10 WEDDING TRENDS 2023 & BEYOND

A Wedding at Longview mansion

There are way more than 10 Trends I am seeing in Weddings these days, but these are the ones that I've personally experienced as I looked at other lists online. The one main thing I am seeing is the freedom to do what you want! Rather than following closely to some tradition, do your thang! Do what you want, it's YOUR day BY THE WAY! You decide.

Throw away the notion or idea of, "It's tradition, you must do this or that!" Who says? No, you do whatever the heck you want to do!

1. KING'S COURT & QUEEN'S COURT

Rather than calling the Bridal Party, Groomsmen & Bridesmaids, my wife came up with more regal terms; King's Court & Queen's Court! Everyone loved it.

2. LESS TRADITIONAL TIMELINES

With wedding trends heading away from tradition, we’re seeing this reflected most in wedding timelines. Since people don’t need time set aside for things like bouquet and garter toss or cake cutting.

3. WEDDING HATS

Boho and 80s wedding trends are trending, another veil alternative that I'm seeing this year (though mostly east coast so far), is wedding hats. But not like the 80s wedding hats, these are more towards the bohemian side, and many are customized (you can find what I'm talking about on Instagram.

4. MOCKTAILS & COFFEE COCKTAILS

A wedding trend I truly appreciate is the mocktails. More and more couples are recognizing that their guests don’t all drink, and are making sure that their bartenders have some amazing non-alcoholic options that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Coffee is also being added to the evening menu in both non-alcoholic espresso martinis and the traditional alcohol-containing versions.

5. BOWS, PEARLS & OFF-THE-SHOULDER WEDDING GOWNS

That 80s and 90s inspiration is very obvious in wedding gown styles especially. Following and wedding gown social media or stopping by any bridal store will bring you back to these retro eras. You’ll find off-the-shoulder gowns, bows both big and small, and lots of pearl accents.

6. MORE INTIMATE WEDDINGS

Many couples are opting for more intimate vow exchanges and weddings, as a bit of a carry-over from 2021 and 2022. I'm seeing this wedding trend still alive an well with smaller guest counts than their pre-2020 counterparts. More couples are choosing first looks so that they can join their cocktail hour and spend as much time with guests as possible, and many are opting to enter the reception into their special dances before dinner so that once the real party gets going, it doesn’t have to stop.

7. RETRO, VINTAGE & BOHEMIAN (HIPPIE) STYLE

Pampas grass and other dried elements hit the scene in the last few years, and it’s still here to stay for a bit. We’ll be seeing some additional retro and vintage spins on this fan favorite for 2023, as clients reminisce with whimsical 50-00s inspired touches.

8. MOBILE BARS & BEVERAGES

This is one of my favorite new wedding trends to come out of post-2020. Mobile bars & beverages. Some of my local favorites range from a converted VW bus to a restored Airstream Trailer to Mini- Pickup Truck – and they’re popping up all over Kansas City.

9. TABLE CHARCUTERIE (& DESSERT CHARCUTERIE)

Charcuterie has been on trend for a couple of years as well, but I'm now seeing plans for individualized/at the seats charcuterie snack boards and dessert boards, plus a more immersive dessert charcuterie style hitting the scene. I don’t expect this trend to end anytime soon.

10. FLOWER GUYS (& GRANDPARENTS)

Probably one of my favorite trends of the 20s, flower-guys (and grandparents) are a unique twist to your wedding and the perfect role for that extroverted friend. Pick an amazing song, load them up with a fanny pack filled with floral, and let them rock their way down the aisle and create the grandest entrance ever for the party getting married.