Wedding Trends 2021-22
With so many weddings postponed couples have had a lot more time to plan, so now more than anything want to put their personality on their day, so we’re sure we are going to see more creative and unique weddings than ever before. How exciting is that!
We’ve all been forced to stay at home, not able to see or hug our loved ones, so we’re going to see two major influencers for post lockdown weddings…
Either ‘Maxi-Weddings’, everything oversized with a ‘go big or go home’ vibe. These are going to be ‘major celebrations’, with a huge guest list of everyone they care about invited to celebrate big time, where everything is extravagant, overstated and party means party! Couples have been desperate to ‘go big’ as much as possible, to finally celebrate their much-anticipated day. Postponed couples will definitely be celebrating this day like no other!
Or for those who feel it’s time to scale back ‘Micro-Weddings’, we love the name ‘Minimony’, with a focus on intimate ceremonies with a close group of their nearest and dearest. Some cases, maybe with budget constraints in mind, for others it will be that couples simply want to scale back, the lockdown has been a time for reflection on what truly matters, and for some couples, that will crystallise exactly who they want by their side on their special day. Importantly their budget may not change, they’ll still want to indulge their guests and create an amazing, unforgettable experience, with more budget for flowers, stationery, jewellery, clothes, food, and decorations that are ethical and sustainable.
Image from 100 Layer Cake
Something wonderful too that you may not be aware of, your furry friends are not included in the headcount, so if your venue is pet-friendly, bring them along, they’ll make the perfect ring bearer. We had our pup at our wedding and it made the day so precious and unique.
LESS DETAIL MORE EXPERIENCE
With our lives on hold in 2020, we think couples will focus on the atmosphere of a wedding; one that’s not dictated by style or colour, but by heart. Relationships, creating memories and having fun! Couples are now, more than ever aware that they don’t have to stick to wedding trends. They should plan their weddings from their hearts, put their own stamp on something creative, fun, new and fresh.
Here are some of the bigger wedding trends to watch out for –
WEEKDAY WEDDINGS
Guests can expect to see an increase of invites to weekday weddings, due to the build-up of 2020 and 2021 postponed weddings which have spilt over into 2021 and now 2022. Also, budget-conscious couples who’ve been more stretched more than expected will be hiring venues and suppliers as they’re cheaper on weekdays and there’s more likely to be availability.
WEDDING PARTIES & SECOND CELEBRATIONS
Many couples have already held their wedding ceremonies in 2020 and the first part of 2021. This signals a huge new trend in ‘Two Part Weddings’ and a lot more wedding receptions and parties will be taking place later this year and on into 2022. Whilst we’re unsure when weddings with unlimited guest lists will be able to resume, there’s no reason you can’t marry now and party later with all your original guest list. They’ll be lots of wedding vow renewals, blessings and it’s going to be wonderful.
Image from Pinterest
ELOPEMENTS
We think more couples will have considered elopement than ever before, with more couples considering this option rather than large scale weddings. After all, elopements are so intimate and special and oh so romantic!
A RETURN TO TRADITIONS
Weddings will go back to their heart; making treasured memories with friends and family. Experts across the wedding industry are predicting tradition to be a defining feature of future weddings, from timeless dresses to nostalgic fragrances and traditional speeches.
More couples are choosing their local, childhood church for their ceremony, with a statement archway to frame the entrance, and delicate meadow flowers lining the aisle. They are then moving on to a marquee or tent at venues, in parent’s gardens or in a private home setting.
Bridalwear designers are predicting a boom for British dress designers and a return to ageless styles. Brides will be looking for more classical and timeless dresses, they want to really look and feel like the traditional bride in white!
Brides are valuing the sentimental moments of their day and having their bouquets preserved and framed, or roses planted in their gardens that were used in the wedding flowers. Hand in hand with this comes the more traditional bouquet; something not too big, yet not too small, with garden roses, sweet peas, and other scented garden flowers to conjure memories of the wedding day in the future.
Image from Hitched
SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS
After everything we have been through, weddings will have an even deeper meaning. Perhaps add a moment to your day to stop and reflect on the events of the past months, a time to be grateful for good health and happiness and to celebrate the opportunity of finally being able to be with your loved ones.
You can easily incorporate poignant acts of thank you’s into your wedding day. A little time-consuming, but a personal note on each guest place setting is a touching gesture. Choose special guests, such as grandparents or close friends, to take home one of the flower arrangements at the end of the night. Smaller things include baking special ‘thank you’ biscuits for each guest, or hiring one or two babysitters to look after young guests during dinner and speeches and into the evening – it’s a way of giving parents some much-needed time off.
A rather magical idea is candle lighting, where you give one person at each table matches and, at the same time, they light the candles in your centrepieces. It creates a cosy ambience and gives everyone a moment to reflect.
