Planning is underway for so many couples for 2021 weddings. It is going to be a mega-year for weddings as so many brides and grooms postponed their original 2020 weddings and we have also the newly engaged couples. The weddings may be small but they will continue. Love is not cancelled. With the new year just around the corner, here are the hot trends for 2021 weddings.
Photo Credit Lynette Giesbrecht
Guest list
Prepare to have multiple guests lists. As health rules constantly change prepare to have at least two to three guest lists to cover your best, worst and realistic scenarios. If you would like to host your wedding this year prepare for intimate weddings with mostly just your family and very close friends. To comply with the number of guests allowed, many couples will have an adults only weddings with exception of flower girls and ring bearers.
Wedding date & time
“I do” right now and party later may be the mentality for some couples, others will strive for smaller weddings but bigger experiences. We have started seeing this trend in 2020 already where instead a wedding day, people are booking a wedding weekend in the destination (within the province), creating a wedding getaway for everyone with stay, activities like golf for guys, mani-pedi for girls, with your closest group of family and friends.
Although Saturday weddings will still remain the most popular option, as venues start to get booked up, couples will look for alternative and more economical weddings dates. We may see more weekday, especially Friday weddings as well as Sunday weddings, in particular for long weekends.
Daytime brunch, luncheon types of weddings in 2021 is on upward trend, but there is still that special fabulousness about evening receptions.
Venue
As much as people love destination weddings, this year destination may be a venue within your province if you would like your beloved family and friends to be present at your wedding.
“Tented weddings are the new ballroom” says Jove Meyer wedding planner and designer. Fresh air and nature is safer for both your guests, vendors and yourselves. Outdoor glam tents with bistro style seating (where each household sits at individual tables) will be the way to go for the upcoming year. Mood lighting your reception area with whimsical fairy lights or loads of candles will give your wedding a magical feel. In choosing venues, couples will look for value, convenience, safety and seamless experience.
Photo by Tulle and Chantilly
Decor
Living room decor with comfortable furniture will be the trend as weddings are becoming less formal and people would like to lounge around in between things.
Individuality and personalization will remain big, with more themed weddings. On a smaller scale, it’s now possible to pay more attention to details and bring your theme to life. Speaking of details, sentimental tabletops, layered china, goblets, intricate silverware are in the plans for this year.
There is one item that no wedding can go without in 2021 and that’s hand sanitizer. Why not do it in style? We have seen brides craft beautiful hand sanitizer containers by glueing mason jars to candlesticks or gifting personalized hand sanitizers with witty quotes like “Spread Love not Germs”.
Florals
Lush greens and lots of it in any form and anywhere; off the arbor, attached to the ceremony aisle chairs, off the tent ceiling, green garland on the tables or by gifting succulent favors to your beloved guests. With smaller weddings couples are saving money on the food and drinks, some of that budget has been allocated to large and ultra pretty florals. We are talking about low and lush centrepieces as well as premium flowers and adding color for uplifting mood.
Invitation
The biggest change in stationery is the return of the “Save the Date” cards. With health rules constantly changing it is smart to send those out with a link to your wedding website where you can provide up to date info about your big day. Other couples may opt for for e-vites from the very beginning. What almost every wedding will want is to set up live streaming through Zoom, Webex or other platforms.
Photography & Videography
Photography is another area where couples will go big or go home. We wouldn’t be surprised if there were more editorial style of photography as well as incorporating new angles through drone photography. Videography - shooting wedding highlights will also gain momentum, as many friends, family and colleagues would not be able to attend.
Divine Creation ©SkyPixel User | Equipment: Mavic Pro
Attire
Let’s start with the bride and groom. As weddings are turning towards more informal setting, the couples attires also heading to less formal too. For brides that may be unstructured, gentle, flowy dresses topped with a timeless fresh and elegant make up. For guys, they will say “bye” to black ties and tuxedos and choose colour suits or ditch the jacket entirely and just go with dress pants with white shirt and suspenders.
Mismatching bridesmaid dresses with dresses in the same hues gives a fresh look to the wedding party. As for the wedding guests attire, it will be casual-but-coordinated. In a microwedding, it would be easier for the couple to coordinate attires with their guests and that would be seen as part of the wedding aesthetics.
Ceremony
Embracing the nature and outdoors will be the new norm. Live music either vocal or instrumental has been popular in 2020, we anticipate this trend to continue to 2021. Depending on the season, but adding a little favor of a fan in the summer or a cozy blanket in the fall will always be a welcomed touch.
Reception
The area that we will see the most changes is the reception area. With no buffets allowed, we need to start thinking of everything individualized, mini-ourderves for one, mini individual cakes, cupcakes, parfaits. Speaking of sweets, single tiered tall cakes are the way to go. If you have a larger gathering, you may like the idea of a trio of single tiered cakes, mix and matched styles with different flavours but still creating a cohesive look.
Photo by Chic Vintage Brides
Sadly, 2021 may not be a big year for DJs, with smaller weddings and no dancing (assuming the same health rules as last year), 2021 couples may choose to rent speaker systems from the venue and assign someone to press play on their playlist from their guest list (therefore also saving another spot in their wedding list as vendor personnel also count towards the quota).
If 2020 weddings were a good indication, the source of entertainment may be coming from small bands or the guests themselves, like outdoor activities (eg. lawn games), games during the reception as well as tiny toasts from lots of guests instead of the traditional select few.
Honeymoon
Couple’s travel plans to far lands may be on hold for a bit. Nanomoons, exploration of regions and parks close by followed by "massive moons” or one single “minimoon” within Canada.
Photo Credit Lynette Giesbrecht
Flexibility
If there is one skill that every couple (and their guests) will develop is flexibility. We are so impressed with so many couples who have planned and replanned their weddings. Bravo to all the couples who despite the challenges of 2021 are brave enough to take their chances and planning to get hitched.