresh greenery for a more natural look. You have a lot of flexibility when you go with this classic combination.

What accent color goes with a black and white wedding theme?

There are other colors you can add to jazz up your wedding theme. Gold accents add an air of elegance to the look, but you can also choose to incorporate other bright colors, too. That’s the great thing about working with neutrals — they go with everything.