UK Wedding Trends

"While tablescapes will focus on minimal carefully curated elements like textural linens, handmade ceramics and personalised stationery, flowers will be used to create loose and wild statement focal points. The environment and sustainability will be something couples consider more in their weddings from reducing excess waste and choosing seasonal local food for t heir wedding breakfast."

Andri Benson, Wedding Planner & Designer, Always Andri

"We have always been strong believers in each wedding being as individual as the couples themselves and as the wedding industry continues to involve, we will see more couples allowing themselves to celebrate exactly how they want to, moving away from a text book weddings.

Our clients want a more tailored and elegant look to their wedding, which culminates in their unique celebration - nothing too unusual, but a nod to them as a couple, rather than what everyone else is doing.

Bringing ?the outside in? has dominated wedding style and design in recent years. Expect this trend to continue in 2020 but couples will add bolder colour palettes or a and organic textures.

Couples are more eco-conscious and continually look for way to enjoy an environmentally friendly wedding. From foam free seasonal florals, local and organic food to paperless invitations or charitable donations rather than a traditional gift list."

Jane Riddell, Owner & Creative Director, Planned for Perfection

Non traditional seating arrangements - Many couples will steer away from having the 10 by 10 rows and an aisle down the middle. Many are swapping this for circular arrangements with the couple in the middle of the circle. This way everyone gets to experience the couples emotions, and it creates a very personal atmosphere.

Addition of more symbolism like Handfastings - The tying of ribbons in ceremony has been going on for centuries, and it?s having a comeback in modern ceremonies. Couples will seek more ways to bless their marriage by using symbolic addit ions .

No ?give away?from father - Is the idea of getting the fathers permission and asking them to ?give you away?too old fashioned for the modern couple? I?d say, only 60% of the couples I officiate weddings for, request this.

Celebrant Led Ceremonies - The popularity of choosing your own words for the ceremony is growing season by season and celebrants are now all the rage. Why have a ceremony people have heard time and time again when a celebrant will write one bespoke to you?

Jennifer Claire Constant, Founder, The Celebrant Directory

Greater mix of bridal parties - I?m predicting more fluid bridal parties, so a great mix of males in the bridal party and females in the grooms party. Couples today openly have friends of the opposite sex so its only fitting they should play a big part in their wedding.

More brides will be speaking out - Brides are feeling more confident and independent and are not afraid to speak up. They will insist on speaking at their wedding as why should it only be the men? They will speak of their love for their spouse but also their parents.

More bespoke, less package - Today's couples want services tailored to them. In short they want more individuality and do not want to feel like they are just another number.

Personalised Ceremonies - Outdoor ceremonies will continue to rise along with it personalised celebrant led weddings. Couples will want a ceremony that truly reflects them and their personalities, they won?t want to be pigeon holed into what they are allowed to say or do.

Bernadette Chapman, Owner, UKAWP & Bernadette Chapman Consultancy

Eco Conscious Weddings

Vegan Weddings

Veganism is growing rapidly year on year and in 2020 we will now see it having a greater impact on weddings with couples choosing a pure plant based wedding breakfast. The presentation will still be spectacular, and will taste delicious, but there will be no meat or dairy within the meal at all. Grazing tables will continue to rise in popularity with an emphasis on beautiful, organic and plant based produce. The couple themselves will ensure their outfits and all suppliers are vegan friendly, but they will not impose restrictions on guests. i.e the groom will not wear leather but will not stop guests from wearing leather shoes

Sustainability

Leading on from veganism is sustainability. Again couples now are very conscious of the damage we have done to the planet and they actively ensure they are as environmentally friendly as they can be. There are a number of ways they will incorporate this into their wedding:

- Sending invites on recycled card

- Asking guests to RSVP via their wedding website

- Arranging coaches to transport guests thus reducing car commissions

- Candles used on the day will be non toxic candles

- Guests will be encouraged to keep the same glass during the drink reception

- Table water will be in jugs

- The wedding will be plastic free and this will be a question couples actively ask all their suppliers

- Local suppliers will be used where at all possible

- Food will be from local caterers with a big focus on local food (i.e meat, wines, cheeses, bread etc) sust ainable

- Flowers will be English and from local growers (more on this shortly)

- Favours will either be forgone or will be edible OR biodegrade

Eco Conscious Flowers

In previous years we have seen a big focus on large abundant floral displays cascading over fireplaces and down long tables. However this will be changing in 2020 with couples opting for looser arrangements, they may still be cascading but won?t be as formal.

Couples will be asking if they use floral foam in their arrangements, which is in fact formed from plastic. They know how bad this is for the environment and want no part of this at their wedding. So for 2020 there will still be an abundance of flowers but in a far more natural way using lots of foliage and locally grown flowers within the displays. We are moving away from the very structured displays we have seen in previous years.

Bernadette Chapman, Owner, UKAWP & Bernadette Chapman Consultancy

What's carrying over into 2020

We saw an increase in sustainable weddings in 2019 with a lot of couples consciously finding ways to reduce the environmental and ethical impact of their wedding. This will continue into 2020 and beyond, as we all look at ways to save our planet. From foam free seasonal florals, local and organic food to paperless invitations or charitable donations rather than a traditional gift list.

The growth of vegetarian and vegan diets, has seen an increase in these foods being served for all wedding guests, especially if the couple themselves are veget arian or vegans.

Jane Riddell, Owner & Creative Director, Planned for Perfection

Dried flowers were big this year and their popularity will continue in 2020 with more colourful, even dyed select ions.

Andri Benson, Wedding Planner & Designer, Always Andri

Grazing Tables

Bernadette Chapman, Owner, UKAWP & Bernadette Chapman Consult ancy

2019 saw an increase in sustainable weddings, more and more couples this year were making efforts in particular to have weddings where there was less plastic and opting to work with materials that were eco-friendly and recyclable. This trend will carry over in 2020 and grow to be even bigger as saving the planet is becoming increasingly more important to everyone. Suppliers are doing a fantastic job of offering eco-friendly wedding items and alternatives as part of this movement.

Jennifer Claire Constant, Founder, The Celebrant Directory

What's Out for 2020

Flower Walls!

Bernadette Chapman, Owner, UKAWP & Bernadette Chapman Consult ancy

BIG weddings - couples are fed up of feeling the need to have a BIG wedding and all the stress that comes with organising a guest list of circa 150 guests plus!

Less is more and micro weddings are weddings on a smaller scale are going to replace big weddings. Micro weddings give the couple a chance to take the pressure off from a huge, 200 guest set wedding and scale back to what?s most important to them.

Once the pressure is off from trying to organise a big wedding, it can be liberating! You have the FREEDOM to make decisions and spend time on the finer details that really reflect you and your part ner.

A micro wedding can offer a beautifully intimate and flexible day.

Jennifer Claire Const ant, Founder, The Celebrant Direct ory

Trends! Couple are more confident in saying ?it?s our day, our way? rather than planning a wedding that is all about what their parents or grandparents did or what they expect them to do!

Surprises for the couple.. families and friends are keen to surprise the couple on their wedding day with an unexpected performance or addition to the big day... we would always say, proceed with caution because the last thing you want is for the couple to not have wanted these... often, if they?d have really wanted it, they would have mentioned it to their planner or booked it for t hemselves!

Jane Riddell, Owner & Creative Director, Planned for Perfection

Smooth fondant wedding cakes are making way for tall textural buttercream cakes that are pieces of art. Over the top excess at weddings - couples want their celebrations to be meaningful and reflect t heir personal style.

Andri Benson, Wedding Planner & Designer, Always Andri