With just over two months to go until my own wedding, trust me when I tell you that I know how stressful the planning can be.
Breaking down all the elements has been the only way I've managed to avoid total overwhelm, and despite being the least spreadsheet-y person on earth I'm now somewhat addicted to those little cells bursting with frightening numbers and ‘deposit due!’ commands.
Which is why my biggest advice to those of you starting out on your wedding planning journey would be to tackle everything in isolation.
Don't have a daunting afternoon of ‘wedding planning’ written in your calendar, but replace it with ‘email mood board to florist’, or ‘research bands’, or ‘fill out registrar forms’, or ‘address envelopes and post’.
With that in mind we've broken down the major elements you need to consider as you plan your wedding, and have spoken to some of the leading experts in each field to offer inspo and insight into the biggest wedding trends to look out for in 2023…
The engagement ring is, of course, the thing that truly kicks things off. But while it may simply be a symbol of ‘intent to marry’, it has become one of the most important purchases in the entire wedding planning process.
After all, you'll hopefully be wearing this ring a lot longer than you'll be wearing the dress, or smelling the flowers, or admiring the French linen of your napkins…
Where to begin with the ring? We caught up with some of our favourite engagement ring designers to discover the key trends for 2023. Consider this all the inspo you need…
What the experts say: “The Art Deco era was a huge moment of liberation for women” explained Maddy Sangster, founder of Heavenly London, “It was all about bold shapes, show-stopping stones, interesting settings, geometry and not being afraid to show some bling.”
“I have long been attracted to the rich design vocabulary of the Art-Deco period,” noted London bespoke jewellery designer Rachel Boston, “And my clients can’t get enough of it when it comes to engagement rings.”
“It’s such an extensive style that offers something for every taste: whether a five-stone ring with all-emerald cut diamonds or an old antique mine cut surrounded by a modern baguette halo. It’s one of the reasons for this aesthetics’ enduring success: you are guaranteed a chic, timeless piece with a lot of considered design details, ranging from very classic to completely extravagant. There is something for everyone, and I can’t see the appeal of Art-Deco inspired pieces slowing down anytime soon.”
What the experts say: “Mixed metals are really popular at the moment, and I don’t see this trend going anywhere,” Emma Clarkson Webb, bespoke London jewellery designer, revealed. “My clients are combining yellow and white gold and rose and white gold, which gives a really lovely, impactful look. Traditionally it was an absolute no to mix metals, so I love that it’s back in fashion; it makes for such a versatile look and means that you aren’t limited in terms of your other jewellery.”
“A trend we have noticed growing steadily is the demand for mixed metal rings,” agreed Eliza Walter, Founder of Lylie. “Whilst the gold price has been rocketing up, the platinum price has remained steadier over the past couple of years. Platinum is a very strong metal, which is perfect for an engagement ring. However, gold is still the metal colour of choice, so what we have seen is the rise of mixed metal rings.”
“By choosing a platinum setting you get the strength and security whilst making diamonds look even bigger. This coupled with a yellow gold band or detailing you can maintain the overall yellow gold feel to the ring. All of our Ethical Engagement Ring collection pieces are available in mixed metal and it is by far the most popular option.”
What the experts say: “We’re going big on toi-et-moi rings next year,” revealed the team at Jessica McCormack. “We saw that trend take off in 2022, and we’re expecting to see more of it in 2023 - hence we are introducing more toi-et-moi rings to the JMc family.”
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“We launched a one-of-kind version earlier this year (below), and for 2023 we’re launching more. We will be creating more one-of-a-kind pieces again but also styles that slot into our signature collection (above), which are therefore at a lower price point than the larger, one-of-a-kind styles.”
Click here to discover more of 2023's biggest engagement ring trends…
From oval shapes to chunky gold silhouettes.
For those of you who are already engaged, you'll know by now that the single most common thing you're being asked in the run up to the day is ‘Have you got your dress sorted yet?’. And for those of you who haven't, it's not your favourite question.
But fear not… if you're feeling overwhelmed by the wealth of options and don't know where to begin then trust us when we tell you that you're not alone.
To give you some guidance, we've caught up with London-based designers and best friends Jess Kaye and Rosie Williams, who founded fashion-favourite contemporary bridal brand The OWN Studio, to break down 2023's biggest wedding dress trends…
“Oversized styles and volume is back but the traditional bridal silhouette has been redefined for 2023. Voluminous skirts are contrasted with modern details such as scoop necklines and drop waistlines, giving these outfits a cool, nonchalant attitude.”
