21 Wedding Ideas Inspired by the 2021 Pantone Color of the Year

Discover how to incorporate the Pantone Color of the Year – a marriage of Ultimate Gray + Illuminating – in your wedding.

If you're looking for color inspiration for your wedding events, we always love to look to the Pantone Color of the Year for ideas! The 2021 color is actually a pairing of grey and yellow, which makes for a lovely wedding color scheme!

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Photo: Willa Kveta Photography

For over 20 years, the Pantone Color Institute has selected the "Color of the Year" – meant to be a symbol of the new year to come. The 2021 Color of the Year has been announced as the marriage of two hues: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. Selected to convey a message of strength and hopefulness for the new year, the combination of these two colors – more simply, grey and yellow – highlights "how different elements come together to support one another," the Pantone Color Institute shares, describing their choice to use a practical and solid hue as well as a warming and optimistic tone. "A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit," the institute adds.

Many 2020 brides had their fair share of disappointments this year, so the message behind the selection of these two colors is especially uplifting for pairs planning their weddings. If you're still undecided on a color palette, the combination of grey and yellow can also create a beautiful wedding color scheme for celebrations in any season, though the warm yellow tone would lend itself best for spring and summer celebrations, as well as fall fêtes to complement the changing leaves. With this new announcement, we'll likely see more wedding décor featuring yellow and grey tones – whether for pre-wedding events or the big day! For brides and grooms who wish to incorporate these shades into their celebration, we've gathered a number of ways to do so below. 

View 21 grey-and-yellow wedding ideas inspired by Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, the 2021 Pantone Color of the Year! To see more from each of these real weddings, click on your favorite photos!

Engagement Ring

Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring

Photo by The Day by Ira Lippke

Wedding Dress

Bride's Yellow Wedding Dress

Photo by Jay Lawrence Goldman Photography; Floral Design by The Hidden Garden; Planning & Design by Geller Events

Wedding Shoes

"Nikki" Yellow Heels by Tamara Mellon

"Nikki" yellow heels made in Italy, $495 by Tamara Mellon

Wedding Invitation

Organic Flowers Wedding Invitation

"Organic Florals" wedding invitation by Susan Moyal for Minted

Wedding Bouquet

Chamomile Wedding Bouquet

Photo by Max & Friends; Bridal Salon: Mark Ingram Atelier; Planning & Design by Beth Helmstetter Events

Bridesmaid Dresses & Bouquets

Sunny Bouquets for Bridesmaids

Photo by Willa Kveta Photography

Groom's Attire

Sondra Ortagus & Brad Hoffman

Photo by Jose Villa Photography

Wedding Ceremony Décor

Aisle Runner with Yellow Monogram

Photo by Carasco Photography

Flower Girl Dresses

White-and-Yellow Flower Girl Dresses

Photo by Jen Yuson Photography

Flower Petal Ceremony Aisle

Yellow Flower Petal Aisle

Photo by Ashley Paige Photography; Floral Design by Flowers by Cina

Wedding Car

1973 Volkswagen Thing

Photo by Jana Williams Photography

Escort Cards + Wedding Favors

Escort Cards with Sage Bundles

Photo by Jay Lawrence Goldman Photography; Floral Design by The Hidden Garden; Planning & Design by Geller Events

Drinks & Cocktails

Fresh Lemonade

Photo by Simply Splendid

Rehearsal Dinner Tablescape

Rehearsal Dinner Centerpiece

Photo by Elizabeth Messina; Planning & Design by Bob Gail Events

Wedding Reception Centerpieces

Wedding Reception with Yellow Flowers

Photo by Willa Kveta Photography

Wedding Menu Design

Watercolor Wedding Menu in Napkin

Photo by Simply Splendid

Candles & Table Linens

Japanese Ranunculus and Corylopsis

Photo by O'Malley Photographers

Reception Table Floral Arrangement

Yellow and White Flower Arrangement

Photo by Carasco Photography

Guest Seating at Wedding Reception

Yellow & Gold Wedding Chairs

Photo by Clane Gessel Photography

Sweetheart Table Décor

Sweetheart Table with Gold Taper Candles

Photo by Willa Kveta Photography

Wedding Cake Table

White 5-Tier Cake, Cascading Ivory Florals

Photo by Maya Myers Photography

If you preferred Pantone's "Color of the Year" from years past, gather inspiration from 2015's Marsala, 2016's Rose Quartz and Serenity, 2017's Greenery, 2018's Ultra Violet, 2019's Living Coral, and 2020's Classic Blue selections. For more inspiration, view unique ways to incorporate velvet wedding ideas into your big day!