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What’s hot in the world of wedding décor in 2022?

BACK TO NATURE

Although weddings in 2020 and 2021 were forced outside due to the pandemic, this trend of al fresco entertaining is set stay with couples now willingly embracing their new-found appreciation of nature and outdoor events.

With the main focus of wedding themes being the ‘environment’, expect colour palettes of earthy natural colours and textures easily reflected in finer detail items like terracotta pots, wooden plinths and linen napkins. Neutral colours can be teamed with pops of brighter but earthy tones such as rust, amber and coral.

Trend forecasters predict that vibrant pinks and purples, earthy olive greens, creamy yellows, tropical oranges and ocean blues will all be go-to wedding colour palette choices next year – coloured candles will be oh-so popular in 2022 and a great way of interjecting that pop of colour.

Selecting a venue with walled gardens means you can use the space yet the enclosed proximity gives an exclusive feel to the wedding party. Al fresco settings can be complemented by simple nature-inspired décor, plenty of luscious greenery reflective of the English countryside or the garden setting ‒ embrace the season with your choices. Use English ivy and vines for greenery across all styling elements such as lining the aisle indoor or out.

Dried flowers are also experiencing a bit of a revival, not only are they cost-effective and eco-friendly, but dried blooms incorporate earthy tones in a way that’s really quite beautiful.

RETRO ROMANCE REGENCY SPLENDOUR

What started out as a quiet guilty pleasure, Netflix’s Bridgerton soon catapulted in to the mainstream and became an overnight obsession – all thanks to lockdown too when we were all looking for some escapism!

Viewers fell in love with, and became fascinated by, the regency period of Bridgerton; the Duke of Hastings fast-becoming the modern day Mr Darcy.

Bridgerton-inspired weddings are set to be huge in 2022 think venues, table settings, stationery, menu choices and cake designs to name but a few of the elements that can reflect the pomp and splendour Georgian elegance of the era.

The standout feel of the Netflix drama is its countryside charm and popular aesthetically pleasing garden spaces, creating at its core reveries of ‘Britishness’ which viewers find appealing and even dreamlike.

Couples planning their wedding days can encompass the theme by focusing on beautiful floral decorations of English country roses and trailing wisteria, velvet elements for the tables and draping, gold embellishments and splashes of regal colours such as blues and purples ‒ these hues can be teamed with the ever so-popular pastel palettes that are still reigning supreme.

The on-the-day stationery elements, the menus, place names and welcome signs and so on, can be in a handwritten font on vintage papers with pretty hand-painted detailing – all perfectly displayed on the tables set up for an afternoon tea with vintage china tablescapes.

INTIMATE/MICRO

Yes the pandemic meant couples had to get ruthless with a figurative pair of scissors and chop their guest numbers in half (or less!), however, many witnesses to this, and soon-to-be weds themselves, actually realised how beautiful smaller weddings can be: quality over quantity! Luxury flowers, indulgent food choices, extra décor and awesome entertainment were all a result of smaller numbers but the same budget. Couples are wanting to spend more on the things they love and the people they love most. With intimate weddings on the increase, couples will look for extra ways to impress and spoil their guests with great food and drink, extra gifts, luxury table settings and favours, and enjoy the wedding over multiple days.

Similarly, with smaller guest lists in luxury venue means you can get creative with your table layouts, 10 round tables of 10 – how boring! Unconventional table plans and room layouts look picture-perfect in wedding snaps, and give guests a true sense of an alternative event. Square table groupings, infinity shapes, U-shape, T-shape, X-shaped, long tables, single-length dining tables and double-width long tables – these unusual layouts give your dining space a unique contemporary feel. MINDFUL WEDDINGS

Did you know, an average wedding produces hundreds of pounds of waste and tons (literally!) of C02 emissions! In these ecoconscious times we live in, couples are looking at how they can reduce the waste and carbon footprint of their wedding day. This means cutting back on unnecessary waste and trying to be as ecofriendly as possible; especially after multiple lockdowns also showed us how the world benefitted – clear skies in Tokyo and clear canals in Italy remember?

