The modern wedding is one of fun, and unique-ness. Couples of today are eschewing tradition to create a personal story for their big day, one that will stay with them forever. As such, we have seen a number of new and different trends flare up in the wedding industry over the years. From neon signs and dried botanicals, to bridal jackets and artful cakes, couples are making statements with their wedding elements.
While there is no one-size-fits-all for weddings, wedding trends often help to guide couples when planning their Big Day. These are the biggest wedding trends predicted for 2020.
Individuality:
The main trend of the 2020 wedding season is individuality. People are embracing what makes them unique and incorporating that into their weddings. With so many options, engaged couples are no longer pigeon-holed into particular styles that may not suit them. It truly has become a free-for-all for the upcoming 2020 wedding season.
Bridal Fashion:
Bridal designers of today has moved away from the traditional bridal look. Bridal fashion has become less of a focus on the ‘bridal’, but more on the ‘fashion’. The millennial bride is ready to take risks and be bold, and designers are loving it. With more brides opting for separate ceremony and reception looks, there is more opportunity to have fun.
Vera Wang, Victor and Rolf and Monique Lhullier all featured puffy sleeves in their Bridal 2020 lines.
Victorian romance was featured in shows of Mira Zwillinger and Costarellos.
Reem Acra and Galia Lahav are putting the leg on display with side split wedding dresses.
The bridal jumpsuit is having a huge moment, and featured in collections by Cushnie, Pronovias and Viktor & Rolf.
Statement veils are having a moment in 2019, and will extend to 2020. We most recently saw Hailey Bieber feature this accessory in her wedding to Justin Bieber.
Veils are traditional and timeless, but with small finishes, they can be given a modernised look.
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Unique Engagement Rings:
Unique, vintage inspired rings will be the big trend for 2020. Mia Moross, founder of The One I Love NYC, says she has seen a rise in cushion-cut, hand-mined diamond rings being purchased, and predicts that there will be a rise in yellow-gold rather than platinum bands, as well as Art Deco pieces. She believes that modern couples want their rings to tell a story, and are looking for pieces that reflect history and soul.
She also notes that couples are choosing the rings together, rather than the one proposing doing it themselves.
Informal Venues:
Informal and relaxed venues have been trending for years, and do not seem to be going anywhere. Forests, barns, backyards and beaches have been popular wedding venues for a good reason. It’s less stuffy, more inviting and often times more affordable than renting out halls and wine farms.
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Sustainability:
Today’s couples are much more environmentally conscious, and are actively looking for eco-friendly alternatives to many wedding staples. Many venues and suppliers are starting to incorporate sustainability into their services. One such South African venue, Cederkloof Botanical Retreat, provides various elements of sustainability in their wedding offerings, covering aspects of social, environmental and financial health.
Seasonal Flowers:
Dried botanicals have been featuring in many bridal bouquets, and are as popular as ever. Engaged couples are also leaning towards local, seasonal and sustainable flowers to feature in their weddings.
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Statement decor:
2020 wedding decor will focus on statement pieces. Think balloons, neon signs, elaborate wedding arches and massive floral centerpieces. Over sized decor makes for a wonderful talking point, and gives weddings a personal, unique touch.
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Exposed lighting:
Mood lighting is still all the rage. Exposed bulbs dangling from the ceiling, floating candles and twinkling fairy lights create a beautifully romantic setting perfect for weddings.
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Picture: Unsplash
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Sustainability is the next big thing, and rightly so. There are many ways to make sure your wedding is kind to the earth. One particular South African wedding venue, Cederkloof Botanical Retreat, helps you do this easily.
This farm is located just outside Citrusdal, a quiet and tranquil space set in a beautiful valley. Part of the landscape is still wild and opens to numerous views with beautiful rock formations from where you can watch stunning moon rises and have the stars put on a show just for you.
Their vision for a more sustainable village is varied and they are concentrating on the hard and soft elements of sustainability, covering aspects of social, environmental and financial health for a kinder, gentler, restorative and resilient future.
To learn more about all their current projects, take a look here.
Here’s how they will make your wedding sustainable:
– All flowers and green decorations are recycled on-site.
