Five of the best wedding trends in 2021
After all the disruption of 2020, couples are rewriting the traditional wedding rulebook. With ceremonies being put on hold and RSVPs being redrafted, many brides and grooms-in-waiting are seeking new ways to make their wedding day as special as can be.
With the pandemic having such a profound impact on the UK’s wedding industry, many of the latest trends have been heavily influenced by last year’s events. We’ve picked out five of the biggest crazes that are redefining the traditional wedding in 2021.
Buying British
It goes without saying that last year posed serious challenges to the UK’s £14.7 billion wedding industry. With UK wedding vendors left reeling from the impacts of the pandemic, many couples are more eager than ever to show their support for local businesses.
Almost every individual aspect of your wedding can be sourced locally, from using local ingredients on your menu, to hiring the services of a florist or dressmaker. However, your ‘buying British’ drive can start long before the ceremony. When it comes to ring shopping, consider using a vendor with a local showroom, instead of an exclusively online retailer. This will not only help a local business, it can also give you a far better feel for exactly what sort of ring you want.
Sustainability
According to experts, one wedding day can produce CO2 emissions equivalent to levels emitted by five people in an entire year. No wonder sustainability is the order of the day for so many newlyweds.
This trend was forced upon many couples who chose to go ahead with their wedding last year, due to the restrictions placed on social gatherings. Whilst many restrictions have now been eased, couples are still looking for ways to make their special day as eco-friendly as possible. There are countless ways for you to modify your wedding with sustainability in mind, from recycled invitations, to a vegan menu, to choosing a more local venue to reduce emissions.
For some, the opportunity to spend a weekend exploring the local nightlife and returning to some normality is too good to pass up. For others, the thought of returning to social situations of which they have been deprived for over a year is a daunting prospect. When planning your stag or hen party, it is important to consider the well-being and needs of your guests now more than ever before, with social anxiety such a prominent issue post-lockdown.
If the accustomed haunts of a stag/hen do aren’t to everyone’s taste, there are plenty of other options out there for you to consider. This guide to stag and hen dos in 2021 recommends outdoor activities such as picnics or water-sports as crowd-pleasing alternatives to the typical festivities.
Alternative stag and hen do’s
Sequel weddings
After last year’s government restrictions limited numbers at social gatherings, many couples are deciding to celebrate their special day all over again. Whilst sequel weddings have been commonplace in certain religions for many years, they are coming into the public domain more so now than ever before.
Typically, the two-wedding format consists of an initial smaller ceremony, before a larger second celebration with a more extensive guest list. Despite the added planning, this modern approach can offer plenty of benefits, as you might imagine.
It gives you the chance to celebrate with the family and friends who couldn’t travel or were shielding during the pandemic, without having to wait to be officially married. Whilst your initial ceremony will likely feature all the legal bits to confirm the marriage, some couples choose to save or repeat their personal vows for the sequel. This makes the wider guest list feel more involved in the celebrations as they won’t miss out on this special part.
Eye-catching entertainment
As couples filter back onto dancefloors and bands retune their instruments, the post-pandemic wedding scene has seen a big drive towards more elaborate entertainment. With the usual dancing that accompanies any good wedding off the cards last year, couples have been coming up with creative ways to entertain their guests. Experts have seen a big trend in more immersive experiences, such as bouncy castles or caricature artists.
At the very least, your wedding entertainment should be a talking point amongst guests. One way to ensure this, whilst also giving a nod to the buying British trend, is a spirit tasting station. Seek out local distilleries who could supply a selection of whiskies or gins, for example, and allow your guests to sample the local tipple – in the company of a professional behind the bar, of course.