You’re seeing it everywhere – “Our trend predictions for this year!” and “The trends you absolutely have to incorporate this year!” or how about “If you don’t include these trends, your wedding will be so basic” (ok, that one might be extreme but it might as well be what they’re saying). With ever changing style and design, it can feel overwhelming trying to plan and design a wedding that feels current and modern but speaks true to your vision and vibe. But where do you draw the line between wedding trends vs timelessness?
Today, let’s break down how to incorporate both trendy elements and timeless touches into your wedding day vision, and how to achieve the best balance of both for the most memorable event!
The first step in crafting your wedding is creating the vision. For our design couples, we typically break this down into three parts:
1. GATHER INSPIRATION
With no rhyme or reason, we ask our couples to create a vision board with anything and everything that catches their visual interest. Colors, textures, tablescapes, portrait examples, there’s no limit here. We even encourage them to go outside the “wedding” search and consider adding architecture, landscapes, wallpaper, and fashion to their design. The more photos the better! While we typically use an in-house planning portal that houses a design studio, Pinterest would be a great space to house your vision board.
2. CRAFTING THE DESIGN
From there, we begin to cull and sort through the vision board, looking for recurring design patterns, themes, and a color palette. We then filter that through our working knowledge of color theory and how to marry the design themes and styles with any vendors the couple has already hired for their wedding. Venue selection plays a major part in this step; if the design you’re leaning into is a “New England Coastal Summer”, but you’ve booked a traditional Midwest barn, then we’ll need to work strategically in execution to ensure the vibe and vision behind your design translates to ‘chic’ and not ‘rustic’.
3. INFUSING THE DETAILS
Lastly, we work through each zone of your wedding to infuse the touchpoints and moments with the unique details of your love story. The details of a wedding, from food to signage to the colors, are what tell your story and are the impact and experience that leaves a lasting impression your guests will take with them for years to come. Our favorite moment is when we hear your guests saying, “That’s so them!”
Next, we begin incorporating the trends that speak to you and bring you joy. In my professional opinion, I love incorporating a good trend! Someone will look back on your wedding photos one day and say “That wedding was so 2023” and it will be such an iconic moment! Just look at all the retro and vintage inclusions we’re seeing hitting fashion and weddings right now. It can be daunting looking at a current trend and determining how you’re able to incorporate that into your wedding day, so let’s break it down.
BEGINNER
The easiest categories to incorporate a trend into are consumables, like food and drink. Consumable items that will make a major impact on the wedding day because they’re ‘on trend’, but whose life is short and in the moment, limited only to the event day. You’ll remember that trendy espresso martini with fondness because it wasn’t front and center in every photo, dating your wedding day to a specific year.
INTERMEDIATE
Trendy attire is where it’s at. From fabrics, textures, and appliques to cuts and styles, attire is ever changing in the wedding industry. Love a good puff sleeve or textured overskirt but concerned it’s just a phase? Why not consider a removable option? A classic look for the ceremony, with the option to incorporate the trend for some portraits and even pop on to create a “second dress” look for the reception gives the best of both worlds!
EXPERT
The design. The most impactful way to incorporate a trend with long lasting effect. We love to encourage our couples to break the rules and incorporate a trend but balanced well in the overall scope of their design. For example, if you love the look of velvet but worry its trend life is about to expire, consider only including it as a napkin versus a major moment tablecloth. This protects the overall timelessness of your wedding photos while still allowing the inclusion of a trend you loved and that brought you joy. It’s ok to incorporate a trend, as long as it fits with your style and personality. The key is to include a trend, not as the feature of the wedding, but as a complement to the overall design. While we’re a hardcore yes for a Barbie themed party or shoot, it’s not something I’d make the branded focus for your wedding design, knowing that trend will most likely only have a 3-6 month lifespan.
On the other side of the coin, if the victor of wedding trends vs timelessness for you is timelessness, it is totally perfect to not incorporate any trend and focus on protecting the timelessness of your wedding. We pull from classic style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, or Jackie O. Our favorite tips for hosting a timeless wedding include:
- Minimum affair formality of cocktail or black tie attire. Black gowns and suits never go out of style, nor will floor length gowns be ‘off trend’.
- Hire the right photo + video team. True tone edits will never go out of style, nor will candid, documentary style captures. Genuine reactions and meaningful moments are timeless because you’ve lived and loved through those experiences, which will always be a core memory that can never be out of trend.
- Consider a quiet luxury design. Take notes from Hannah G + Dylan Barbour’s wedding or Sofia Richie + Elliott Grainge. Leaning into a modern minimalistic, ‘clean girl’ aesthetic design, these couples know that classic black and white will always be on trend.
Ultimately, let’s plan your wedding with intention and with deep purpose to who the two of you are together, and to your love story. Don’t be afraid to create the trend, as long as it’s what’s meaningful to the two of you. Trends (and timelessness!) will ebb and flow, same as with fashion and home decor. So as long as you can look back with love on the moments and experience of your wedding day, we’ll always consider that a timeless event!
RACHAEL WHITEHEAD
COMPANY: Whatever is Lovely Events
Rachael Whitehead is the creative force behind Whatever Is Lovely Events team and serves as a dedicated wedding planner, designer, and coordinator.
You can explore her portfolio of real weddings and discover more about her services by visiting lovelyweddingskc.com or following @whateverislovely_events on Instagram.
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