It’s a new year and a new decade! And for couples getting married in 2020, the new decade signals the start of the rest of your life – how exciting!
Anyone in the throes of wedding planning knows that there are about a million decisions to make in the lead up to the big day. From hiring wedding vendors to choosing your wedding fashion to deciding on seating arrangements, wedding planning can seem overwhelming and never-ending. But in the midst of all that decision-making, it’s important to take stock and realize that planning your wedding can – and should – be fun too!
To help you throw the celebration of lifetime, we’ve compiled the top five wedding trends for 2020 – but keep in mind that these trends aren’t meant to be a blueprint to your big day! At the end of the day, your wedding should be all about you and the person you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with. Take these trends an inspirational jumping off point to help craft a perfect day that you and your partner will never forget.
Go Green
This year, green isn’t just a color – it’s a state of mind. According to The Knot, sustainable and eco-friendly weddings are on the rise. And it’s never been easier to make small changes with big environmental impacts. Here are just a few ways you can make your wedding greener, without sacrificing budget or your vision:
- Repurpose ceremony flowers to use during the reception
- Hire caterers that try to use locally-sourced and in-season food (or even go meatless!)
- Go paperless for save the dates and invites or use vendors who offer recycled paper products (like The Windmill Paper Boutique, Paper Culture, and others)
- Ask your vendors if they can compost florals and food after the event
Light It Up
Lighting is an important part of every wedding. It sets the mood for your day and provides an awesome backdrop to help your photographer capture truly spectacular moments. This year, wedding lighting is in the spotlight (see, what we did there?) as more and more couples choose unconventional venues for their nuptials. Here are some fun lighting ideas that will shine bright:
- To evoke a warm, cozy feeling consider hanging lanterns, bistro lighting, or even old time-y chandeliers.
- Make a statement with an eye-catching installation that hangs from the ceiling
- Go bold with a color-blocked wall by placing bright and contrasting colors side by side using uplighting
Embrace The Extra
If 2020 is about anything, it’s about you embracing who you really are; and some of us just can’t help being a little… “extra”. And when it comes to weddings, being a little over the top is not only expected, it’s encouraged! Your wedding day is the one day where you can really go all in on being a little bit (okay, a lot…) extra – and you can totally do it without breaking the bank. From crazy lighting installations to champagne stations, there are plenty of ways you can lean into fun, extravagant touches that will make your wedding stand out.
Here are some more fun ideas that will make your wedding totally ‘gram worthy:
- Take your professional pictures at your favorite fast food restaurant
- Rent a huge bounce house
- Use silly puns and sassy language wherever you want (i.e., napkins that say “Sh*t just got real” or a guacamole station that says “Rock Out with Your Guac Out”)
- Keep the décor simple but then set up a crazy fireworks send off at the end of the night
- Utilize pops of color in unexpected places like glassware, chairs, or your wedding dress and/or tux
Bring #TBT to Your Wedding Day
Weddings are all about looking forward to the future you’re going to build with your new spouse; but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a nostalgic trip down memory lane! Incorporate a little #TBT into your big day by infusing some classic 90’s vibes and elements throughout the day:
- Shout out to Lisa Frank with holographic and iridescent elements, from stationary to décor
- Try a more sophisticated take on those glow in the dark stars we all had plastered on our ceilings growing up
- Make sure your DJ or band knows the 90’s classics that are sure to get people up on their feet (from “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys to “No Diggity” by Blackstreet to anything on those Jock Jams CDs… the 90’s were a weird time)
Take Several Seats
Ah, mapping out your seating chart… perhaps one of the most stressful parts of wedding planning! It’s not always easy to decide where to stick people – and working with the traditional round table chart doesn’t leave much room for imagination. For an unexpected twist, think about fun new ways to arrange the tables for your reception. From an “X marks the Spot” lay out to a fun serpentine set up to a communal U-shape, this simple experiment could totally change the vibe of your wedding and make a lasting impression. Or you can even forego seats entirely and set up a bunch of couches. Whatever you decide, just remember to keep your guests’ comfort top of mind, as some may do more sitting than others.
No matter what you decide, your wedding is going to be awesome. Remember, every love story is unique – and that uniqueness is what will make your wedding amazing!
