STEAL THAT STYLE

from Your East Anglian Wedding - February/March 2023 (Issue 59)

by County Wedding Magazines

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2023 Venue Styling Trends To Be Inspired By

Atrend, as the definition suggests, is ‘a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving' – but who really wants to follow a crowd anyway? Movements in the wedding industry, from popular colour palettes to the must-have catering choices, are there to inspire couples rather than dictate what should be done. The wedding day should be completely bespoke and unique to the couple and that’s not going to fit any trend! It’s hard to even pinpoint trends nowadays as couples are truly owning their nuptials, theme, style and choices ‒ anything goes!

If you’re planning your wedding and feel a little overwhelmed with Pinterest and Instagram, then here’s a guide to what’s hot in 2023 to put your personal spin on….

Colour And Texture

Although neutral colour palettes will always be a main stay when it comes to wedding décor and styling, it’s classic and elegant, there are plenty of opportunities to bring in colour and texture for those that want the wow factor. Think: floral designs, textiles, furniture, motifs, and patterns ‒ the brighter and bolder the better!

If you didn’t already know, Pantone’s Colour of the Year is Viva Magenta; it’s vibrant, it’s fun and looks incredible mixed with other colours, complementing weddings at any time of year. This shade works radiantly as an accessory or as part of a colour palette (check out the options below).

When it comes to texture elements couples are now mixing and matching different styles of décor to create a unique look that reflects their personality. So, if you’re a boho bride who loves vintage glamour explore how you can combine these looks to create your overall aesthetic. Think: macrame and pampas grass combined with coloured glass and goldplated cutlery.

LIGHTING

Possibly an overlooked element of styling your wedding day, but lighting isn’t just functional it can also be chosen to create features throughout the day, highlighting (excuse the pun) ceremony and reception spaces.

On-trend industrial-chic bulbs complement any wedding theme and can be interspersed with flowers to hang over the top table or, among floral archways and surrounding photo backdrops. You can even use lighting to detract from areas you may not like too and help give them a much-needed makeover.

Neon signs, which were trending in 2022, looks set to be bigger and better in 2023! They can be used to add a personal touch to proceedings: cute messages, or the couple’s names/initials are go-to choices.

Finally, lighting can be cleverly used to emphasise themes and the times of the day of the day, easing the transition from daytime settings to evening festivities. As the sun sets think: candlelight, neon signs, glitterballs, festoon lighting, fairylights – the choices are endless.

Micro Weddings

Micro weddings are here to stay! Yes 2020/2021 were anni horribiles, but a positive thing was a love of small, intimate weddings. Couples embraced the smaller guestlists, the pressure was off for those that feared a big wedding, and it meant weddings were about couples and their loved ones. The movement also paved the way for new trends associated with these intimate nuptials where people kept the budget but overindulged in things like the catering, gift giving and accessorising. These micro dos saw a boost in design elements such as: sweetheart tables for the couple, table scaping meaning there was a feast for the eyes not just the bellies, huge ceremony backdrops and extravagantly decorated aisles – it was all about the vows!

Maximalist

In contrast to the love of intimate weddings, there are those that are embracing the restriction-free road ahead and are going bigger and better with their nuptials. From fashion being more daring to themes being over the top such as futuristic-circus (yes that exist!).

The ‘wedding weekend’ is set to be on most guests’ invitations, where you attend the day before the wedding for a pre-wed get-together over dinner with activities, followed by the day itself and the ‘I dos’, and then all gathering on the day after for brunch to reminisce about the weekend. For all-out styling, incorporate breakout areas, create statement aisles, make your guests look up with stunning ceiling décor.

Sustainability

Sustainability continues to be at the forefront of our minds, particularly those planning a wedding after staggering facts have emerged of how wasteful weddings can be. Reports suggest that 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic was used up and left behind at British weddings last year. That’s the equivalent to 47 blue whales. Individually, one wedding can produce as much as 20kg of plastic waste. What’s more, the black bags used to collect the rubbish are themselves potentially harmful. They can take as many as 90 years to break down under the ground. First and foremost, choose suppliers that offer sustainable packages and state their low-emissions policies. Within your décor and styling, reduce the use of plastics, stick to natural materials and fabrics, and ensure items are reusable after the big day. Key words: reclaimed, recycle, upcycle!

Design

Architectural elements are being incorporated into modern nuptials. From embracing materials such as concrete, to opting for geometric shapes – a trend circa 2019 but to keep it current go big!

To hit the right note with this 2023 theme, it comes down to the lines, shapes and silhouettes created. You can utilise ceilings for hanging installations be it floral or structural, the same goes for ceremony and cake backdrops and surrounds.

Within this one design trend you can also accomplish previously mentioned trends: colour, texture and maximalist. Ceilings and bar areas are your features you can make standout; using draping and streamers you can also change the shape of a room to fit your desired aesthetic.