Wedding venues are being greener and becoming more sustainable, couples can choose local and upcycle items. Pre- or post-wedding day, why not offer wedding flowers away to good causes or give to a local care home? Going plastic-free on your big day is an easy swap, and why not offer to ‘replant trees’ as a wedding favour?

COLOUR

After booking the wedding venue you’re, more than likely, then to decide on a theme/colour scheme. The venue setting itself may inspire this, perhaps regal blue in a Georgin-style manor reflective of the afformentiond Bridgerton theme; or perhaps a country garden setting will evoke a colour palette of pastel hues. If you’re trendsetters, here’s what’s hot in 2022 for all things colour:

Neutrals have been a popular colour trend for weddings, and this will continue in 2022 as they are ideal for an outdoor setting. Think: Sage green and blush or ivory.

Greens, there are so many variations of green that you really have a gorgeous colour spectrum to choose from depending on the effect you’re trying to create, soft and romantic or dramatic and passionate? Think: Pastel greens, sage, olive, emerald, moss green all can be complemented with blush, yellow and rose gold and ochre hues. 88 Earth colours are ontrend for interiors, and what we see in home improvements makes its way to the wedding scene, so expect to see gorgeous pairings of deep ‘dirty’ hues with romantic accents. Think: Terracotta, tan, sand, rust and copper teamed with blush and peach. Vibrant colourblock palettes, monochrome with striking flashes of colour, and eccentric jewel tones are big hitters in 2022. Think: Vibrant purple, striking blues, bubblegum pink and vivid coral.

Helen Sheard, of Helen Sheard Floral Designs, shares current trends that are set to continue for another year with the rollover of weddings from 2021... ♥ Loose open-style bouquets in sage green and white; venues decorated with garlands of grey/green eucalyptus and foliages interspersed with flowers in bud vases on trestle tables. ♥ Bridal bouquets of fresh flowers and foliage with dried grasses and bunny tails (lagurus ovatus) adding texture, in a relaxed and open style. New trends emerging for 2022...

♥ A warmer and brighter palette of colours (for example apricots and peaches) compared to the last few years of blush, adding a warm glow to floral designs. ♥ More focus on the environment, for example using

British-grown flowers (where available) to reduce carbon footprint, and replacing plastic-based floral foam (such as

‘oasis’, which is non-compostable) with more sustainable approaches and materials for floral designs. ♥ Having a feature design to create the wow factor at the ceremony or reception, a talking point remembered by the guests. Hanging installations in the form of chandeliers and flower clouds are becoming more popular, along with deconstructed arch ways, flower columns or large-scale urns.

All stunning backdrops for photo opportunities! Check out: www.helensheardfloraldesigns.co.uk

FAIRYTALE LIGHTING

How you light your indoor and outdoor spaces sets the tone and mood for the entire evening. It’s no surprise that ‘fairytale lighting’ is a widely searched term for next year’s weddings. Think: dreamy, statement lighting installations. Create a magical, movie-worthy vibe with exposed bulbs, festoon and string lighting, mix-and-match vintage chandeliers and the classic fairylights will never date.

LOCAL CONTACTS

All About Balloons, www.allaboutballoons.co.uk | Amazing Events Company, www.facebook.com/amazingeventscompany Anthology Vintage Hire, www.anthologyvintagehire.com | Beautiful Things Event Hire, www.facebook.com/beautifulthingseventhire Big Event Drapery, www.bigeventdrapery.com | Hullabaloo Events, www.hullabalooevents.co.uk | Love Lilly Ltd, https://lovelilly.uk May Violet Events, www.mayvioletevents.co.uk | Sugar Lump Lane, www.facebook.com/Sugarlumplane The Balloon Squad Events, www.facebook.com/theballoonsquadevents | Your Love Rocks, https://yourloverocks.com