Weddings are starting to feel like a competition: one where you’re judged for what you do and don’t have, what you do and don’t say and, of course, how much money you spend. When you’re planning your wedding, don’t fall into the trap of following trends just because they’re in style. While some of them can be great if done well, they shouldn’t be followed blindly. For example, these wedding trends are so common that it seems like every couple is doing them and they’ve all but been turned into traditions – but we hope their time has gone for good!
Puffed short sleeves
Way back in July of 1981, Lady Diana Spencer said “I do” to Prince Charles in a wedding dress that would change the course of wedding fashion forever. Her ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, became something of a benchmark for brides everywhere who wanted to emulate the young royal beauty’s elegant look.
But what was once the height of bridal chic has now been relegated to a mere footnote in fashion history. The short puff sleeves may have been fine back in 1981, but now it just looks like the kind of dress that you’d make your little girl wear for her first communion or confirmation.
Flower crowns
There’s a reason we don’t see flower crowns anymore: they’re difficult to pull off. It’s not just that they can be potentially headache-inducing when worn for extended periods of time, but more importantly, the wearer has to have an innate air of confidence and effortlessness in order for the accessory to look anything other than ridiculous.
They are like socks with sandals; they are a sad, dated symbol of a more carefree time. Flower crowns look best on bohemian models in messy, vaguely ’60s updos. They’re the kind of thing you’d wear to a barefoot stroll through a meadow with your lover, or while sitting cross-legged on the floor at a Grateful Dead concert.
Too many bridesmaids
We love weddings. We truly do. But some trends are truly obnoxious and should be avoided at all costs. One such trend is the huge bridal party, which has been gaining ground in the past few years. At first, it felt like a cool way to add more special people into your day – your BFFs, your cousins, your sisters. And we get it: you want to honour these people in a way that shows how much you love them…but a wedding isn’t the place to do it.
Having a big group of bridesmaids and groomsmen takes away from the actual purpose of a wedding – to celebrate two people getting married to each other. A wedding is not an excuse for you to show off your best friends or your extended family. Your guests would rather not sit through a ceremony that drags on thanks to ten couples or more walking down the aisle before the bride.
Faux calligraphy
Wedding invitations, table numbers, escort cards and more all need to have a certain elegant look. If you’re like most people, you’d probably love for your wedding stationery to have that classic calligraphy look, but the problem is that classic calligraphy doesn’t come cheap – you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on someone to write your names on a few pieces of paper.
The term “faux calligraphy” refers to the use of a script font or an ornate font that makes your invitations look like they were handwritten. There is nothing wrong with faux calligraphy per se, but it often comes across as cheesy, and in most cases, it’s a budget-friendly substitute for real calligraphy. If you’re looking to save money on your wedding stationery, there are definitely ways to do so without resorting to faux calligraphy.
Oversized wedding cakes
Giant wedding cakes are a trend we wish would be left behind. Weddings are already expensive enough; why are we wasting money on an item that is so ridiculously over-the-top? They take up way too much room and no one ever eats more than a quarter of the cake anyway.
First, let’s get clear on what we mean by a “giant” wedding cake. We’re talking about anything more than three tiers tall; anything that you could not see over standing next to it. Yes, there are some people who want their wedding cakes to be taller than they are – but most of the time, a three-tiered cake is more than enough.
Outdoor weddings
People don’t want to sit in the June sun and August heat, stand around in the January cold or get rained on in November and December. And they certainly don’t want to do all of those things on top of wearing uncomfortable shoes for hours on end. Weddings are supposed to be fun – everyone knows that – so they shouldn’t be miserable experiences for the people coming to celebrate with you.
There’s enough stress involved when you’re getting married without having to worry about whether or not your guests will be able to see anything because it’s so dark out or if there will be any mud left on their shoes at the end of the night from standing in a field for too long.
Naked cakes
A naked cake is a cake without any icing. Not only is it missing the best part, but it’s also a terrible idea for a couple of reasons. First of all, frosting seals in moisture. Without it, cakes tend to dry out and lose their freshness quickly.
