In short
Red is the colour most closely associated with good fortune in Chinese wedding tradition, followed by gold, which is linked to prosperity, while black and plain white are more commonly associated with mourning and traditionally used less for wedding attire and decor. Many couples today work these colours into outfits, decor and details in ways that suit their own style, rather than following the tradition rigidly.
- Red is the colour most strongly associated with good fortune in Chinese wedding tradition.
- Gold is commonly paired with red, associated with prosperity and abundance.
- Black and plain white are traditionally used less, given their association with mourning.
- These colours appear in outfits, decor, and details such as invitations and packaging.
- Many couples blend traditional colours with their own palette rather than following tradition strictly.
Which colours traditionally carry auspicious meaning
Red is the colour most closely tied to good fortune in Chinese wedding tradition, representing happiness, prosperity and a favourable start to married life. It is the colour most commonly associated with a traditional Chinese wedding outfit, and it appears throughout many other customs as well, from red packets to decor.
Gold is often paired alongside red, generally understood as a symbol of prosperity and abundance, and the two colours are frequently used together in outfits, decor and packaging for a wedding. Some families also consider other bright, warm colours favourably, though red and gold remain the two most consistently associated with auspicious meaning in Chinese wedding tradition, and the two most likely to appear across multiple parts of the day.
Colours generally avoided and why
Black and plain white are more commonly associated with mourning in Chinese tradition, which is why they have traditionally been used less for wedding attire and decor, particularly as a dominant colour. This is one of the more widely known considerations among Chinese families, though how strictly it is applied varies from household to household.
Where white is used today, it is often incorporated as an accent within a predominantly red or gold outfit, or reserved for a separate gown worn later in the day, rather than avoided altogether. If this matters to your family, it is worth discussing colour choices with your parents before outfits are finalised, since expectations can differ even within the same family, particularly between the couple and an older generation of relatives.
How these colours show up in outfits
Traditional Chinese wedding outfits, worn for elements of the day such as the tea ceremony, are commonly in red, sometimes paired with gold embroidery or detailing. Many couples choose to wear a red outfit for at least part of the day, alongside other looks such as a white gown for a church ceremony or a different colour for the evening banquet.
Grooms often coordinate with the bride's colour choices where a traditional outfit is worn, though the exact styling varies by family and personal preference. If your day includes multiple outfit changes, it is worth thinking through how auspicious colours fit into at least one of these looks, particularly if it matters to your parents or grandparents, so the colour is not left as an afterthought once outfits are already chosen.
How these colours show up in decor
Red and gold frequently extend beyond outfits into decor, appearing in details such as table settings, backdrops, and packaging for items like red packets or wedding favours. Even couples who choose a different overall colour palette for their banquet decor often incorporate red or gold as an accent somewhere in the event.
This can be as simple as red packet boxes near the entrance or gold accents on stationery, or as prominent as a red and gold colour scheme carried through the entire banquet space. How much emphasis to place on this is a matter of personal and family preference, with some couples leaning heavily into the tradition and others choosing a lighter touch that nods to it without dominating the room.
Balancing tradition with a couple's own style preferences
Many couples today choose to blend auspicious colours with their own preferred palette rather than following tradition strictly throughout the day. This might mean a red outfit for the tea ceremony alongside a banquet decor scheme in a different colour, or incorporating gold accents into an otherwise neutral colour palette.
Where family expectations around colour matter, it is worth having an early conversation about which moments of the day carry the most weight for observing tradition, so you can plan your own style choices for other parts of the celebration with more flexibility. This approach tends to satisfy both a couple's personal taste and a family's expectations without treating the whole day as an either-or decision between tradition and personal taste.
Photographing these colours well against different venues
Red and gold can read quite differently depending on the venue, lighting and backdrop, so it is worth discussing your colour choices with your wedding photography team in advance, particularly if your day includes a mix of settings such as an outdoor pre-wedding shoot and an indoor banquet. Strong reds can sometimes overwhelm a frame under certain lighting, and a photographer familiar with this can adjust positioning and exposure accordingly, keeping the colour true rather than washed out or overly saturated.
If you are planning a pre-wedding shoot that incorporates traditional colours, it is worth flagging this early so locations and lighting can be chosen with those colours in mind, rather than working around them after the fact once the shoot is already underway.
If auspicious colours matter to your family, it helps to share your choices with your photography team early so they can be captured well across every setting. Get in touch to talk through your outfits, decor and how your day's colours will be photographed.