What wedding trends will be hot this summer? 2023 is looking to be an exciting year for wedding fashion already, and we have the inside scoop on the dresses, reception ideas, and styles that will be making waves very soon.
Here is our look at upcoming summer trends for weddings that offers a little bit of the classics and some exciting new concepts as well.
Retro Style
We all know that retro styles are making a comeback in every industry, and the wedding industry didn’t get left out of this resurgence. People love not just the classics but also things that look antique, old-world, and evocative and that inspire feelings of nostalgia. Maybe you just want to have a wedding like your parents or grandparents or perhaps you saw some retro-looks that really spoke to you.
Whatever the case may be, you should know that you will be on trend for the modern times with an antiquated look to your wedding.
Maybe you just want to go retro in a few small ways, with antique style script on the napkins, invites, and guest book.
Or maybe you want something a bit more encompassing, like a retro theme, complete with a horse and carriage wedding transport, vintage cars, antique wooden tables, ornate décor, Victorian dresses, wildflower bouquets, and heirloom jewelry. There are tons of ways to go retro in your wedding’s look, atmosphere, and presentation.
It is up to you how far you want to take that and how much you want to spend. You can rent some of the items you will need, while others may need to be purchased outright.
The retro style wedding does lend itself well to outdoor spaces, which is perfect for a summertime wedding, which is why we believe this trend will start surging even more during the hot months in the middle of the year.
Statement Weddings
Summer is a time we let loose and act freer than we normally would since the weather allows for more freedom in what we wear and where we go. Expect to see a lot of extravagant statement weddings this summer as people let loose after years of lockdowns and restrictions.
The biggest venues and the most awe-inspiring dresses are just the beginning for this summer’s hottest weddings where the theme is definitely “more is more”. People are tired of the tiny, private wedding ceremonies they had to be part of during lockdown.
Many of those who got married during those years are actually preparing to have big vow-renewing ceremonies this summer. They want to experience what they missed out on.
Those getting married this year will want to go big as well. They have freedom to invite more people, pack out their venues, have lots of group activities and socialise much more. They are going to make the most of it, and we think this trend will continue through each season this year in the wedding industry.
This is definitely a way that people are pushing back against all of the restrictions, which is completely understandable, and if you are getting married, people will expect you to do something showy and elaborate.
Statement Florals
If you are going big, why not go big with flowers? A longtime part of the language of love, flowers have numerous functions in the wedding ceremony and reception, and you can take yours in a direction that is really big and bold.
That’s what a lot of people will be doing, with ornate wreaths and table settings that make good use of flowers. You may see extravagant bouquets and dazzling flowers being tossed by the flower girl. You will probably see plenty of statement floral arrangements as well, like flower arches and floral backdrops that are great for picture taking.
Flowers will look so great in the wedding photos, especially if you go bold with them, as many people will do this summer.
Elizabethan Style
All of the old styles are coming back, and one that has really been embraced by wedding designers and brides recently is the Elizabethan look. This has been pushed by shows like Bridgerton and made many a young lady feel like she needs to have her wedding themed with these elegant, showy dresses and decorations.
The long trains, lovely hats, bright colors, and marvelous accessories are ideal for outdoor settings, which makes the Elizabethan-core style such a great idea for a summer wedding.
We don’t expect a lot of people will aim for period accuracy, but they will give their guests that kind of look that is evocative of English gentry and nobility. It’s a look that can be taken as far as you prefer, with walking sticks and horses, a game of outdoor polo or badminton, and table settings with fine China and fancy teas.
High Energy Sendoffs
To make their wedding really memorable, many couples are arranging a grand farewell at the end of the proceedings. They want to close out the reception party with a bang, which serves a couple of purposes. This tells everyone that it is time to go home, so there is no one wondering how long they need to stick around before it is okay to leave.
It also gives everyone something unforgettable to keep with them, finishing off strong rather than with a whimper. How many weddings have you been to where the festivities just kind of petered out slowly and the end of the night felt sad and low energy? That’s what modern wedding planners are trying to avoid.
It creates a lovely vibe for the party that may be accomplished with a final dance number, a couple’s activity, a brief celebrity appearance, a trip to the pool, a firework display or something else to just top off the events and let everyone know that the party is reaching the home stretch.
Shorter Weddings
Another trend we have spotted in recent years is the truncated wedding ceremony. The event seems to be mostly about the party for most couples, so they keep the ceremony itself quite brief, around 16 minutes. Then people can get to what they really came for- socialising, partying, eating, and drinking.
We all have shorter attention spans than we used to and want to enjoy each moment, so it makes sense to fast forward the slow and boring parts and go right to the reception as quickly as possible.
Expect this trend to show up in a lot of weddings this summer, especially as the heat picks up and people ache to get out of the smaller, stuffy building for the larger, more airy reception venue.
These are a few trends we are keeping our eyes on, and we are excited about how the wedding is evolving with the times to make things more comfortable or nostalgic for people as well as creating great picture-taking opportunities.