And second of all, cake that’s noticed is an obvious fail on a wedding day – the point of having your wedding cake is to be able to enjoy it after you get married, and if you serve a cake that’s dried out and not good, it defeats the whole purpose of having a wedding cake in the first place!
Photo booths
Photo booths are fun, but they’re not for everyone. In particular, if you’re going for a glamorous wedding, you probably don’t want to have a tacky black-and-white striped backdrop and glow-in-the-dark props at your event. With that said, if you’re having an ’80s prom theme, for example, they can be a great way to add some fun elements to the party.
There’s a fine line between photo booths that are a classy, fun addition to your wedding – and ones that are so over-the-top that they detract from the whole affair. It’s easy to go overboard with props, costumes, and other items. While it can be tempting to let loose and have fun with your photo booth, these elements may not be as tasteful as you think.
Too many signs
The wedding venue is the perfect place to add some personalized touches, but when it comes to signage, less is more. We’re not saying you should skip the signs entirely, but as with all wedding decorations, your guests shouldn’t be overwhelmed. If the setting lacks natural landmarks or cues for important information, like bathrooms and food, then by all means use a simple sign to get the ball rolling.
But spare your guests from having to squint their way through a long list of rules and regulations by using fewer signs with a font that is big enough to see and easy to read. You’ve already got a lot on your plate; let’s make your job easier and give you one less thing to sort out!
Recreating celebrity weddings
While it’s fun to watch celebrities say “I do” and to see how other people do their weddings, you should want your day to be all about you. That means making your own wedding unique with your own personal style, rather than copying someone else’s.
Instead, use your favorite movies, artists or even the colors of the season as inspiration for your own unique look and theme. The internet is full of ideas for you to explore – go wild! You can find anything on Pinterest. From there, take things one step further by adding a personal touch.
Dance entrances
We know this might be unromantic, but dance entrances are tired. For a while, the old wedding standby of walking down the aisle to the first few measures of “The Wedding March” was getting tiring – so it’s understandable that people were looking for something new. However, the trend of adding choreographed dances to wedding entrances is now played out and needs to go.
Adding to the excitement of your ceremony is a wonderful thing, but with this one, you’re setting yourself up for failure. You have to nail it, otherwise it’s just awkward. It’s also not as simple as it looks – and so many couples attempt it and fail miserably. Unless you’re willing to take weeks of dance classes, maybe skip this one.
Personalized drinks
You have a great idea. You want to serve up a signature cocktail at your wedding, and you want to call it something cute like “The First Dance” or “The Morning After.” It’s a sweet idea, but it’s time to knock this trend off for good, especially if you don’t want your bartender to hate you.
To be clear, the guest list at your wedding is not the place to test out that new rum-based cocktail concoction you’ve been dying to try. Your guests don’t want to be guinea pigs for your experimental drinks – and they don’t want the hangover that comes with a speciality drink.
Hashtags
While we’re sure that you and your partner have dreamed up a unique hashtag that will be forever etched in the memories of all your guests, we’ve got to say: it’s pretty annoying. It’s hard enough to keep track of the basic details of a wedding day. But now there is an extra burden of having to remember a long-winded hashtag as well.
No matter where you look, it seems like everyone is hashtagging their weddings these days. At its core, wedding hashtags are supposed to be fun, lighthearted and memorable – but as more and more couples try to one-up each other, they have become anything but.
Trashing the dress
Trashing the dress is a trend that’s been around for some time now, but its popularity is still surprising. What’s the point of going through all of the trouble to find and buy an elegant wedding dress – one that makes you feel so beautiful that you want to cry – if you’re just going to ruin it?
In fact, there are no good reasons for trashing the dress. To be honest, the only reason people do this is due to the excitement of doing something a little crazy at your wedding. If you want to do something unconventional at your wedding, go for it – but let’s leave the dress out of it.
Flower walls
Flower walls are an unfortunate trend that have recently been popping up in weddings. In the right context, they can be a gorgeous way to bring nature’s beauty into your event. But at many weddings lately, flower walls have been taking more prominence than the happy couple themselves.
This trend has the potential to get out of hand really fast. You might start off decorating just one wall, but then start wanting more and more flowers to cover more and more space, and before you know it, you could be talking about spending thousands of dollars on blooms that will die the next day.
