Wedding Trends in 2021. New year, new ideas.
Let’s be honest: the current trends and future trends in 2021 maybe two very different things. We have no idea what the rest of the month, much less next year, will look like in the wedding world.
What we do know is that weddings will look different in 2021: 81% of our followers say that the pandemic has changed their wedding expectations. We are also seeing this year that couples generally make everything more intentional, focusing on the ceremony, creating more personalized details, and spending more money per guest to make them feel really immersed in the experience.
Keep reading for more on the wedding trends we’re seeing now and on the horizon!
Weekday Wedding
At this point, suppliers and venues for 2021 have limited availability. A weekday wedding can allow a couple to get married and hire their favorite vendors at their dream venue. Not to mention, with a weekday wedding, there are also cost advantages, and it is also an opportunity to help the professionals in this sector who have been hard hit by the pandemic.
Sustainability
People are more conscious than ever of their footprint. And couples are seeing the effect they can have as digital invites and interactive celebrations become more popular. We love two resources: Paperless Post and Minted.
Transformative Attire
Adaptability is the name of the game in fashion right now, from pieces that can be worn in several ways to dresses that can be tailored to a particular look. Fortunately, when brides want to mix up a look for the reception or even re-wear a frock for their next wedding, this pattern works well for weddings.
DIY Beauty Looks
From Zoom trials to big-day make-up, “corona brides” are experimenting with doing hair and make-up on their own. As we could all use a little TLC during the pandemic, we think this trend will be here to stay, and why not use your wedding as an opportunity to grow a lifelong hobby, ahem, skill?!
Micro Weddings
This year, we’re seeing an increase in the micro wedding, aka an intimate wedding with less than 50 guests. There are many plus-sides to this new trend, from the focus on who is in attendance to the overall vibe of the event, which can lend itself to being more personal and emotional—especially during such uncertain times.
Intimate Guest Lists
According to our recent study, 47% of our followers now plan to reduce their list of guests. While this is a difficult task, we see couples giving priority to the health and safety of loved ones by limiting those in attendance.
Sequel Weddings
Some couples in 2020 are opting to do it again with an expanded guest list this year. We predict these will be larger-scale gatherings focused on sharing their love for loved ones who were unable to attend this year. We’ve also heard of couples saving some wedding elements and traditions for the second wedding to make it more unique, such as writing their own vows or performing the first dance. So sweet!
Backyard Weddings
An in-home wedding and particularly during a pandemic is always something special. We love seeing couples embrace what’s right in front of them by hosting an intimate outdoor celebration.
Assigned Seating
Although allocated seats are usually reserved for members of the family during the ceremony, we recently saw all guests deliberately seated. This is a protective measure of COVID-19 which we hope will continue after the pandemic!
Unexpected Venues
A boat wedding? Why not! Why not! With an intimate guest list, by marrying in non-traditional wedding venues or even on the open seas, couples think beyond the box.
Domestic Destinations
In destinations that are a car or train ride away, there will be a spike. This prioritizes guest protection and makes it easier for anyone involved to fly, without the need for a passport.
Pod Seating
With social distancing still in place, seating groups by pods instead of playing matchmaker between friends is a wise move. Tables are also typically looking smaller this year because of COVID-19 regulations, think groups of four to six instead of 10 to 12. Also, if you’re a sweetheart table fan, it’s your time to accept it right now.
Formal Dinner Service
We see a return of very elegant plated course meals due to food-service constraints and reduced guest counts. This is a chance for couples to get very creative with their menu, and also, to make each place setting feel special for the guest (think a handwritten note on every plate).
Individualized Food Displays
Share no more! Caterers opt for a more customized serving style for both cocktail hour menus and seated dinners, think of individual dishes and cones instead of charcuterie plates and family food.
Reimagined Entertainment
With dancing
out of the question, at the reception, couples are rethinking entertainment. Some are putting more money into live music (think a concert-style reception). We also assume this is an opportunity to put more emphasis at the reception on the wedding toasts!
Mini Wedding Cakes
For security purposes, couples serve individual wedding cakes to make guests feel more special. At the end of the gathering, these can be put at a seated dinner or sent home as a treat.
Customized Favors
For a twist on the hottest accessories of the year (masks and hand sanitizers!), we encourage couples to customize products with their initials, logo, and/or wedding dates and hand them out as favors.
Celebration Care Packages
Whether they’re marrying Zoom or a downsized guest list, couples don’t forget about guests who aren’t physically with them. With a personalized cocktail set or mini bottle of bubbly, they mail celebrations boxes to guests and invite them to toast from afar. Some also give goodies like a mini wedding cake, cookies, or the complete wedding meal in some cases! We love this idea and hope that for guests unable to participate, it will continue.
Planning your Wedding is always exciting and full of endless choices. Aegean Special Weddings can make life easy for you. After all, planning a wedding is what we specialize in. Send us an email with your personal details, special requests, and so on and we’ll get back to you with our wedding proposal.