Best Wedding Flower Colors for Moab Desert Weddings
Choosing Colors That Celebrate (Not Compete With) the Landscape
I remember a couple who came to me with a vision board full of blush pinks and soft whites—very romantic, very trendy, very beautiful. But their ceremony was scheduled for late afternoon in Castle Valley with those massive red towers as the backdrop. We had a conversation about what happens when pale pastels meet that intense red rock and golden desert light. Not that pale colors can't work in Moab—they absolutely can—but understanding how colors interact with this landscape makes all the difference between flowers that feel right and flowers that feel like they're fighting their surroundings.
This is what I love about designing for Moab weddings: the landscape is such an active participant. The red rock isn't a neutral backdrop—it's saturated, it's bold, it changes throughout the day as light shifts. Your flower colors are in conversation with ochre cliffs, sage-green desert plants, that incredible blue Utah sky, and light that does things you don't see anywhere else.
So let's talk about color in a way that's actually useful—not just "what's pretty" but what works with Moab's unique visual environment. Most flowers talked about below are specific to late Summer/Fall dates.
Understanding Moab's Color Palette
Before we dive into specific flower colors, it helps to understand what we're working with in the landscape itself.
The Rock: Depending on where you are around Moab, you're seeing Entrada sandstone (those classic red-orange formations), Navajo sandstone (lighter, sometimes almost white), or Wingate sandstone (deeper red-brown). The colors range from pale peachy-pink to deep rust to almost burgundy depending on time of day and moisture.
The Light: This might be the most important factor. Morning light in Moab is cooler and creates long shadows. Midday light is intense and can wash out subtle colors. But that golden hour light—roughly the last two hours before sunset—makes everything glow. Colors that might look ordinary at noon become luminous at 7pm.
The Desert Plants: Sage green, silvery gray-green, dusty olive. These muted greens are everywhere and they're gorgeous. They provide natural context for thinking about foliage in your arrangements.
The Sky: That high desert blue is unreal. Deep, saturated, often cloudless. It's another color your flowers are playing against.
Colors That Sing in Moab
Warm Jewel Tones
These are probably my favorite colors for Moab weddings, and here's why: they hold their own against red rock without competing. Think deep magenta, burnt orange, golden yellow, rich coral, burgundy, plum.
Why they work: Jewel tones have enough saturation to stand out against intense backgrounds. They photograph beautifully because they don't get lost. And they feel connected to the landscape—these colors exist in desert sunsets, in mineral deposits, in the way light hits sandstone.
What we grow: Dahlias are the stars here—we grow varieties in deep wine red, burnt orange, coral pink, and golden peach. Zinnias come in nearly every warm color you can imagine. Celosia gives us that incredible flame-like texture in oranges, reds, and magentas. Marigolds range from deep rust to bright tangerine. Strawflower holds color intensity even in full sun.
Real talk: A bouquet of deep coral dahlias, burnt orange zinnias, and plum-colored scabiosa against red rock at sunset? That's when you understand why color matters. Everything glows together.
Desert Earth Tones
Terracotta, rust, ochre, warm taupe, peachy-coral, dusty rose—these colors are literally pulled from the landscape itself.
Why they work: They create this beautiful harmony with the surroundings. Instead of contrast, you get cohesion. The flowers feel like they could have grown right there in the desert (even though our cultivated varieties obviously didn't). This approach works especially well for couples who want a softer, more romantic feel without going too pale or pastel.
What we grow: Garden roses in those incredible peachy and apricot shades (when they're in season and behaving themselves). Terracotta lisianthus. Dahlias in cafe au lait, terracotta, and dusty blush. Zinnias in every shade of orange and rust you can imagine. Amaranth gives us those incredible draping rust-colored tassels.
Styling note: Earth tones look stunning when you lean into texture—lots of interesting foliage, seed heads, grasses. The monochromatic-ish palette means texture becomes even more important for visual interest.
Rich Burgundy and Wine
Deep reds that lean toward purple or brown rather than true primary red.
Why they work: They're dramatic without being jarring. Burgundy and wine tones photograph as almost jewel-like against red rock—they're dark enough to create contrast but warm enough to feel connected to the landscape. And they work year-round, which is helpful for fall weddings when dahlias are at their absolute peak.
What we grow: Dahlias are the queens of burgundy—we grow varieties that range from deep wine to almost black-red. Cosmos in burgundy shades. Scabiosa in deep maroon. Amaranth in deep red. Zinnias in wine and burgundy tones.