Multiple outfit changes
It’s only natural to want to change into something more comfortable and flattering after all the effort you’ve put into getting ready for your big day. There’s also that extra layer of “wow” that comes from having a new fit halfway through the event. But if you’re changing multiple times – you might be spending more time in the dressing room than at your wedding.
Let’s take a minute to consider what it takes to have a change of outfit, and if it’s really worth it. The main challenge is timing: how long will it take to get in and out of that new outfit? Also, if you’re pulling anything over your head, you’ll likely need hair and makeup touched up – which can take even more time and money.
Pets as ring bearers
An adorable dog in a tux is the stuff of dreams, right? Everyone can agree on that. However, before you start searching for your own furry flower girl or ring bearer, we wanted to burst your bubble. You know that saying about how if something seems too good to be true, it probably is? This is one of those times.
Your dog may look adorable, but it’s not as cute when you have to deal with a few hundred guests tripping over your pup. It’s also unfair to your pets to put them in a situation where they have no idea how to act. They can’t understand what is going on, why there are so many people and strange noises, and they likely won’t be able to pay attention to the ceremony or follow instructions directing them on where to go.
Mason jars
Mason jars can still be used for things around the house, but using mason jars in weddings has run its course. It’s saying something about a couple when they are using items that have been out of style for years to celebrate their nuptials. We don’t know many people who would want to drink out of a jar. Sure, it’s practical, but it’s not very sophisticated.
They may look pretty sitting in a window or on your table, but let’s be real: If you’re having a reception that requires stemware, then you should use stemware. Mason jars are not made to be used as wine glasses, so it only seems logical that they shouldn’t be implemented as such.
Food trucks
When food trucks first emerged on the scene, they were an exciting addition to the culinary landscape. Affordable and fun, they provided inexpensive food options for everyone. Now, they’re a staple of every major city – they’re even becoming a wedding trend.
We hope this isn’t something that sticks around, because although food trucks are great for late-night snacking, they’re also not ideal for a full meal. If you want to make sure everyone is happy and having a good time throughout your entire wedding day and night, stick with traditional catering – it makes for better meals and happier guests!
Donut walls
Donut walls were a trend that started back in the early 2010s, with their popularity peaking in 2015. The idea was – instead of having a cake that everyone could eat, you’d have a wall of doughnuts that guests could take pictures with and snack from.
This is an idea that sounds great on paper – who wouldn’t want to pose with a giant stack of delicious-looking doughnuts? But in reality, it just doesn’t work very well. It’s true that a doughnut wall may have been ultra-trendy for a minute, but now it’s time to move on. Also, who wants to eat doughnuts that have been sitting out in the open melting on one another for hours?
Off-white bridesmaids’ dresses
The trend of bridesmaids wearing near-white dresses has become more common in recent years. We can’t quite figure out why, but we’re guessing it has something to do with the fact that most brides want their wedding party to look cohesive and uniform.
The problem is that these shades are too close to white. It’s painful to see almost-white dresses incorporated into a wedding when it takes away from the bride’s gorgeous gown. We would feel terrible if this were us; wouldn’t you rather highlight the bride’s beauty by letting her shine all on her own?
Garter removals
The garters are supposed to be a fun little part of the wedding outfit. But when they’re being removed with the bride’s consent by the groom or other men, it becomes a sexualized and inappropriate event. Sure, it might not be all that bad if the bride is okay with it, but let’s face it – it’s tacky.
If the only reason you’re doing it is to be a part of the tradition, or if you want to think of it as a cute way to share a private moment with the groom, then go right ahead. Just don’t do it on the dance floor – there’s no need to make everyone watch.
Cake smashing
Cake smash photoshoots are all the rage now, but we think they shouldn’t be. There are so many things wrong with cake smashing, and so few redeeming qualities. First of all, it’s messy. The cake gets everywhere. It sticks to your dress, your hair, and your face, and it can stain your clothes.
Even if you get it all cleaned up, the wet icing leaves a sticky mess on everything involved. Then there’s the fact that you’re wasting perfectly good cake. Plus, it’s not fun for everyone – for those who aren’t included in the smoosh, it’s just another awkward moment.