“The bridal party has grown up. The vast majority of our brides are in their 30s and so are their bridesmaids, they know their style and want to maximise their budgets, favouring styles and colours that their bridesmaids will wear again. We’ve seen a huge surge in requests for trousers among bridesmaids (a rise of 150%) as brides like the idea of mixing and matching silhouettes and shapes.”
“When it comes to styling, brides are starting to favour a mix of metals, with silver jewellery staging a comeback. Sunglasses are now a permanent feature of the bridal look, with many brides bringing sunglasses to appointments to check the outfit works with their chosen pair.”
“Feather is a strong decadent detail seen across the catwalks, adding drama to the evening look. Update your day- time look with a detachable feather trim for instantly elevating night-time glamour.”
Click here to discover more of 2023's biggest wedding dress trends…
2024 brides-to-be, take note…
It's no surprise that a two-year global pandemic had something of an effect on the wedding industry. But while the majority of effects were negative (postponements, uncertainty for vendors, limited guest lists) there was something positive that came from it all that's having a lasting impact on the location of ceremonies going forwards.
“Prior to the pandemic, you could only get married outdoors in England and Wales if your wedding venue had a licensed structure, such as a pagoda or bandstand” explains hitched.co.uk.
“However, the COVID-19 pandemic saw lots of couples opting for outdoor weddings for safety reasons so temporary permission was granted to allow licensed venues to host ceremonies outdoors - whether they had a structure outside or not. This proved to be so popular that it became a permanent thing and now, providing your venue has a wedding licence, you can marry in any location outdoors.”
Phillipa Lepley, bridal expert, has also noticed the uplift in popularity of venues with great outside space. “People seem to be leaning towards outdoor ceremonies consisting of smaller, intimate groups,” she notes, “giving it a ‘dinner party’ feel.”
Other than yourselves, your venue is the single most decorated aspect of your wedding day. And while linens, candles and elegant glassware contribute a lot to the overall aesthetic, a wedding space is rarely complete without at least a touch of floral magic.
Choosing your flowers may feel like an easy thing to tick off your to-do list, but when you consider seasonality, the vast number of spaces to decorate and, of course, the cost, there's quite a tricky balance that needs to be struck in order to get exactly what you're looking for. Which is why finding the perfect florist - to guide and advise you based on your (perhaps convoluted) vision - is key.
We caught up with Melissa, event designer and planner behind the exquisite Melissa Rose Design floral studio, to find out what's on the floral horizon as we approach the 2023 wedding season…
“This year we're going to be seeing less foliage and more single type florals used on mass for a more stylised, textural, modern romance kind of vibe. We seem to follow the trends from Australia, who are very fashion forward with weddings, and this has really emerged from there.”
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“Gypsophila is proving particularly popular, for definite. Large scale, voluminous, fluffy clouds of gyp... everywhere!”
Are people going big again post-Covid when it comes to their wedding florals, or is minimalism/simple elegance taking over?
“Post-pandemic I think people fall into two camps,” Melissa revealed, “they have either reassessed through Covid and want a smaller more authentic celebration, or they go completely the other way and are totally over-excited at the thought of actually being able to properly celebrate together again and want to fully go to town.”
And if you're working to a tight budget? Because, let's face it, who isn't right now…
“Don't try to decorate everywhere and spread it all too thin,” would be Melissa's top tip. “Choose key areas you want to style and think about which photos will be important to you and make sure you fill those with florals.”
“For example, where you say your vows will be a picture you definitely want to have on the mantlepiece, so style that area with florals abundantly so it frames you beautifully.”
Hold onto your hats, minimalists, because for 2023 Pinterest's biggest prediction is that orange will be absolutely everywhere.
Based on the Pinterest searches from Millennials and Gen Xers this year, “orange tones will be used in various ways in 2023 weddings, in everything from floral arrangements to bridesmaid dresses” according to the platform.
Searches for ‘burnt orange wedding theme’ were reportedly up by 695% at the and of last year, while interest in 'terracotta wedding bridesmaid dresses' also increased year-on-year by more than 230%.
There have also been more nearly-weds looking for ‘orange wedding centrepiece’ inspiration than ever before, with 150% more searches in the last 12 months.
Leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched, Zoe Burke says: “Orange really is having a revival at the moment, and I’m not mad about having such a happy and vibrant colour palette joining the ranks for couples to choose from for their 2023 weddings.”