Pairing note: Burgundy is incredibly versatile. Pair it with blush for romantic contrast, with burnt orange for richness, with sage and olive foliage for sophistication, or go all-in on deep moody tones.
Bright Magenta and Fuchsia
Bold, saturated pinks that lean purple.
Why they work: This might surprise people, but bright magenta is incredible in Moab. It creates striking contrast against red rock, it photographs beautifully, and it has this joyful energy that works for celebratory moments. The key is saturation—we're not talking about soft ballet pink here, we're talking about color that doesn't apologize.
What we grow: Zinnias in hot pink and magenta. Celosia in bright fuchsia. Gomphrena (globe amaranth) in vivid magenta. Cosmos in bright pink. Certain dahlia varieties that hit that perfect bright magenta note.
Color theory moment: Magenta sits opposite green on the color wheel, so it makes our foliage pop. Against the red-orange of Moab's rock, it creates what's called "split complementary" harmony—visually dynamic but not clashing.
Golden Yellow and Amber
Warm yellows—not lemon or acid yellow, but golden, amber, mustard, marigold.
Why they work: Golden yellow feels like bottled sunshine. It glows in photographs, it works in any light condition, and it connects to that golden hour light that makes Moab so magical. Yellow also has this cheerful, optimistic energy that works beautifully for weddings.
What we grow: Unique specialty sunflowers (not your grocery store varieties). Zinnias in every shade of yellow and gold. Marigolds from pale butter to deep amber. Dahlias in golden and yellow tones. Yarrow in golden yellow. Strawflower in warm yellow shades.
Design tip: Yellow works beautifully as an accent color even if you don't want it as your main palette. A few golden blooms mixed into any color scheme add warmth and light.
Colors to Approach Thoughtfully
I'm not going to tell you certain colors are "wrong"—that's not how I think about design. But some colors require more thought and intention to work well in Moab's environment.
Soft Pastels
Pale pink, baby blue, lavender, mint green—the colors you might see at a spring garden party.
The challenge: Pale colors can get washed out in intense desert light, especially midday. They can also fade into the background against bold red rock. That doesn't mean you can't use them—it means you need to be strategic.
How to make them work:
Time your ceremony for later in the day when light is softer
Use pastels in larger masses so they don't disappear
Consider indoor or shaded ceremony sites
Pair pastels with stronger accent colors for depth
Focus on interesting textures and shapes to create visual interest beyond just color
What we grow: Sweet peas in soft pink and lavender (spring only). Lisianthus in pale pink and white. Roses in blush tones. Delphinium in soft blue (when we can get it to cooperate with our climate).
Real example: I designed a bouquet of blush roses, soft pink lisianthus, and tons of interesting silvery foliage for an evening ceremony at Red Earth Venue. The soft colors worked because the light was right, the venue's modern architecture provided a different kind of backdrop than raw red rock, and we used enough volume that the colors had presence.
Cool Purples and Blues
Lavender, periwinkle, royal purple, true blue.
The consideration: These colors can feel disconnected from the warm desert palette. They're not impossible, but they require thoughtful composition.
How to make them work:
Use them against the blue sky rather than red rock
Use desert inspired blues like echinops and eryngium
Bring in some deeper tones of purple to highlight the richness of the sandstone
Focus on venues with greenery or water where cool tones feel more contextual
Consider them for bouquets or smaller pieces rather than large installations
What we grow: Delphinium when conditions allow. Some larkspur varieties. Certain cool-toned lisianthus. Honestly, our desert climate isn't ideal for true blue flowers, which tells you something about what naturally thrives here.
Seasonal Color Considerations
The colors available shift dramatically throughout our growing season, which affects what's possible for your date.
Spring (April-May)
Available colors: Softer palettes dominate—blush, peach, soft yellow, lavender, white. Spring flowers tend toward pastels naturally.
The vibe: Romantic, delicate, fresh. Spring in Moab is gorgeous—things are blooming, temperatures are perfect, light is soft.
Summer (June-August)
Available colors: Everything. Peak abundance. All the saturated colors come into play.
The vibe: Bold, lush, celebratory. This is when our farm is absolutely bursting.
Light consideration: Summer means intense midday light. This is when saturated colors really prove their worth.
Fall (September-October)
Available colors: Warm tones dominate—rust, burgundy, gold, bronze, deep coral, plum. Classic autumn palette but in a desert context.
The vibe: Rich, romantic, sophisticated. Fall is dahlia season, which means we have access to the most incredible color range in our favorite flower.
Why fall is special: The light becomes even more golden, temperatures are perfect, and the color palette feels utterly right for the landscape.
