Mocha Mousse: What Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year Means for the Industry
Every year, we usher in a new slate of trends to inform how we design and plan weddings for engaged couples. From bouquet styles to food presentation, these popular concepts spill over from other industries, like catering, haute fashion, and interior design. One such influencer is Pantone, the global color authority that announces its “Color of the Year” annually around the holidays.
This year, the rich and earthy hue of Mocha Mousse takes center stage, promising a versatile and timeless aesthetic that will inspire couples and wedding professionals alike. With its grounding warmth and understated elegance, Mocha Mousse brings some much-needed sophistication and contemporary style to the industry.
Whether paired with muted neutrals for a soft, romantic design or complemented with vibrant colors for a modern twist, this shade offers universal appeal to weddings in 2025. Here’s how industry experts expect this warm, cocoa-inspired tone to inspire fresh ideas and shape weddings in the year ahead.
Venue: The Estate at River Run | Photography: Nicki Metcalf Photography,
A new take on neutrals
The neutral wedding has always been an industry mainstay, but this year, neutral is taking on a new meaning. Ashley Allan of Your Jubilee Weddings predicts “a huge shift away from the all-white wedding to the ‘neutral’ color palette.”
As we leave the starkness of crisp white behind, Allan expects couples to embrace color palettes with “shades of white and cream but feels much richer with the addition of mocha, beige, and even chocolate shades.”
Of course, earth tones are nothing new. “This color has often been used in interiors, and we will see more inspiration pulled from home design,” says Casey Cannon of EBJ & Company.
In weddings, Mocha Mousse and its cousins often feature as supportive accent colors, but 2025 will see these warm neutrals shine as primary wedding colors. Get ready for creamy beiges, soft taupes, and velvety chocolates as we pair luxury with cozy comfort!
Photography: Tracy Autem Photography
More earthy tones as a whole
Mocha Mousse isn’t just about a single color — it’s part of a larger movement toward earthy tones that feel rich and grounding. Couples are gravitating towards palettes inspired by nature, with shades like terracotta, olive, and dusty sage making a splash.
Expect “an increased demand for earthy tones in decor, attire, and florals,” confirms Craig Peterman of Craig Peterman Photography & Videography. “Clients in 2025 will likely incorporate this shade into bridesmaids’ dresses, stationery, and tablescapes, pairing it with lighter neutrals or metallic accents to create sophisticated, cohesive designs.”
This shift towards organic beauty also means “we could see a lot more boho vibes,” adds Chandai Raghunauth of Chandai Events. Think soft textiles and wild, untamed florals — a reimagined take on the trite boho designs we saw in the early 2010s.
Gone are the days of macramé and festival-style decor as we explore the classier side of boho. For instance, “natural wood is having a moment,” Jen Avey of Destination Weddings Travel Group reveals. “Mocha mousse also plays well with bronze metallics or chrome trends,” so don’t shy away from mixing rustic details with luxury accents!
Expect polished wood tables, stoneware place settings, and an all-around sleek simplicity with wedding decor. Here’s to appreciating boho’s chic and refined older sister!
Planning: Your Jubilee Weddings | Photo 1 Credit: Emily B Photography | Photo 2 & 3 Credit: The Shepards
Elevated design approaches
As a whole, Pantone’s selection of Mocha Mousse sets the stage for a new level of sophistication in wedding design, where warmth meets grandeur.
“Mocha Mousse replaces shiny sparkles with shimmering patinas, vivid saturation with refined warmth, and ornate drama with modern luxury,” Joan Wyndrum of Blooms by the Box explains. “It definitely raises the sophistication bar!”
Couples are moving beyond simple, understated designs and embracing bold, elaborate statements instead. From velvet draping to custom lighting installations, Mocha Mousse paves the way for opulence that leans on the side of modesty rather than excess.
And it’s not just designers and florists who get to have all the fun! Wedding DJ Michael Coombs of Michael Coombs Entertainment expects to “bring out our sexy, sleek, all-black DJ booths and speaker designs that are typically only used for corporate” but will now “seamlessly mesh with Mocha Mousse and really pop.”
The key to this elevated approach is layering textures and details to create a level of visual intrigue. Mocha Mousse pairs beautifully with golds, bronzes, and creamy whites, allowing for lavish tablescapes and high-impact floral displays — all while maintaining the grounded, sensible nature of this earthy, neutral tone.
Pantone’s Color of the Year is always carefully selected to symbolize the state of our world. It’s not just what’s “trendy”; it represents how society thinks and feels at a specific moment and time. Mocha Mousse’s rich, warm tone signifies a shift towards cozy comforts and the beauty of celebrating small, understated indulgences — like a warm cup of coffee to start the morning.
Main Photo Credit: Planning - Your Jubilee Weddings | Photography: Emily B Photography