Beautiful gifts for your Team Bride are a special way to cherish the memories and to say thank you to your loved ones who’ve helped you along the way, to create the day you dreamed of.
Precious Memory frames to hold dried flower petals from your bouquet, or to add to your bouquet to hold photos of loved ones who couldn’t be with you.
You may feel less willing to ask for guests and personals wedding donations from guests, with charity donations or funding for volunteer projects rising.
OUTDOOR CEREMONIES & RECEPTIONSOutdoor wedding ceremonies and receptions in the UK have been steadily increasing. With the COVID19 measures being focused around open-air, more couples than ever will choose to marry and dine alfresco. Open-sided marquees and tipis are a great option for keeping sheltered from the elements while allowing fresh air to circulate too. Look for some amazing firepits, outdoor lighting and games to entertain your guests.
THINK BEST OF BRITISH
Lockdown has put a huge strain on the UK wedding economy so we say please support the UK’s phenomenal network of suppliers, bridal boutiques and independent businesses with your hard-earned money. Why not invest in British brands that are made here in the UK. We believe more couples will turn to independent shops, local designers and suppliers, from caterers to photographers, florists to entertainment and of course stationers, they’ll invest in the economy on their doorstep.
Buying British will be seen most clearly in wedding breakfasts, with more local ‘locavore’ menus requested by couples. Think locally-farmed meats, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and modern British twists on classic wedding dishes. The British beef and dairy industry have been particularly hard hit, so speak to your caterer about supporting those local farmers with your menu. Who’s ever said no to a cheese board?
PASTELS
Pastels will be back and will be huge, they will look stunning with the new whites, replacing the blush and ivory palette. They will feel cool, calm and relaxed, looking fresh and new. Think gorgeous lilac, pastel pink, yellow and peach tulips and sweet peas, with a pop of colour such as, orange or glass green, all supported by a gorgeous dove grey. Stationery trends will follow this trend too with complementing colours, we’ll share more on colour in our next post.
ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE WEDDINGS
The good news is that sustainable weddings have increased in popularity, but couples are also increasingly thinking about their ethical wedding impact. They are thinking about supporting community, charity and helping others as well as being eco-friendly will be higher on the priority list from 2021.
The stats reported are scary – one wedding day produces the same CO2 emissions as five people will produce in a year.
Their efforts to make weddings sustainable are great ideas for all couples to adopt: arrange a tree planting party for your guests to reduce their carbon footprint; keep food miles down by opting for locally grown meat and vegetables, serve local beers, wines and spirits; and choose a venue with a beautiful backdrop that doesn’t require lavish decoration that will end up in a landfill. Instead of a mass of flower arrangements use plants that can be re potted and planted after the ceremony, so they can live on after the wedding.
Images from Indiebride London
Indiebride London is all about sustainable, ethical and organic designs for dresses that marry detail and clean silhouettes in the prettiest, most stylish and wearable way possible. You could also look for a stunning vintage dress.
HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR
We’ve all been stuck inside wearing jogging bottoms, sweatshirts and elasticated waistbands, so couples and guests will want to go all out for weddings. Now is the time to return to full-on Hollywood glamour! Hair accessories adorned with sparkles or pearls will be popular with a renewed interest in chandelier earrings and statement necklaces.
Polished hair and makeup will be a real treat as we make up for lost photo opportunities while there’s a professional photographer around. Many people will have had to cancel holidays so will be turning to the salon for a sun-kissed tan with a bronzed goddess glow to cap their glamorous look.
Image from BHLDN
70’s VIBE
Wedding décor will be sustainable, raw, natural, locally sourced and traditional. There is a strong sway towards ’70s materials and aesthetics such as macramé, crochet, rattan, block colours, wooden beading and textured linens. Dried flowers and pampas grass continue to be key for flowers and Halston style dresses are perfectly simple and very elegant.
Images from Pinterest
STAY-CATION HONEYMOONS
With travel plans uncertain and many of us holidaying in the UK this year, more stay-cation honeymoons will take place. Those of us in the UK have certainly rediscovered and rekindled our love for the beautiful countryside spots we are blessed with. Couples may reconsider more traditional destinations for 2021 and 2022 and think about the alternative, local honeymoons and mini-moon locations.
ENTERTAINMENT
Weddings will be much more about experiences. That means couples will focus much more on entertainment and looking after their guests, think of a cool cocktail service, Prosecco bar, coffee shack instead of a standard paid bar, and interactive entertainment such as comedians, live artists or tarot readers on top of the music. Palm and tarot readers have boomed in popularity as weddings, as well as interactive experiences like street artists to sketch your guests, petting zoos, acrobats and fire performers, roaming musicians, magicians and more.
Images from Ruffled Blog
And so there you have it, the 2021-2022 wedding trends predictions. What we really hope to see now is for the rest of the year to be jam-packed with happy times, fun experiences, amazing memories and most of all lots of love.
Now go treat yourself… you deserve it!
