As event professionals, we often focus on the hot, upcoming trends, and what we’re looking forward to welcoming next season.
But, get us around a water cooler (or a beverage station) and you’ll soon discover that what we really want is for some of the most overdone, least user-friendly, and most questionable in terms of taste, etiquette, logistics, or just plain common sense trends to fade away--and fast!
We asked our colleagues to share with us which event trends to which they most want to bid an emphatic adieu:
Out with Emo
Jenny DeMarco, owner and principal photographer for Jenny DeMarco Photography, believes that “dark, moody images of couples looking unhappy” should hit the road. “It’s your wedding,” she argues. “Images should reflect happy couples in love, not look like the couple is too cool for each other.” DeMarco strongly recommends that couples “save the emo photos for a different kind of portrait session,” and choose a more upbeat approach to their wedding photography.
Ban Boring Perspective
Keith Phillips of Classic Photographers thinks videographers should abandon stand-still filming. “You have to be able to move around and add some of your own flair to the couple’s video,” Phillips says. “They are depending on you to do that and not miss a single moment.”
Pass on Packed Wedding Weekends
“The trend I’d like to see go is full-weekend activities when the wedding is taking place in a rather urban area,” says Leah Weinberg, owner and creative director of Color Pop Events. Weinberg feels that too many couples are being pressured into squeezing these events into tight budgets, and to invite guests with whom they don’t necessarily want to spend a whole weekend.
“Couples need to remember that guests are, A., grown adults and can find ways to entertain themselves for a weekend, and, B., coming to your wedding to celebrate you, not expecting to have you foot the bill for their entire weekend,” Weinberg argues.
Bye-bye, Black Suits
Brittny Drye of Love Inc. wants traditional black suits to keep hangers warm, freeing grooms to wear more fun ensembles with “velvet suits, whimsically-patterned ties and colorful jumpsuits” instead, she says. Even if you can only manage to switch out a few dreary old accessories for eye-catching accents, your look will be so much more fun and unique than the basic black suit.
Shoo, Shabby Chic!
“Finally, let’s say goodbye to burlap and Mason jars,” suggests Kevin Dennis of Fantasy Sound Event Services. They had their moment, but it’s long past their time now. “It’s time to look to the future and see what new ideas will take their place,” he says.
Tifany Wunschl of Gourmet Invitations agrees that the shabby and rustic-chic looks have overstayed their welcome. “We don’t want to see so much lace, burlap or kraft paper or as many flower motifs” in the coming year, she says.
Phillip van Nostrand of Phillipvn Photography says he would like to see the demise of “vintage and fake film,” saying this trend “has definitely run its course.”
Pare the Photo Booth Props
Kylie Carlson of International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning adds, “Photo booths with props need to go!” She explains, “It feels like a high school prom, and I know we can be so much more creative in allowing guests to have fun but allowing it to be more natural.”
End the Purple Reign
Finally, Amy Kolodziej of Sunshower Photography can’t wait to see purple take its leave. “I love the color purple; it’s actually my favorite color!” she says. “But I have had nothing but purple this year, and it has really become the new blush for me. Enough already--step outside the Pantone box!”
What about you? If you could kick out a tired trend, which would you show to the nearest exit? What are you hoping will take its place? You can add comments by clicking the word “comments” in purple beneath this article.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.
