As we quickly gain momentum heading into midyear, it’s important to revisit and reflect on the wedding trends shaping this season.
It’s a shared notion among experts that Mason jars are officially on the way out. Rustic is being replaced with timeless, classic events. Callandra Caufield, owner of Postcard Weddings, has said her goodbyes to shabby chic, and is running across an increase in “sophisticated neutral color palettes, metallic accents and hand calligraphy.”
Alex Chalk of Taylor’d Events has seen the comeback of the “city wedding” in her own Seattle market: “We’ve enjoyed more opportunities recently to take historic venues within the city and bring in a modern twist for our clients.”
The continued focus on guest experience continues to factor in heavily and is touching upon every aspect of the wedding weekend--from the welcome bags at check-in to hotel room blocks and transportation.
“These days, couples are hosting room blocks at smaller, boutique hotels with the hope of staying together in an intimate setting during the wedding weekend,” shares Melanie Marconi, co-founder of Where Will They Stay? “Additionally, including a welcome amenity in each of the guests’ room is still a popular ‘to do’ but more couples are placing one, thoughtful gift in each room versus leaving an entire bag of things.”
With guest transportation, wedding guests are seeking a more adventurous option to the standard hotel shuttle. Chalk explains that local “tourist” transportation options are on the rise. “It’s not enough to shuttle guests from one location to another,” she explains. “Clients with many out-of-town guests want to use local options, such a city trolley or pedi-cabs.”
Unique personalization continues to be on trend, and Rebecca Hochreiter of Destination Weddings Travel Group is seeing this also play out in the destination wedding market. While sandy beaches are still popular, couples are also seeking alternatives to tropical locales that are better suited to their interests.
“These days, couples are inspired by their own wanderlust, running off to unique settings, such as a boutique hotel in Greece, castle in Ireland or an Italian vineyard,” shares Hochreiter. “Same-sex couples have their sights set on Barcelona, Curacao and Capetown, all of which continue to welcome the LGBTQ community.”
A surprising trend, and a pleasant one at that, has been the emphasis on marriage itself, with media outlets such as SouthernWeddings.com and its Sweet Tea Society leading the way.
Caufield has enjoyed this trend first-hand. She notes, “We’re seeing more of our clients thinking beyond the wedding day itself. These couples are carving out time during their wedding to do’s to plan for their ‘happily ever after.’”
From a shift in decor to a renewed emphasis on guests, 2015 is shaping up to be the year of creating an experience.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting, based in Henrico, Va. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and self-professed royal wedding enthusiast. Photo by Aaron Watson Photography.
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