It's that time again: the beginning of a new year and the evolving trends that are sure to make your 2022 wedding a huge hit! With the world returning to its normal rotation, so is the glamorous wedding universe.
Whether you're the bubblegum pink floral princess or an edgy modern bride, we're excited to share some new ideas that are sure to make the 2022 wedding season surpass all your expectations!
With the easing of Covid-19 restrictions allowing for bigger, more raucous celebrations, weddings are beginning to look more and more like their pre-Covid counterparts. But what's changed!? Well, couples are more keenly aware how precious shared time with family members and friends are and want their weddings to be a celebration of this. 2022 couples are looking to create a day that's highly personal, creative, and fun, featuring unique, unexpected elements to wow their guests and live on in their memory, long after the day has ended. Featuring statement colour palettes, thoughtful decor, bold bridal style and offbeat entertainment, our list of the biggest 2022 wedding trends is getting us so excited for the year ahead!
PHOTO BY ABBY JIU
A lot of weddings are being cancelled or postponed recently, due to the stay-at-home situation. Therefore, there are some wedding trends that aim to make your life easier and brighter. Following these trends can also help you to reduce the stress level during your wedding planning.
Biggest Wedding Trends of 2022
Bridgerton-Inspired Weddings
PHOTO BY CODY JAMES BARRY
Pop culture never fails to inspire wedding trends, and Netflix’s breakout hit Bridgerton is no exception. This British drama features period-correct Prussian blue tones, puffed sleeves, and plenty of bows. Brides wrapped up in the Bridgerton craze seek to capture the scandalous romances, dramatic plots, and larger-than-life ballrooms within their wedding theme.
Eco-Friendly Weddings
Thinking about the environmental impact your wedding can have been one main reason couples decide to plan an eco-friendly wedding. The good news is that so many wedding companies, venues, and vendors are offering more eco-friendly wedding options than ever before. From farm to table food options to recycled paper invitations, you will not find a shortage of options when planning your eco-friendly wedding. Modern day couples know the negative impact that single use disposables and unethically sourced food and fashion have on our communities and the over-all health of the planet. We’re seeing people put an emphasis on reusable, re-sellable, and even rentable items. If you’re looking to be more eco-friendly on your big day, make sure to ask yourself the important questions like “is this a must-have or is there a better option?”, “could I borrow this instead of buying it?” etc.
RHL TIP
If you are looking for ways to create your own eco-friendly wedding you should start by finding a venue that offers outdoor space which will help to cut down on energy costs and you can most likely use the beauty of the surroundings to cut down on the amount of decor and florals you need.
Back-Garden Weddings
PHOTO BY CLAY AUSTIN
Romantic, back-garden weddings and weddings at venues with enchanted gardens have become super popular over the last two years, as couples took advantage of the magic (and enhanced safety!) of gorgeous, greenery-filled outdoor spaces. While back-garden weddings involve a higher planning workload and limit you to the warmer seasons, they also provide an opportunity to host your wedding day in a very special place that serves as a completely unique venue for your guests, have greater control over the look and feel of the day, and - neighbours pending!
Weekday Weddings
This trend is a product of how crazy the 2020 and 2021 wedding seasons have been. With reschedules, postponements, and a surge in engagements, weekend wedding dates are pretty limited for 2022. For this reason, we can expect to see an abnormal amount of weddings happening during the week. While this may be different than what we’re used to, it’s actually a great way for the bride and groom to save a huge chunk of money on the cost of their venue.
A Rise in Digital Wedding Invitations
PHOTO BY SECRET DIARY
With so many couples having to make changes to their wedding dates in 2020 and 2021, virtual wedding invitations really grew in popularity, as stationers and graphic designers took digital invites to gorgeous new places! For us, the romance of real stationery can never be replicated online, but we love the idea of virtual save-the-dates, followed by a physical invitation that guests can display on your mantlepiece until the big day arrives.
Virtual wedding invitations are ideal for modern, tech-loving couples, as they can accommodate last-minute changes and, depending on how you go about creating them, can be more budget-friendly and sustainable. Just remember to print copies for any guests who may not be able to access the digital versions!
Open Air Tents
When people hear of tents at weddings, they sometimes think of an outdated and overused canvas structure, and we get it. This isn't the 1990's anymore! However, with a few strategic tricks of the trade, tents are swiftly becoming the new It factor once again! Whether it be cloth or a clear top, open air tents can provide you and your guests plenty of room while also protecting your special day against the elements. Add some florals, lights, or swag and it will elevate the space entirely!
Fairytale Lighting
PHOTO BY MELISSA MARSHALL
How you light the indoor and/or outdoor spaces at your wedding reception sets the tone and mood for the entire evening, so it's no surprise that fairytale lighting made our list of the top 2022 wedding trends. We're seeing all sorts of dreamy, unique and statement lighting options in 2022, all of which create a magical, movie-worthy vibe - take your pick from exposed bulbs, festoon and string light installations, mix-and-match vintage chandeliers and classic fairy lights.
Cake Arches
PHOTO BY BRAMBLE SKY
Cake tables are getting a whole lot more attention these days, through the medium of custom cake hoops and cake arches! Whether decorated with fresh flowers, dried foliage or left plain for a modern, minimalist vibe, these unashamedly extra cake displays make lovely focal points in any dining room, and we can't wait to see more of them in 2022 real weddings.