Vague dress codes
The trend of “creative black tie” makes us feel like we’re on a game show. Guests are left to scramble to figure out what that means and then spend hours perusing Pinterest for inspiration. It’s annoying for the bride and groom, and it is just plain annoying for everyone else.
The next time you are planning a wedding or any other event where a dress code will be in place, please consider making it clear from the start. If you want your guests to know that they can be themselves, let them wear whatever they want; if you want them to dress up, say so!
Giant bouquets
The long-stemmed floral arrangement Meghan Markle carried down the aisle at her royal wedding took center stage when everyone oohed and ahhed over how stunning she looked in her gown. And why wouldn’t they? The minimalist bouquet perfectly complemented her gorgeous dress.
An over-the-top arrangement with too many colors, shapes, sizes, and textures can easily overshadow the bride and her dress. Instead, opt for smaller bouquets that are more classic and refined. They can also be much more personalized than wild arrangements, and it’ll give you an opportunity to work with your florist to find something truly unique for the bride and groom.
Coral
A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It is the day when you and your partner are making a commitment to each other and inviting your loved ones to share in this moment. It is not a day for choosing a trendy color that will be outdated in three years.
Yes, coral is popular right now, and there’s nothing wrong with that – in fact, we think it can be a fantastic color choice for a variety of looks. But as you’re planning your wedding, you want to choose colors that are timeless and classic, so they feel just as beautiful to look at decades from now as they do on your big day.
Neon signs
Neon signs might be the most Instagram-friendly wedding trend right now. You see them at hipsters’ weddings, rustic weddings, and other themed weddings. They’re cool! But beware – neon signs may be a wedding trend that will look dated soon.
Neon signs can be so eye-catching that they can completely overpower your other décor; if you use one, make sure that you’re not losing out on any other opportunities to create a cohesive look for your reception. And don’t be surprised if they look ultra retro down the line.
Open seating
The number one tip we can give you is to avoid open seating for your wedding as much as possible. It may seem like it saves a lot of time and energy, but it has the potential to throw a wrench in all the careful planning you’ve done so far.
The only thing open seating takes the pressure off of is the table design. If anything, it will just give you more work later on as you re-arrange place cards and try to sort out a table that was messed up by overcrowding guests. Just save yourself the time and trouble and stick with place cards!
Wedding favors
Wedding favors, also known as gift bags, candy, or other “free” gifts from the bride and groom at weddings these days have just become another way for people to spend money. And while a lot of people say that wedding favors are a sweet gesture, they could be doing more harm than good.
Wedding favors are also kind of wasteful. You certainly don’t need an edible favor for every single guest at your wedding. And if you choose one of those non-edible options like candles, your budget could increase significantly! Not to mention the fact that your guests will be stuck carrying around something they likely don’t want.
Balloons
Few things are more poetically upsetting than a balloon that’s been tied down by a ribbon or string to keep it in place. If you want to be able to use your decorations in the future, don’t use balloons at all – they deflate quickly and are usually not biodegradable.
Instead, go for something that can be used again or is biodegradable, like greenery that you can pick up around the venue and take with you when you leave. Think about how they’ll look in photos too: would you rather your wedding photos have a bunch of balloons in them?
Food stations
We know that interactive food stations seem like a great idea: they provide guests with an entertaining way to mingle while they wait for their food. They also allow guests to choose exactly what they want, so they can get exactly what they love! But have you ever considered that this type of setup might not actually be the best option for your group?
Sure, it’s fun – and it’s amazing at a smaller event where everyone is already friends. But if you have a large number of guests who aren’t all familiar with each other yet, an interactive food station has the potential to slow down your wedding service significantly.
Chalkboards
Having a chalkboard sign for the program, drinks specials, table numbers, 0r bathroom locations may be a fun touch at your wedding, but having a separate one for each of these things is just too much. Like everything else in life, moderation is key.
Though chalkboard signs can be adorable, they’re also a pain. It’s hard to have a great variety of fonts that are also easy to read, and you can’t change the fonts or colors as easily as you could with a traditional sign. You’ll also spend more money on chalkboards if you outsource them – chalkboard artists tend to be more expensive.
