It’s 1/11/2021 today, pretties, and we’re feeling all kinds of great about it. 2020 is past us (hooray!!) and this year is looking up. Although so much hardship, confusion, and disappointment transpired last year, our industry totally rose to the occasion, and we wouldn’t be sensationalizing by saying that weddings from here on out will be ultimately and unanimously wonderful. We know what can happen, so we’re prepared for affairs small and grand, serendipitous elopements or those planned, and everything micro-wedding-fitting, because we’re 100 percent stans. To our couples, our vendors, our venues, and our readers, let’s make 2021 the best year yet!
Of course, with the arrival of a new year, we’re always quick to think about trends that we know will be popping up all over the 2021 nuptials landscape. But, this time around, we think it’d probably behoove us to look more at trends for the whole year versus trends for each season. COVID brought a lot of bad with it, but one of the silver linings to its pursuit of undoing is the dissolution of templatized events, gatherings, social experiences, and general time spent together. When it comes to one of the biggest and most momentous occasions then, a wedding, there isn’t a formula that couples have to show allegiance to anymore. You can go rogue and have it translate into the most resplendent, creative, and talk-worthy event ever.
So, what does a wedding look like without a blueprint for its success? Well, for one, it’s incredibly personalized, and moreover it’s an experience that a couple can look back on and say ‘well, yeah, we had to keep things small and embrace a socially-distanced soiree, but OMG, it precipitated one of the coolest, most inspiring wedding transformations ever.’ Winter and spring wedding trends, summer and fall wedding trends, they’ve all brought us smiles, but mark our words: 2021 wedding trends are topping them all. (And they won’t be ending up on any ‘what trends to say goodbye to’ lists, either, because #timeless).
Once you’ve scrolled through all of our 2021 wedding predictions, don’t forget to take a peek at our Style Me Pretty Shop. We’ve got the paper goods and gifts, decor and details to help make sure your upcoming wedding is one you’ll remember forever and cherish for always. Everything is available to shop now on site!
Read on for some of the trends we have on our radar for 2021 and what to shop to build a totally-new and totally-you look for your own best day ever.
An out-of-the-box welcome.
We’ve always been fans of the wedding welcome bag, but this year introduced us to the wedding box – and we’re still really wrapped up in the look of it. So, what’s new for this welcome box that wasn’t such a big thing for the bag? Well, 1) if you’re sticking with a smaller guest list, you can get a little more generous with the contents (not just a couple small nips of alcohol, a pair of water bottles, and a locally-sourced snack or two, these might have a reusable water bottle. a more full-size bottle of champs or the bride or groom’s favorite bottle, and personalized flutes or whisky glasses, etc.) and 2) since we’re still living in a COVID-conscious world, you might want to include curated hand sanitizers or colorful disinfecting mists to match your color palette and stylish, aesthetic-coordinated face masks that your guests can wear to your wedding.
Another great add? A handwritten thank you note that feels a lot more special and genuine. We’ve got so many pretty options to consider!
A reception with stations.
Yes, we’ve seen this before in cocktail hour food and drink action stations and impressive dessert hours with endless confection vignettes and coffee bar setups, but receptions to come are going to go ALL in on the mix and matched event areas. Drinks over here, food over there, something experiential going on in the front (think: your photo booth, an artist or a cool live entertainment ensemble), or a luxe lounge locale in the back.
Our thoughts on a fun way to call these creative stations out? Neon signage, of course. First comes a tiny toast with those you love the most in your bridal suite (we like this one, because the party don’t start, till some bottles get popped), then comes all the sweet moments you know you and your guests will LOVE (this one is perfect for above the photo booth area or wherever the wedding cake is being displayed), and finally, what’s a proper sendoff without some hydration for the road? Hang our ‘don’t go thirsty’ sign up above your send off station, so your nearest and dearest can grab a snack and sips to go – canned mocktails are a must!!
A turn up for your tablescapes.
So, speaking of mixing and matching – guest table arrangements and setups have gotten a lot more intriguing and intentional since social distancing became a thing. In the past, we’d pack dozens and dozens of tables into a reception area and they’d all end up looking the same, which ends up feeling really bleh, to be honest. Nowadays, since we’re tasked to finesse a fete with an appropriate distance between tables, we can get really design-y and editorial with the audience ambiance.
We’re big fans of using a blend of round and square, big and small tables, to create drama in the room – and going extravagant with the table toppers is the necessary next step! 👉 Designing your wedding tablescape(s) is a lot easier than you think!
Candles will be your best friend to light up the look of your tables, as will delicate drinking glasses that nod to your special day.
Special seats for the guests of honor.
We love a good sweetheart table, truly we do, but intimate weddings as of late have brought the couple back into the company of their closest friends and fam – and we’re SO here for it. Whether you’re sitting down with your wedding party or pulling up a chair at a super-long banquet table that hosts ALL of your bests, you’ll want to stand out. We’ve got quite a few bride and groom and couple-of-the-day chair signs that bring totally charming personalization to your seating assignments.
Tented transformations that transcend twinkle lights.
Tented weddings have been big for years, but recent events have made them even more coveted, because #outdoordigsmakedistancingeasier. That being said, the gold standard in tent-elevating tricks, for nearly a decade, has been twinkle or fairy lights or, even more recently, floral chandeliers. They look stunning, for sure, but this year, we’re excited to see more high-concept hanging decor and installs being swapped in.
Enter our Style Me Pretty iron hanging chandeliers. Beautiful on their own, these gorgeous hanging pieces have 3 bands that swivel to form a 18″ wide x 25″ tall chandelier. Simply rotate to move the bands in place, tighten, and start decorating! We like fresh or faux florals, but you can absolutely take those twinkle lights, crystals, or ribbon and weave them in for a really fun custom chandelier creation. The best part, though? Once your wedding is over, you can repurpose these pieces in your home with seasonal greenery for year-round use!
Another idea? Use something like our wedding backdrop banner to hang up around the perimeter. It’s also a a blast to run through if you’re doing wedding party introductions! Great photo opp potential!
2021 weddings are bringing new trends through the whole year. We’re so excited to be able to offer looks that you can shop for your own weddings! Check everything out at the Style Me Pretty Shop!
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8.5 x 11 white card stock paper
