Once upon a time the only way to discover new wedding trends was through word of mouth, magazines, and—of course—attending weddings. With the phenomenal rise of social media, this has changed completely. Attractive wedding pics are uploaded to the web, garnished with some hashtags, and boom. Suddenly everyone has a donut wall, or the dog is the ring thief bearer.

Some trends are silly, some are moral, some are cool, some are beautiful. What’s more important though, is your wedding. It being yours, you can do what you like. However, weddings aren’t created in a vacuum and inspiration is there to take.

Here are 2020’s up and coming wedding trends, as spotted by planning experts.

Things are Getting Mystical

This is as far away from wedding austerity as you can get. When we say mysticism, we don’t mean magic. Either in the Harry Potter or pick a card way. This is spiritual. We’re talking rose quartz crystal, the universal stone of love, and palo santo wood—to clear negative energy. From the ancient Egyptians to Native Americans, many historic cultures have relied upon crystals and the burning of sacred botanicals and woods for spiritual purification.

This isn’t something you can force, because it’ll seem contrived. However, if you feel strongly about it, then incorporating it subtly into your wedding makes an earthy, holistic touch.

Light the Way

Humble fairy lights alone might not cut it in 2020. Pretty as they are, there are many lighting options to choose from. Other light sources include LEDs, tube lighting, and neon. Or why not consider a full artistic installation suspended from the ceiling of your venue?

Candles are also perfect, for soft and ethereal evening illumination. Nothing is more seductive and romantic than candlelight. The only problem is fire. Endlessly attractive, yes, but a downer when it grabs hold of a tablecloth.

Roses are Red…

The classic red, red rose is back in this year. Or white, white roses. Or yellow, or purple. Roses are a classic wedding flower and a timeless expression of love. In 2020 they’re back in. Honestly, they never went “off-trend”, simply moved over for a while for couples to try different floral and vegetal options. Think succulents and pampas grass. 

Succulents don’t say “we’re tying the knot” quite like roses. Also, giving mini cacti as wedding favours is out. Sadly, through drunken inobservance, they end up spilling their sandy compost in handbags or get crushed in car footwells.  

Banquet Tables

The most common seating arrangement for weddings is round tables, little islands of people. What’s being proposed now is lengthy banquet tables, with guests facing one another. Perhaps the success of The Crown has pushed this trend forwards. It is only us common folk eating at round tables, the Royals are all about linear dining. Two or three long tables, with delicious food stretching into the distance is a spectacular set piece. If the weather allows this is entrancing outside, at night, with glowing lanterns and mood music.

Bridal Trousers

There is no reason a woman must wear a dress at her wedding. As a society we’ve managed to get over women wearing trousers in daily life, shock horror, yet wedding gender stereotyping remains.

We’re taught that dresses are a symbol of femininity and a woman’s wedding day is when she is expected to be her most feminine—whatever that means. So, she must wear a dress. Wrong, bridal trouser and jumpsuits are taking off, and they look fantastic.

No more tripping on hems and trailing silk over beer splashed dancefloors. Relief. Speaking of which…

Self-Serve Booze

People like to drink at weddings, no surprises there. The issue is not everyone has money for the bar. Especially if the venue is expensive—a few drinks can add up. Of course, offering guests a free bar is also expensive and not something many can stretch to.

If you’re able, providing self-serve drinks is a happy medium. You could invest in some kegs of local ale, boxes of wine, and set-up cocktail making stations (with suggestions). This requires no staff and gives your wedding a rustic, folksy feel. The downside is people might overindulge. The upside, everyone can party guilt free (and they will love you for it!).

More is More (Maximalism)

For a while now Scandi minimalism and geometric shapes have been popular on the wedding circuit. Now we’re moving on, and as is the way with trends, in the total opposite direction. Think chintzy fabrics, dense multicoloured floral displays, clashing colours, and fussy, decorative tables.

This may not be your thing, but after the clean white space of previous trends, maximalism is free reign for your creativity. So, go crazy and follow your wildest wedding dreams. Why not.

Grooming Grooms

We all know the clichéd image of a groom—hungover, ruffled hair, stumbling around a room trying to put his suit on, having somehow forgotten it’s his wedding day. The bride on the other hand is having her make up done and looking fresh and beautiful.

These stereotypes are just that, and these days men aren’t comfortable being tarred with that brush. What they want is the same treatment as their brides and are taking care on their wedding appearance. What’s trending is a dedicated space at venues where grooms can ready themselves with their best man (or men) and ushers. They are also making a bigger, and more social thing out of suit buying and thinking about group aesthetics.

Men might even want their own version of a bridal boutique, just with ahem, whisky, instead of prosecco. Or maybe craft beer. Good for them.

Fully Vegan & Vegetarian Menus

With a global environmental crisis, quite literally heating up, meat is off the menu for many people. The Vegan Society predicts that by 2025 half of the UK population will be vegan or vegetarian. Planning your wedding food to be meat and dairy free, or just meat free will be more inclusive.

Vegans and vegetarians of the past were rarely catered for, with the emphasis always upon meat dishes. Serving an inclusive menu, means everyone can relax and enjoy the spread (without the need for separate meal plans). It’s also aligning yourself with a lifestyle choice that is becoming less of a trend and more of a moral obligation. One day, vegan and plant-based might be the first choice.

Eco Friendly Weddings

This is hard to describe as a trend—really, it’s a paradigm shift in societal values. We judge one another now for disregarding the environment.

When it comes to your wedding you can minimise its carbon footprint. To start, use recycled paper invitations. Or better, use recycled paper with wildflower seeds woven into it. This way it can be planted and create some life.

Also, consider ethical floristry. The traditional foam used to in floral displays is a non-biodegradable, petroleum by product.  Furthermore, many flowers are not grown in the UK, but in huge monocultures abroad. An ethical florist will use an eco-friendly approach to flower arranging and source locally.

This also applies to your wedding catering. If you can stretch to it, organic, seasonal, and local produce is the most environmentally friendly option. Even more so if its plant based.

Ye Olde Bell Weddings

At Ye Olde Bell we can transform your wedding fantasies into realities, with our experienced and passionate wedding team. Here you’ll find picturesque countryside, fantastic cuisine, and a beautiful venue that holds up to 250 guests.