Wedding Trends of 2020

New year, new decade, new wedding trends! We’ve created a list of the latest trends that are all the rage right now! We also interviewed talented vendors in our industry to get their thoughts on what trends they believe we’ll be seeing a lot more of in 2020. Here’s our list of wedding trends that we’re obsessing over this year:

#2 Paper Goods and Stationery

Paper goods and stationery are also making a comeback. A custom invitation suite can elevate your entire wedding (and entire wedding photo album)! Fine art stationery and calligraphy that have been customized to your vision can give your guests a small taste of your wedding before they’ve even RSVPed. Custom invitations are a classic element of your wedding and we believe they should never fall out of style!

#3 Quality over Quantity

Sarah Hill PhotographyFeatured in Rocky Mountain Bride — Sarah Hill Photography
Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride

Smaller, intimate weddings are becoming more popular, which allows for quality design and impeccable detail. When you plan a wedding with 200-300 guests, you may have to cut corners in order to be able to afford to pay for everything. However, when you plan for 50 or less of your nearest and dearest, it allows for more of your budget to be allocated towards things you truly love and want, personalizing your wedding even more.

#4 Statement Floral Pieces

Statement floral pieces are another major trend in the industry. We’ve been seeing more and more couples incorporate hanging installations over tables, movable floral pieces that can be transferred from the ceremony site to reception area, and ceremony arches with florals. We’ve also noticed more unique designs like fruit forward centerpieces!

#5 Non Traditional Dresses

Sarah Porter PhotographyFeatured in Ruffled Blog — Sarah Porter Photography
Featured in Ruffled Blog

We think that the industry is moving away from subtle slip dresses to bolder, attention grabbing gowns. More brides have been moving towards flashy statement dresses that include things like exaggerated sleeves, floral embellishments, ruffles, beading, sparkle, tulle, layers, volume, etc. Brides are also wearing things more out of the box like pantsuits, jumpsuits, capes, two piece dresses etc. Some bride are even utilizing ornate floral headpieces and necklaces to complete their wedding look!

Statement veils are also trending like the ones worn by Hailey Bieber and Priyanka Chopra Jonas at their weddings. If veils aren’t your style, we recommend looking into barrettes and headbands, which have become more popular recently, and leaving the floral crowns back in 2019!

#6 Interactive Experiences

Interactive cocktail hours are another trend that we have been seeing a lot more of. This can include things like champagne walls or cocktails on wheels where guests can serve themselves. An example of an interactive cocktail hour experience that we see a lot of are donut walls, but you can be as creative as you want! Couples can also use these interactive experiences for table assignments so that guests are able to find their table easily and have fun while doing it. These kinds of interactive experiences can add that extra little wow factor and personal touch to your event!

#7 Sustainability

After interviewing many vendors in the industry, we have determined that sustainability is one of the biggest trends of 2020. We absolutely love that recycling is the latest wedding trend and we’ve compiled a list of ways to practice sustainability while planning a wedding!

Hire vendors who appreciate and practice sustainability.
Ask your venue how items will be disposed of at the end of your event.
Re-stone a family heirloom.
Consider using high quality faux flowers so that arrangements can be recycled and used at other events.
Consider utilizing potted flowers or other plants in the place of floral arrangements.
Choose seasonal flowers that are grown locally.
Donate any extra decor you would otherwise throw away.
Rent as much decor as you can instead of buying it.
Donate your leftovers.

Thoughts from some of our favorite vendors:

Sarah Porter, Owner of Sarah Porter Photography

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020? What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

Sarah Porter PhotographyFeatured on Ruffled Blog — Sarah Porter Photography
Featured on Ruffled Blog

One of the major shifts in the wedding industry, that I love to see, is an emphasis on the experience for wedding guests. Instead of getting a good entree and a few lawn games out of the evening, couples are creating their wedding day as more of a direct experience with their guests at the heart of their vision and design. Personalizing the experience and cutting the guest list back to create a more intimate and special celebration is a trend I’m on board with. Couples who get to greet everyone at their wedding and have real conversations is the way it should be.

The old way created an environment that was rushed and potentially overwhelming. I also feel like having a more intimate group can allow couples to create a special experience and show that they value those people who are significant in their lives. When my husband and I got married, we had over 300 people at our wedding. The size of our wedding required us to make sacrifices on the quality of food and special details we originally envisioned.

Another great aspect of a more intimate wedding is that it allows for the reception space to have a wow factor that most guests might have not experienced before with special attention placed on the details that they’re bound to remember. The domino effect of an intimate wedding are practically endless:

Get the beautiful AND comfortable chairs instead of maybe sacrificing on one of those points.
Elegant chargers and custom place cards that are memorable.
Fine china that has a history and isn’t mass produced.
Welcome bags for the weekend events that are thoughtfully curated with items your guests will love and use time and time again.

I feel like the old school bride approach left the guests feeling like they’re an afterthought. In contrast, I love how planners are giving a voice to couples to say “it’s your day, and you can choose who is most important to you and who you want at your wedding.”

