Wedding Trend Report 2022
What’s In and What’s Moving Out
Wedding styles and preferences are always changing and adapting in many ways. Some “trends” come and go quickly while others slowly turn into a longstanding traditions.
From décor to entertainment, we asked local event planners to share what’s been popular at recent weddings and, on the flip side, which concepts seem to be losing some steam.
Note: This list is intended to be a guide for decision-making. Always remember to take a step back from the influences of others and stay true to what you really want for your big day.
Minimalist Style
Right now, one aesthetic that event planners are noticing might save you a little money and day-of stress too. Minimal décor, flowers and even dresses are beginning to steal the show.
“In the aftermath of previous wedding styles with huge, elaborate and tall wedding florals, and sparkle, glitter, and much detail, we are seeing the modern bride revert to a modernized version of a classic and timeless style,” explains Moriah McAllister of Something Blue Events.
According to McAllister, minimalist style can often include the use of black and white, but they are usually seeing it play out with earth or neutral tones.
“It is a very clean and neat style, with everything present having a purpose,” she says. “It is deliberate and thought through.”
Color
If minimalist style is a little too simple for your taste, another popular trend swings over to the other side of the spectrum. While pastels will likely always have a place at weddings, bright colors are starting to take center stage.
“This is a bold statement and when done well is beautiful, dramatic, and unique,” McAllister explains.
She does warn, you will need to work with an experienced wedding venue, planner or coordinator to make sure your colorful end result looks classy and not immature.
“When done poorly, it will look like a child’s birthday party. When done well, you can take this style and colors and pair it with many different sister styles,” she explains.
For example, try a “bold and colorful” palette mixed with bohemian undertones or “bold and colorful” paired with minimalist. The sky’s the limit with this style.
“The key is to have a color that is the common thread running through all of your décor decisions and design,” explains McAllister. “This color will be your unspoken and often unacknowledged MVP of this style, bringing cohesiveness and order.”
Virtual Stationery
We all know online invitations are not necessarily a new phenomenon, but Katie Lester with A Little Party Events says with supply chain issues and postal service backlog, they are seeing a greater push from their clients to go totally online with their wedding stationery.
“From save the dates, to the invitations themselves, to online RSVPing, we are seeing couples save on money and [help] our environment by going completely digital,” she says.
As she explains, you don’t have to make everything virtual but could consider shifting at least part of your invitation process online.
Intimate Weddings
Even before the COVID-19 virus shut down gatherings for a stretch, there was already a shift in the wedding industry to make weddings a more intimate affair. But the pandemic certainly pushed smaller weddings into the limelight.
“Intimately-sized weddings, often referred to as ‘micro-weddings,’ is a trend that I would acknowledge as a positive effect of the tragedy of recent events,” McAllister says.
Micro-weddings typically have fewer than 50 guests. Choosing to have a smaller guest list can allow you to spread your budget further, often allowing you to go all out with those guests in ways that you could not if there were 300+ people.
Photo Booths
Wedding guests love photo booths, which is why Lester believes this trend is here to stay.
“It’s always a great source of added entertainment for guests at an event,” she says. “What has helped maintain its popularity is the ever-changing style of these booths.”
Aside from the traditional photo booth, she says they are seeing ring light/selfie station–style booths, 360-degree booths, and mirror booths.
Videography
“So many of our couples are choosing to focus a portion of their budget on videography,” says Lester, adding that it’s probably because Generation Z has grown up with every moment documented.
Whether you’re 22 or 42, getting video of your wedding day is an excellent way to capture the emotion of the day with sound and movement.
“A great photographer is always essential in our opinion, but there is something about video that transports you back to this magical day,” says Lester.
What’s Moving Out
Bouquet & Garter Toss
Brides across the board are starting to remove this slightly awkward wedding tradition from the schedule of events.
“Gone are the days when we corralled all the single guys or ladies to the dance floor while the bride and groom threw undergarments or old flowers at them,” said Lester.
You can still have a little fun, though. Lester has seen all of the male guests gather to catch an empty liquor box with a garter (not worn by the bride or removed publicly) tied around it. The winner gets the nice bottle of liquor. Brides are also choosing to toss a separate bouquet to ALL women who attended.
“Inclusivity is also important with our ladies who no longer need to be publicly shamed if they are not married,” says Lester.
“Does the bouquet toss spark joy? If it doesn’t, it goes,” says McAllister. “That’s all there is to it. We love the progress being made here. Traditions are beautiful and amazing, as long as they serve the couple well and lead to an authentic moment.”
Traditional Wedding Cakes
The traditional wedding cake will never completely go out of style and we hope not—because these baked works of art are truly masterpieces!
But with smaller budgets and smaller weddings, some couples are choosing to ditch the traditional tiered cake.
“More often than not couples are choosing to think outside of the box here, choosing cupcakes, cookies, donuts, dessert food trucks, s’mores, you name it,” says Lester.
If a traditional cake is desired, it may be on the smaller side and paired with those easy-to-grab sweets such as cookies or cupcakes.
Wedding Registries
With couples getting married later in life, many already have a lot of their home items or décor and don’t feel like they need a full blown registry.
“Our couples are more interested in experiences such as date nights, honeymoon funds, or excursions related to their honeymoon,” Lester explains.
A financial registry can allow guests to contribute to a certain fund for the couple and take care of the wedding present easily, with just a couple of clicks on the computer.