– Flowers, greens, fillers and other decorations are picked from the gardens and the surrounding areas.
– Couples plant trees or sponsor a ceder tree planting as part of their ceremony.
– The outdoor wedding ceremonies and the natural setting gives the couple and the guests the opportunity to spend the entire weekend immersed in nature.
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– Natural, organic and no-waste confetti are made from plants from the gardens.
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– The accommodation, venue and ceremony spaces are close together, so there is no driving once on the retreat.
– All glass is recycled on-site.
– All organic waste from the kitchens are recycled on-site.
If you want to have an environmentally friendly wedding, there are a number of things you can do. Other ways of reducing your carbon footprint include making sure there are no single use items, especially regarding place indicators and table numbers. Use materials that can be recycled and donate decor items and food that is left over afterwards. You can also rent all the decor and catering ware, instead of buying them.
It is important to remember that eco-friendliness doesn’t start and stop at the wedding. Participate in ethical ring shopping (do research on companies who can prove that they don’t engage in “blood diamonds”) and incorporate green tourism in your honeymoon.
Try to find a wedding gown to hire, instead of buying one or letting a new one be made. If you do end up having one made, try to make sure the designer is eco-friendly and uses sustainable production methods.
Picture: Pixabay
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The bridal procession do not often get more attention than the bride, but this wedding’s flower girls were exceptional and truly attention-worthy. Lyndsey Raby and her new husband, Tanner, felt so privileged to have their grandmothers present at their Tennesee wedding ceremony that they went a step further and asked them to be the flower girls.
“I knew as soon as I was engaged, I wanted to involve my grandmothers,” Lyndsey told the Huffington Post.
The beaming bunch included Tanner’s gran Joyce Raby (70), Lyndsey’s two grandmothers, Betty Brown (72) and Wanda Grant (76), and even her great-grandmother 90-year-old Kathleen Brown.
“I do believe they were more excited than my bridesmaids,” Lyndsey added.
These matriarchs are an integral part of both Lyndsey and Tanner’s families and have a great influence on their lives. Lyndsey said that she felt honoured to have them at the wedding and encourages other couples to do the same. “I felt so blessed to have them all here so I wanted them to be involved.”
Traditionally, the flower girls at the wedding are the cousins or nieces of the couple, and mostly they are little children. Of course, there’s no reason why the bride can’t skip a few generations! What a special moment.
Picture: Natalie Caho Photography
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A South African couple forewent tradition by requesting financial donations to help pay off Rhodes University students’ fee debts instead of wedding gifts when they got married earlier this month.
James Rycroft and Toni Parsons are both Rhodes alumni. They each received a one-year bursary award from the English Olympiad and both went on to read for a Bachelor of Arts degree with English as a major, which is how they met in 2001.
“We lost touch after graduating and it was through Facebook that we reconnected. We met again in 2016 through our dear friend Natasha, and got engaged in 2018 in Esizindeni, near Coffee Bay, during our December cross-country road trip,” they said.
The couple got married in Southbroom on the Kwa-Zulu Natal south coast at the beginning of October 2019.
The couple spoke to their alma mater to explain that their request for financial aid for students was inspired by a fellow old Rhodian and friend, Natasha Joseph, who has been running an annual call for contributions to clear students’ fee accounts since 2017.
“Earning a degree is often a key life moment for a young person and we felt strongly about directing our community resources to helping a few young people at the university to graduate,” said James.
Toni added: “We believe that earning a degree should not be inhibited by your [in]ability to pay. A degree from a quality institution like Rhodes University can lead to serious opportunities when you enter the world of work. The contributions made by our community are intended in that spirit – to help those students who are unable to graduate, not because they did not meet academic standards, but because they were unable to raise the cash.”
Rhodes University Vice Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela accepted the couple’s gift and thanked them in a letter with these words.
“This has impacted me deeply. It proves, once again, the calibre and well-roundedness of our graduates. At a time when young couples would normally and naturally only think of their own comfort and improving their lives, they have both actioned a social purpose and are living proof of our alumni.”
Picture: Rhodes University