Well, did you hear the news? Wildflower is hosting a new series in 2021, alllll about the necessary steps you need to plan a kick-ass wedding.
(We know, super cool.)
So let us ask you a question: what’s the first step in planning your wedding? Gathering inspo, of course! We thought what better way to kick off our new planning series with the first thing any engaged person does: gather inspiration for their wedding and begin pinning to their ‘future wedding’ board like crazy. Because we know you’re likely in inspo mode, we wanted to walk you through the trends we’re predicting to be big this year in the wedding industry, and how you can implement them into YOUR wedding plan! So, what do you say, shall we get into it?
While 2020 took a big wrecking ball through all of our plans last year – it’s only appropriate to start out with a bang in 2021. Get ready to see splashes of vibrant colors, because this year is all about living out our dreams of last year and taking that “yolo” spirit to the next level.
COLOR (LIKE WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE)
This means a lot more fresh pops of color, awesome print mixing, exciting new palettes, and statement colors. The wedding industry hasn’t seen a lot of these color changes in a longggg time (if at all!) – which will be exciting to witness firsthand!
This wouldn’t be a true trends post if we didn’t talk about Pantone’s (pandemic) colors of the year: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, aka yellow and gray. It really doesn’t get more accurate than that when we’re talking a perfect marriage of “last year’s fallen dreams” and “this year’s bright new future.”
In the past, wedding colors have consisted of white, muted colors, maybe a pastel here and there. It will be refreshing to see some new, unforgettable colors (in a new, unforgettable type of wedding season).
I mean, we’ve been cooped up in the house all year. It would only make sense to expect bold and exciting color teamed up with decor that was dreamt of all last year while we were DIY queens – so watch out 2021! There are MANY colorful weddings coming your way, maybe even with some this (bright @$$) yellow.
SUSTAINABILITY & SUPPORTING LOCAL
Let’s get real – the environment isn’t in good shape because of us, so with every chance we get we should try to do our part and keep her in mind. Even when planning your wedding. Let’s give Mother Nature some love after how tough we’ve been on her.
And what better way to save the planet and your community? Keeping your wedding sustainable and supporting local businesses! We were so grateful to see such a big push for supporting local in such a devastating time these past few months, and we’re definitely expecting that spirit to carry on through 2021 (and hopefully forever, because we loooove a good small biz).
Here are a couple of ways you can implement sustainability into your wedding decor:
- Upcycle. Selecting up cycled items (or upcycling things yourself) for centerpieces and wedding décor is a great option to keep costs low and planet love high. You can find secondhand (really cheap. might we add) vases, candle sticks, or vintage lanterns at thrift stores that are probably still in their original packaging. Plus, who doesn’t love vintage???
- Choose vintage or second hand tableware. Speaking of vintage… we don’t know about you, but we love a vintage, boho, whimsical vibe more than anything, and oftentimes you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for in a brand new shiny department store anyway! Some people might be turned away from the term “used,” but that doesn’t always mean that these items aren’t worth showcasing. You’ll be literally using it for one day, so buying new can feel wasteful.
- Consider sending e-invites. Rather than physical invitations through the post, you can save a lot of paper by sending virtual invites. This is not only kinder to the planet – it could save you money too. After 2020 we think everyone (including grandparents) are comfortable or aware of receiving emails and using technology in general if it’s gonna save a buck. And don’t get us started on the overwhelmed postal service…
- But if you’re committed to using paper, we have two words: recycled, and local. For those of you that love the feel of real envelopes and paper invites (don’t feel bad – there’s nothing more satisfying than opening a beautiful piece of mail!), choose recycled paper. We know having a physical copy of your wedding invite might make it seem more real – but try to go for the more organic and environmentally friendly route with your paper choices. Another great option if you’re dying to send paper invites is to try your best to support a local business while you’re at it! Look up local print shops or stationery stores and see how they can help you create something beautiful.
- Use seasonal flowers, grown as locally as possible. No one knows seasonal flowers better than your local florists. These are the people who will tailor your arrangements specifically for you. And you’re showing Miss Earth some love by using seasonal floral elements. It’s a win-win. Dried flowers also offer a greater out-of-season choice. You can always go the more rustic route when deciding which themes and inspo you like, and use flowers that match. Dried flowers give a chic and organic feel to any decor.
- Try your best to use foam-free floral arrangements. Foam might save you some $$$ when buying flower arrangements, but there are other alternatives now! Try this tape trick for the next time you’re making arrangements – it still saves the wallet and makes your florals look nice and full.
- Use living plants that can be retained and planted out in gardens after the event. Potted plants can make great centerpieces for tables, and allowing your guests to take them home will save cleanup time as well. Talk about an awesome party favor! Leaving a wedding with a cool plant is hands down the best favor we could ever think of.
GUEST RELATIONS
With the world the way it is, if we are choosing and asking people to be part of our special day – we better be making it enjoyable for them! You are choosing to have a wedding with these people, and they’re choosing to risk their lives (dramatic, but true) to celebrate you. With COVID still very much prevalent, it’s important to remind guests that you will be taking the necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
This also gives you the opportunity to reconsider who you invite. With all the weddings we’ve seen, the smaller the better seems to be the vibe — and we’re here for it! So, invite the ones you truly want there rather than the ones that didn’t even wish you a happy birthday this year.
Here’s how you can spice up your guest experience…
Spring/Summer: offer some fun cocktails for your guests to cool down and enjoy their time.
Fall/Winter: offer a fun blanket upon arrival! Everyone loves a group gathering to socialize with family and friends, but it’s sometimes hard to enjoy yourself when you’re freezing your butt off.
Also, DON’T FORGET THE BAR! This is not a place to cheap out. If you’re trying to create a solid guest experience, don’t make them pay for their drinks. We promise you, this is the fastest way to piss off your guest – make sure there is enough booze to go around for your guests who want to drink, and enough bartenders to serve them… because, let’s be real: we all need a drink after 2020.
And last but not least, favors aren’t necessary, but if you are going to spend the money, make it something that they can actually enjoy or remember your day by. Don’t waste your money on little knick knacks that they will forget at their table… make it a yummy treat, a plant, or something personal, like a personal thank-you note or recipe for your day’s personalized drink. Remember, something from the heart is way more valuable than expensive crap.
A REIMAGINED FOOD EXPERIENCE
I think we can all agree after COVID, buffets are a thing of the past. This is somewhere you should definitely not cheap out on when planning your wedding this year. Especially since the restrictions still might be in place when you’re planning your wedding.
Plated dinners, personalized cocktail hour treats, personal charcuterie boards, and individually wrapped cocktail hour appetizers are an AMAZING way you can make your guests feel appreciated and thought of when attending your wedding for you. Also, so many caterers and venues are getting so creative so it’ll be alot easier to implement this into the big day.
Plus, there will be less food left over!
AND THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR TREND PREDICTIONS!
That’s everything we’ll be looking out for this year when it comes to the wedding industry – and you heard it here first! Make sure you’re following Wildflower on Pinterest (and SAVE this post!) because you already knowww we’ll be pinning ALL of the latest trends.