Novelty cake toppers
Wedding cake toppers range from the symbolic to the creative and even the inappropriate and offensive. There’s no doubt that you can find any kind of novelty cake topper imaginable. But unless you’re really committed to having an animated plastic figure presiding over your anniversary celebrations every year, pick something simple and elegant.
The idea is for this display on top of your cake to last forever. Pick something you want to look at every year for decades to come. Although a novelty cake topper can be unique and reflect your personality, it is arguably better to find a more tasteful alternative that will also make your guests smile.
Champagne towers
The champagne tower is the centrepiece of many weddings and events, but it’s a mistake to pay for looks over functionality. Champagne towers are expensive, and you need to consider that cost against the likelihood that it will be a complete disaster for your wedding. A champagne tower seems festive and beautiful, but it can quickly turn into a major headache.
With a champagne tower, there are a lot of moving parts. And if anyone bumps into any part of the tower – or even brushes up against it – kaboom! There goes all that champagne spilling everywhere. Even if everything goes perfectly, who wants to hold a sopping wet glass?
Barn weddings
If you grew up on a farm, the thought of getting married in a barn probably makes perfect sense to you. And we get it: weddings in barns are fun and rustic. But if neither side of the family has any ties to nature, why are you spending your wedding day surrounded by hay?
In most cases, a rustic barn wedding just feels like you’re trying too hard to be different. Barn weddings are trendy right now. We think it’s time to put the trend aside and think about something more meaningful and personal for your wedding day.
Rose gold
For years, we’ve been seeing the color rose gold everywhere, from shoes to makeup palettes to iPhone cases. It’s a great shade to use for an event like a wedding because it’s not too matchy-matchy with other popular colors like pink or mint green. It’s also a soft shade that doesn’t look too bold and can work with a variety of colors.
However, rose gold has become so ubiquitous in the past year that it’s now considered a “trend” color. If you’re trying to plan your wedding right now, you’ve likely noticed that pretty much every vendor under the sun is offering up a rose gold option for everything from invitations to cakes. Be thoughtful about how whatever you choose will look in pictures in the future.
Themed weddings
Unlike themed birthday parties for little kids, which tend to be loud and obnoxious but also adorable and memorable, themed weddings are almost always just strange and annoying. If you are a bride who loves horses, do not have a horse-themed wedding!
The last thing you want is to be married in a sea of tacky plastic cupids, paper trumpets, and seashell garlands. Themes are fine if they’re subtle and tasteful, but for the love of all things good, do not have an actual wedding theme.
Bridesmaid proposals
When we first heard about bridesmaid proposals, we thought it was just a cute gesture for the bridesmaids. However, as we’ve seen more and more examples, it has become clear that they have gone too far. As a result of social media’s influence, many bridesmaid proposals have incorporated elaborate and expensive gifts.
The thing is, these elaborate gifts are excessive – the meaning behind being a bridesmaid is that you care about your friend enough to help them get married, and you want to celebrate their special day with them. It shouldn’t require an expensive gift or extravagant planning on your part.
Matching bridesmaid dresses
The problem with this trend is that it forces every single girl in your wedding party to have the exact same gown. That means that if one girl has a body type or skin or hair color that doesn’t look right in that dress, she will have to suffer not feeling or looking her best.
A more inclusive option is to ask the bridesmaids to wear a similar color scheme so that they’re all wearing colors that you love together without having to match exactly. This might be an entire palette in one shade, or just one accent color in addition to classic hues. Matching accessories can be a fun way to stay unified.
Unusual cake flavors
Cake is one of the most important things to get right at a wedding, as if it’s wrong, no one eats it. There are lots of wonderful flavors out there that are non-traditional. However, make sure that you don’t go overboard with an unusual flavor, especially if you know your guests aren’t going to like it.
Some guests might be open to special or unusual flavors, but they also might just want a classic cake. You don’t want to have to pay tons of money for a special cake that nobody eats. By having other wedding cake options, you can make sure people love your cake without paying for extra servings for people you know won’t like the flavor.