“Orange is such a versatile colour, too, as it can run right from peppy and citrus shades, through to rusty metallics like copper and gold, for an additional luxe feel. I’m excited to see some orange weddings!”
Another trend that seems to have been borrowed from pandemic weddings comes in the form of the guest list. While many brides and grooms were devastated by the prospect of cutting their numbers, smaller weddings are proving to be a popular way of keeping things intimate for the big day.
According to hitched.co.uk, pre-pandemic couples invited an average of 102 guests in total to celebrate their day with them, but this has since dipped to an average of 72.
“We’ve seen people relish this opportunity [to cut people who were perhaps invited out of pressure] even post-pandemic” notes Zoe.
“If you wouldn’t have a Zoom party with them during a global lockdown, why invite them to your big day? When we polled our Instagram followers, 71% told us they felt pressure to invite certain guests, and 95% said they wished there was a way to tell people they’re not invited to the wedding.”
Deciding on the day's food offering is often a tricky one for nearly-weds. While you may set out to do something particularly different to excite your guests, when it comes down to it logistics, allergies and cost sadly play a pretty crucial role in suffocating much of your personalised flair.
Lettice Events - a family owned, sustainable catering company specialising in luxury private events - have, however, noticed a wedding menu trend that sees couples steering away from the traditional meat-and-two-veg plates in favour of something a little more contemporary.
“We're seeing more of a focus on having grazing tables at weddings, along with more experiences going into the food side of the event e.g tasting tables and more adventurous flavours.”
“We are also seeing less canapés and more filling little plates and having longer receptions.”
Another of Pinterest's findings which may surprise you was that interest in low- or no-alcohol drinks are on the rise, “driven by Gen Z’s disinterest in the drinking habits of the generations before them”.
The annual National Wedding Survey by Hitched concurred, revealing last year that teetotal weddings were on the rise with as many as one in ten weddings choosing to serve no alcohol at all last year.
It seems that there's no slowing down where this trend is concerned, with Pinterest searches for ‘fancy non-alcoholic drinks’ reportedly up by 220% this year, along with 75% more interest in ‘mocktail bar’ inspiration by users too.
If there's one thing that's guaranteed to annoy a nearly-wed, it's a rule that stops them doing something that they really want to do on their wedding day. Which is why, unsurprisingly, there's a new wave of couples shunning tradition - or wedding day ‘rules’ - in favour of something that feels wholly more ‘them’.
When it comes to the first dance, for example, half of couples revealed to Hitched.co.uk that they are nervous about doing one while more than a fifth (21%) admitting that they are “dreading it”. Unsurprisingly, therefore, almost a fifth of those married last year (17%) said they skipped the ritual altogether on their big day, “substituting it with something more comfortable for the happy couple” - a trend which looks set only to rise in 2023.
As well as ditching the alcohol, a fifth of couples reportedly also chose to also veto the traditional cake cutting ceremony (often opting for an alternative wedding dessert for their guests instead) while only 12% of weddings last year included the classic bouquet toss.
Hitched also found that more than 10% of couples adopted the American trend of doing a ‘first look’ - a private meeting before the ceremony - while Phillipa Lepley noted that people are shunning the one-day extravaganza in favour of “3-4 day weddings, with less people celebrating over a longer period.”
According to The Knot, 2023 honeymoons are set to see couples prioritising “education and exhilarating experiences”, so expect to see shots of wonders of the world appearing on your Instagram feeds where white sand beaches once were.
“Standing before archaeological wonders and marveling at the preservation of ancient history are trending bucket list items among 2023 honeymooners” they revealed, while “once-in-a-lifetime stays” are proving a top priority for many.
Whether you've bagged a “honeymoon suite in Versailles”, “a treehouse in the Amazon” or you're “sailing the high seas and island hopping”, 2023 honeymoons look set to provide endless stories to tell your grandchildren.
“Mindful honeymoons” are another huge trend for 2023, with wellness-focused trips continuing to generate demand as couples seek out “resorts that offer health sessions, such as sunrise yoga on the beach, nature walks, midnight meditations under a full moon, and more.”
So which specific destinations are top of the list for honeymooners in 2023? According to The Knot, if you find yourselves in Hawaii, Mexico, Lake Como, Costa Rica, Aruba or Scotland (!) you can expect to be surrounded by many newlyweds from all over the world.
For more from Glamour UK's Fashion Editor, and bride-to-be, Charlie Teather, follow her on Instagram @charlieteather.
