We are a few days away from 2022 and it is time for us to look towards the new year for all the new (and old) wedding trends to expect. I love trends because it sparks inspiration for those unsure of what to do and directly relates back to what is currently happening in our society. Trends emote a feeling, you either love them or hate them. Out of this list, I love them all, but you be the judge. Keep in mind that these are just my trendy thoughts and not necessarily the only things coming down the pipeline.
Photo Credit: Jon Cu Photo
Weekday Events: 2020 and 2021 we experienced a ton of postponements and cancellations of weddings due to the pandemic. People who planned to be married moved their wedding day to dates in 2022 and 2023 just to be safe. What that caused is a huge scheduling issue, where most weekends were taken up with already engaged couples who had a previous date, and left little to no room for those newly engaged couples to book a weekend event. That means that in 2022, we are most likely to see a ton of events happening during the weekdays. Just on our calendar alone, we have a handful of Tuesday and Thursday events.
Personally, I love weekday events. You can sometimes get a more affordable price with your venue and even narrow down your guest count (since most people work 9-5ers). If you can’t find weekend availability at your must have venue, maybe think about having your event mid week!
Longer Wedding Weeks:
Piggy backing on that topic…for the ones lucky enough to snag a weekend event, we are going to start to see weddings extend past just a single day. Wedding weekends are gaining popularity, especially amongst those having a destination wedding. People are having their pre-wedding party, main wedding, and post-wedding brunches over the course of an entire weekend. I mean, we spent months locked up. People are ready to party, celebrate, and they don’t want just that one special day - they want the whole week. Of course, this comes with a little more money and a lot of commitment from your wedding party and guests, but party on you little animals!
Photography: RainbowFish Photography
Out With The Out-Dated Traditions: This has been a recurring trend and is getting more popular each year. Couples are tired of these outdated traditions and are ready to make their own! One tradition that I have been seeing getting the boot is the garter and bouquet toss. People no longer want to put their single friends on blast and most brides (and guests) cringe at the idea of removing a garter in front of their loved ones. Plan to see less cake cuttings, parental dances, being given away, and expect to see more fun and unique ways to celebrate your love. I encourage my clients to seek out meaningful traditions to include on their wedding day, instead of feeling forced to include the ones they feel they have to.
Bolder Color Palettes: Anyone else super over the white, neutral color palettes? Neutral boho weddings have taken over the industry to the point where it’s all I ever do. I blame pinterest. Generally, I have no problem with this palette (and if you are a client who is doing this, know that I love you). I actually think it is pretty nice, but after doing so many of them, I am ready for a change. That is why I am so excited that we are going to see some fun colors in 2022. Think oranges, blues, purples, fuschia, and YELLOW! Color can be scary if done over the top, but with the right creative eye, color can be a fun way to spice up your wedding day.
Palettes from TulleandChantilly.com
Silver Over Gold: Gold accents have also hijacked the wedding industry for what feels like FOREVER and I am pleased to say, gold's little sister, silver is making her comeback. I have been scouring the internet and have seen so many amazing inspo pics where silver accents have become the star and we are here for it! Mixing metals is also something to expect in 2022. I am a gold girl to my core, but silver is no longer second place. It is giving main character energy.
Photos: HubPages Blog (top left), Elegant Wedding Blog (top right), WedLuxe (bottom left), A Practical Wedding Blog (bottom right),
Themed Weddings: I don’t know if this is legitimately a trend, or if I am projecting my own desires, but theme weddings are making a comeback. Do you both have a favorite movie? A favorite book? Maybe you love Disney? Creating a theme around your event, even if it is just a color theme is a way to have fun with your event in a unique way! I love the events that go over the top with a theme, but even a subtle homage is a nice way to add a little spice.
Photo Credits: The Singlers
Digital Invites:
As couples begin leaning into sustainable options for their event, it comes as no surprise that digital invitations are so popular. Honestly, the digital invitation suites have gotten so good that I prefer them over paper. The ability to directly link your wedding website, add as much information about your wedding day, and RSVP all within a few clicks is awesome. In this day and age where wedding details are changing constantly, having the ability to reach out to your guest through sites like paperlesspost.com and greenvelope.com make it so easy for you to quickly send updates and details. Plus, I think it is fair to say that rarely do you hold on to paper invitations and most times, as pretty as they are, invitations end up in the trash. Save your money and a few trees in 2022!
Mixing In Faux Flowers:
Another sustainable trend in 2022 are faux flowers. Wedding flowers are gorgeous and one of the most sought after decor items for weddings, but man, can it get pricey. In 2021 we saw a record high for fresh blooms and it is because of this that I think couples will move to faux flowers. Places like Something Borrowed Blooms create stunning and realistic floralscapes that are a ⅓ of the cost of real flowers. Plus, by renting your florals, you are able to reuse these arrangements over and over, creating less waste in the long run. I think we are going to see a mix of people using real flowers for their personal pieces, like bouquets, leis, ceremony pieces, etc, but for items like centerpieces and runners, we are going to see more people mix in the faux options. I also think that we are going to see people opt for in-season blooms, rather than outsourcing flowers that are not in season. This is a great way to use what is available, while being cost effective!
Featured Designs: Ling’s Moment (top left), Mywedding.com Blog (top right), Etsy Shop (bottom right), The Faux Bouquets (bottom right)
And those are my trends for 2022. Like I said, this isn’t everything that is to come, but it is a few things I hope to see at future events. At the end of the day, being “trendy” is not always the best way to go about designing your event and you should do something that feels true to you and your other half. Taking a trend and making it your own creates a timeless event that you will remember for years to come.
What was your favorite trend? Have an event idea and want to see how we can help? Send us an inquiry about your special day!