It’s estimated that over 400,000 couples areplanning to tie the knotin 2021 (an increase of 60% on 2019), whether that wasnew engagementsin challenging times or couples putting off their nuptials for brighter days.
And so, we came out of it all planning to celebrate a helluva lot of happy couples in the near future and the stage is set for a whole new perspective onweddingsas we know them.
We lost out on a lot of things in 2020 but overall, love really did win.
While many weddings were cancelled or postponed, a lot went ahead this year with reduced numbers, smaller venues and scaled-down decorations, which is sure to have a big impact on the trends that we expect to see in the year ahead.
First of all, let’s talk dresses. 2020 introduced us to the fashion-forward low-key bride who sacked off the big white wedding dress and tied the knot in front of 15 of her favourite people. Cudos to the 2020 DGAF bride who is set to inspire all of our dress choices in 2021 and beyond.
And what of the venue? According to a report published last week, confidence is returning for next year’s weddings with people starting to plan larger events than they have done this year.
We have faith, 2021 brides, so whether you’re newly-engaged or looking inspo on your new date, we’ve heard from five top industry wedding experts about what you should expect from next year’s weddings.
The Dress
Stylish brides, it’s your time to shine! The smaller ceremonies we saw taking place in 2020 have given brides the confidence to get more creative with fashion, says designer Jess Kaye of The Own Studio, including an increase in sales of jumpsuits and suits and a desire to shun traditional big white gown.
The Guests
As invites to a ‘party celebration’ come flooding in to follow 2020’s unexpectedly intimate 2020 micro ceremonies, party dresses are set to take precedence over traditional wedding guest outfits, according to designer Kaye because we’re all “desperate for a night out”.
The Style
Florist Rob Van Helden believes 2021 is set to see a boom in contemporary form; with rustic styling out of favour, replaced by a desire for cleaner finishes. Moving on from pastel palettes and muted hues, colour is going to be a key element, leaning towards more joyful palettes.
Green is also expected to be the order of the day as sustainability continues to play an important part in the decision-making for 2021 couples.
The Venue
Couples will adapt the space in their venues in a different way in 2021, with larger rooms a priority allowing guests more space to mingle. Long tables will be more popular with different layouts to ensure guests are not face-to-face. Rosie Bess of Beatnik Bride predicts sleek tableware, tonal glassware and modern soft furnishings opposed to rustic vintage designs.
The Ceremony
Stationer Sophie Lewis says 2021 weddings won’t care about tradition – they’ll be a joyous explosion of individualism, with more couples emboldened to make choices they might have disregarded before in a bid to ‘go with the flow’.
The Date
Brides are getting ready for the all-seasons wedding, where 2021 will be a seasonless year and weddings will be every day of the week. The rapid growth in the flexible working from home culture has flipped the traditional perception of a weekday wedding on its head, making them much more popular.
The Destination
According to photographer Benjamin Wheeler, UK weddings will be where it’s at with Brexit and Covid dampening destination wedding fever. And with new laws giving couples greater freedom to decide where they get married, civil ceremonies could take place in venues you’ve never seen weddings before.