Payton Bernstine, Owner of Promise Event Planners

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

In 2020 I expect to see more couples embracing more non-traditional elements in every aspect of their wedding! This can be as simple as having a quote from a well known rap song on your signage, playing with bold colors and fonts in your invitations and save the dates, and seating arrangements that don't only include your standard six foot round tables! Your wedding is such an important day, but I think more couples will be embracing the fun things that show who they are as a couple more than what their parents may have had at their weddings.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

Some things I think should be left in 2019 are being really wasteful and hurtful on the environment! I know our industry is so often thinking about just the one day but these things can have such a larger impact on our planet! I know this is something that isn't important to all people, but there are so many ways that wedding items can be reused within the wedding, rented from rental companies, or sold after the wedding to other future brides. I think keeping sustainability in mind will be really important in 2020!

Adrienne Coffey, Owner of A Touch of Bliss Events

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

For floral trends in 2020, we are looking forward to more color and texture. We're seeing grasses, feathers, leaves, thistles, and other non-traditional flowers that bring a new sense of style. We love the nature-inspired pieces and color schemes that include fun pops of color.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

We recommend leaving behind traditional dessert. Keep a cake for cutting (and for those guests that just love cake) but opt for fun dessert stations. Try ice cream carts, crepe stations, churros, donuts, s'mores bars, or espresso carts. Think of your favorite dessert and make that happen!

Lily Kelly, Boulder Blooms

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

Arches have become an integral part in flowers for a wedding, with the rise of social media, it becomes a backdrop for photos not only at the ceremony, but for guests as well. We have a few different arches that can be rented for ceremonies. We have a large round one, arbor and tripod style made from birch branches to cover different styles and that match with Colorado scenery. Another trend we're seeing full force is the warm, earth tone color palette with peaches, gold blooms and textural accent flowers. Texture is what really elevates the look of any floral piece and brings the look together, whether it’s interesting greens, grasses or dried product. I don't think that pampas have lost their flare because they are such a statement piece, and really create an amazing aesthetic. We've seen bridal bouquet evolve for many years, in the past year or so they've become very bloom heavy, loose, and organic bouquets are becoming very popular, which entails less greens and more unique blooms. These are very natural and highlight the movement of the blooms. At the ceremony, tablescapes have become very popular, and we've seen greenery garlands being very popular in the last few years. They bring a lot to the table and are very unobtrusive.

The industry as a whole is moving towards being more eco-conscious. Our lead wedding designer just went to a foam-free workshop. It's widely known how bad for the environment oasis foam is, so it's become a new challenge designing the large installations that are so popular without the foam. It's a matter of designing pieces as close to the event as possible, so if you hear foam-free designs that is what they're referring to. Arches, hanging pieces, and backdrops would all be examples of pieces that are being designed foam-free.

Lots going on in the floral world, and I could really go on forever about trends because so much really depends on the bride and groom preferences. Every wedding is so niche; each wedding is very individual.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

As far as trends to leave behind would be heavy on the greenery in arrangements and bouquets. If you're trying to achieve a boho look, it can be done in many different ways. It's the florists job to know the greenery available, and there are so many unique greens that can make the end result possible. Another trend... silver dollar eucalyptus, which can be gorgeous, but can become too expensive for a budget. Size of eucalyptus can't always be predetermined, so if it comes in and the leaves are very large it presents a design challenge if it was a must from the bride. There are many different types of amazing eucalyptus out there, some of our favorites are spiral, feather, and gunni.

Another one that looks amazing, but is something to consider is having a king protea in a bridal bouquet. It's a gorgeous statement bloom, but a very large and expensive flower. If it's in a bridal bouquet it takes up a lot of the money and space for the design, and it can become heavy for a bride to hold all day. We do love the flower itself, but maybe just stay away from it in a bridal bouquet.

Erin Hornstein, Owner of Plum Sage Flowers and Taylor Allen, Designer at Plum Sage Flowers

What new trends are you seeing with florals for weddings in 2020?

In recent years we have seen brides incorporate more color in their wedding flowers! Instead of choosing all white, more and more brides have allowed the seasons to guide their color palette and flower choices. Touches of burgundy are really popular, but we'd love to see the introduction of copper and blue tones. Colored taper, pillar, and floating candles that compliment the florals have also been trending upward.

What trend do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

Bleached greenery and other altered floral material. Although these floral elements are unique, the number of toxic chemicals that are used to create them and the impact that it may have on the planet is concerning!

Tristin Teal Johnson, Owner of Project Floral

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

I have been seeing more bleached and dried and dyed florals.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

I recommend leaving behind terrariums and overtly geometric leanings and moving into organic shapes again!

Robin, Owner and Stylist at Felice Bridal

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

My brides are loving the use of unique fabrics - as well as some of the very simple, clean classic aesthetics.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

I think the very boho trend has finally had it's time. We are starting to see the trend move towards a more body flattering fit. I have also had a lot of requests for the classic ballgown! You can never go wrong as a bride wearing a ballgown - possibly with a corset or fun flirty layers!

Ashley Colburn, Founder of Smash Beauty Bar

What trends are you seeing more of in 2020?

The word "trend" has never sat well with me when creating bridal looks. I think people are shifting their vision and opting for a timeless look that is minimal but hits in all the right places. As an artist, my goal is to always enhance someone's features not completely change their features. I think less is more.

What trends do you recommend leaving behind in 2019?

I have never been a fan of the "overdone" look. What I mean by this is that not everyone needs heavy contouring, overdrawn eyebrows, insane amounts of foundation on their skin, etc. to achieve a timeless look. Instead of viewing an over-edited photo of what you hope to look like (which is unrealistic) opt for examples that are closest to your features and skin tone/skin type. We are not all models and that is okay. We are individually beautiful so we should allow that part of us to shine.