Unusual Reception Table Layouts
PHOTO BY JAYPEG PHOTO & FILM
In an effort to keep people safe, wedding stylists and venue coordinators created some very unconventional table plans and room layouts during the pandemic, some of which turned out better than they could ever have imagined! As a result, we're seeing lots of creative layouts emerging for 2022, such as square table groupings, infinity shapes, U shapes, T shapes, X-shaped long tables, single-length dining tables, and double-width long tables. If you've got the space, and your guest list allows, these unusual layouts give your dining space a cool, contemporary feel.
Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
PHOTO BY SOFIA KAMAN
Still waiting or shopping for that perfect sparkler? In 2022, heirloom rings and vintage-inspired designs are going to be on the top of everyone's wish list, as couples grow more sentimental for the style of their parents' and grandparents' eras and look for more sustainable ring options. Featuring old European cuts and colourful gemstones, vintage and vintage-look engagement rings are timelessly beautiful, and we just love the idea of connecting old and modern love stories through jewelry.
Elaborate Cocktails
Where some trends are leaning toward simple, cocktails certainly are not! We’re seeing cocktail stations with lots of elaborate details like sparkles, toppings, and interesting ingredients. In other words, cocktails are becoming more FUN!
TikToks + Reels of Viral Moments
This one is for couples and vendors alike. Social media will continue to change the way people share weddings and 2022 is no different. This year, expect to see super-fast sneak peeks of the wedding day in the form of TikToks and Instagram reels. Photographers and videographers can bring assistants or “social shooters” to capture content to be edited and shared before the day is even over. Similarly, viral moments in weddings will keep showing up in your feed! Think before and afters, unique first dances, fun entrances, and more. If social media and sharing is valuable to you, it might be beneficial to chat with your planner about ideas.
Modern Monochrome
PHOTO BY JUSTIN AARON
Appearing in everything from stationery to flowers, minimal monochrome is the chicest modern wedding decor trend we've seen in a long time! While monochrome is often associated with a subdued, "less is more" aesthetic, bold graphic details take it to a new level for 2022.
Alternative Flower Girls
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE VELEZ
Grandma’s still got it! We LOVE this trend. You can’t help but smile when grandma drops petals down the aisle or the “flower man” don a flower crown. This idea is especially great if you’re planning a smaller and/or kid-free event.
Bouquet Preservation
PHOTO BY POSY PATOU
After everything that went into creating the bridal bouquet, it's no surprise many brides want to preserve it! Well, bouquet preservation, a long-forgotten, post-wedding tradition is about to take off again in 2022. From pressing flowers, preserving in epoxy resin or dipping in wax, to custom bridal bouquet paper flowers and paintings, brides are looking to artists for modern ways to preserve and present their wedding flowers.
Bold, Vibrant Colour
PHOTO BY STUDIO BROWN
You didn't think the only colour palette that would be trending was earthy tones, did you? Couples are really going into colour schemes, making their wedding reflective of them and not necessarily traditional weddings. What will those colours be? Trend forecasters WGSN and Coloro predict the top five colours for spring and summer 2022 will be vibrant pink-purple Orchid Flower, earthy green Olive Oil, creamy yellow Butter, tropical Mango Sorbet and ocean-like Atlantic Blue.
PHOTO BY THE GANEYS
Featuring warm, earthy tones, vibrant colour-block palettes, monochrome with striking flashes of colour, and eccentric, colour-clashing combinations, this one has got to be among our favourite 2022 wedding decor trends. Wondering where this trend will take us over the next 12 months? Well, colour trend forecasters Pantone predict the top colours for Spring and Summer 2022 will be pink-purple Orchid Bloom, vibrant Super Sonic blue, fresh Fair Green, playful Bubblegum pink, vivid Coral Rose and cool Cascade blue. And their Colour of the Year for 2022, Very Peri, a rich shade of purple, is bang on trend, too.
Neutrals With a Twist
Currently, we’re witnessing couples opt for a timeless neutral palette but adding a twist with a complimentary bold hue accent. For example, warm terracotta tones and blushes with a pop of bright red or soft earthy greens and whites with pops of chartreuse or marigold. And how do you know you’ve got the right amount of bright pops? Use the 60/30/10 rule! 60% neutrals, 30% blending tones, 10% bright pops!
Donation Based Registries
How many kitchen aid mixers can be sold to a whole generation of newlyweds… come on! Traditionally a gift is expected from a guest, but now we’re seeing that shift into contributing to funds and donating to causes. Couples don’t want to be overwhelmed with stuff they think they need but probably will only ever use once. They want money to put toward a down payment on a home or don’t want anything for themselves at all. Instead in those cases, couples will ask their guests to donate their favorite causes.
Hand-Painted Details
PHOTO BY RILEY SHEEHEY
From dresses, stationery, cakes and even decor items such as candles, ribbons and napkins, we're noticing a huge surge in dainty, hand-painted wedding details.
PHOTO BY ORNA HAND PAINTED CANDLES
For couples who want to incorporate personalised and artistic elements into their soirée, hand-painted décor details create a bespoke feel that your guests are sure to love!
Champagne Towers
Champagne towers have made a comeback recently. They are a more engaging way to make a toast! One way to make it even more unique? Mix it up with a martini tower!
Pearls
PHOTO BY KORAY PARLAK
Thinking about fashion? Try decking yourself out in classic pearls for your wedding day.
Bows
PHOTO BY SOPHIE RUCK
Bows are back (although, did they ever really go away?)! We're talking big ones, little ones, and everything in between. Whether they adorn your wedding dress, hair accessories, shoes, tablescapes or cake tables, we're here for them!