Designing Your Palette
Start With Venue and Timing
Where are you getting married and when? A midday ceremony at an exposed red rock site calls for different colors than an evening reception in a covered pavilion. A riverside venue with cottonwood trees creates different color opportunities than a desert platform ceremony.
Think in Families, Not Single Colors
Instead of "I want pink," think "I want warm, peachy, coral tones with some deeper rust accents." Color families give us flexibility to work with what's actually thriving for your date while maintaining your vision.
Consider the Full Story
Your ceremony site, cocktail hour location, and reception space might all have different lighting and backgrounds. We can shift the palette slightly for different parts of your day if that makes sense.
Trust Seasonal Availability
I know this is hard when you're planning a year out, but the flowers that are thriving for your specific date will always look better than forcing something out of season. When couples trust our seasonal judgment, the results are consistently stronger.
Real Palette Examples
Let me walk you through some actual color palettes we've designed and why they worked:
August Wedding at Red Earth Venue
Burnt orange, coral, golden yellow, with deep burgundy accents
Why it worked: Bold, saturated colors held up in afternoon heat and intense sun. Created beautiful contrast against red rock without fighting it. Photographed incredibly at golden hour when everything glowed together.
Key flowers: Dahlias, zinnias, celosia, sunflowers
September Wedding at Whispering Oaks Ranch
Deep burgundy, plum, dusty mauve, with sage and olive foliage
Why it worked: The mountain setting with trees allowed for deeper, moodier tones. Cooler temperatures meant we could use more delicate varieties. The sophisticated palette matched the upscale venue while still feeling organic.
Key flowers: Burgundy and mauve dahlias, cosmos, scabiosa, lots of textural foliage
May Wedding at Sorrel River Ranch
Peachy-coral, soft apricot, cream, with pops of deeper coral
Why it worked: Spring palette but with enough warmth and saturation to work against red cliffs. The riverside setting with greenery made softer tones more viable. Evening ceremony meant gentle light.
Key flowers: Garden roses, ranunculus, sweet peas, coral tulips
What About White?
People ask about all-white weddings for Moab, and here's what I tell them: white absolutely can work, but it requires thoughtfulness.
The pros: White is classic, elegant, versatile. It photographs beautifully. It doesn't compete with the landscape—it provides contrast instead.
The considerations: In intense sun, white can be almost too bright, creating harsh contrast in photos. When done wrong, it can also feel disconnected from the warm desert environment.
How to make white work:
Use lots of textural elements—not just white blooms but interesting foliage, seed heads, varied shapes
Consider cream and ivory tones rather than pure white
Add subtle hints of color—maybe cream flowers with peachy undertones, or white with green and rust foliage
Plan timing for softer light
When white is perfect: Indoor venues with controlled lighting, evening ceremonies, couples who want maximum focus on the landscape rather than florals, minimalist aesthetic.
My Honest Advice on Color
After designing for Moab weddings for years, here's what I truly believe: the colors that work best are the ones that feel like they belong here. That doesn't mean everything has to be rust and sage—it means thinking about relationship rather than fighting for attention.
Some questions I ask couples:
What time of day are you getting married? (This matters more than almost anything else for color)
Do you want your flowers to blend with the landscape or contrast against it?
Are you drawn to bold or subtle?
What colors make you feel something?
What's your venue like—architectural or natural, open or enclosed?
I know there's pressure to have a "signature wedding color" and to make it Instagram-worthy. But the weddings I'm most proud of are the ones where colors were chosen in service of the actual place and moment, not in spite of it.
The magic happens when your flowers feel like they grew up knowing they'd be part of this particular celebration in this particular landscape under this particular light. That's what we're always working toward.
Getting Started With Your Palette
If you're planning a Moab wedding and thinking about colors, here's where to start:
Look at photos of your venue at the time of day you'll be there. Pay attention to what the light is doing, what colors are already present in the landscape.
Consider your season. Don't fight it—embrace what's naturally abundant for your date.
Think about how bold or subtle you want to go. There's no right answer, but knowing your preference helps us design accordingly.
Trust that we know what works. I've seen how different colors behave in Moab's unique conditions. I know which colors photograph well against red rock, which ones glow at sunset, which ones hold up in heat. You don't have to figure this out alone.
When we sit down for your consultation, we'll talk through all of this. I'll show you photos from past weddings, we'll discuss what's in season for your date, and we'll figure out a palette that feels authentically you while honoring this incredible place.
Because ultimately, that's what this is about—creating something beautiful that belongs exactly where it is.
Farm Yard
Moab, Utah
Sustainable Floristry & Small-Scale Farming