Oh hello 2023! We are back, refreshed, and ready for what will be a fabulous year and we couldn’t be more excited to see what 2023 will bring! Like us, we are sure you have probably been eagerly consuming all the 2023 wedding trend lists to kick off the new year. So far it seems destination weddings and full wedding weekends are back in a big way, 70s and 80s-era silhouettes and embroidery details are here. But most importantly, after a few years of uncertainty and postponed weddings, couples are ready to celebrate in style with big joyous celebrations! Dancefloors are crowded, venues are filling up and loved ones are all around. So, we thought we would do what we do best in honor of the new year and share some of our predictions for the 2023 wedding style trends with you.
1. Bright, bold & fun!
There’s no need to shy away from colour when it comes to your big day, embrace bolder, brighter and more vibrant colours. They evoke a lively, fun and joyful experience for guests and couples alike and this will be one of the biggest trends for weddings in 2023. Pantone led the way to this bold change in aesthetics at the end of 2022 by announcing their 2023 colour of the year is Viva Magenta.
‘Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, a pulsating colour whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration’.
As we know, colour can have a profound effect on our mood and our overall state of mind an important consideration when styling your wedding. Your chosen colour palette sets the tone for your entire wedding day so why not make a statement with some vibrant, lively floral colour bombs, bold patterns and textures to set the mood for a fabulous, fun celebration ahead? Style tip - select a cohesive colour palette and incorporate these tones throughout your wedding styling, with florals, bridesmaids’ dresses, cocktail styling, table linens, statement signage and stationery.
2. A vintage twist
The delicate details of the 70s and 80s are back in a big way and not just in bridal fashion! Mix chic, modern aesthetics with a touch of vintage and you have the perfect contemporary wedding day style.
Combining modern minimal pieces like ghost chairs and clear acrylic plinths with flowing fabrics of cheesecloth or linen and then accenting each space with ornate silver touches will help you achieve this look. Be sure to ask your photographer if they can capture a few key elements of your day on film (amongst the modern digital photos of course), just to really capture the essence of this look.
3. It’s all in the details
The beauty really is in the details. Bridal fashion trends which were emerging last year are most definitely making a statement in 2023, with details such as bows, capes, textured, embroidered veils and evening gloves. Mismatched Bridesmaids dresses and party sunnies are still all the rage and make for a fun casual look.
Other on-trend styling details that make for the perfect photo opportunity, such as an extravagant statement cake or a celebratory champagne tower, require some detailed consideration and dressing with key styling elements to set these up for the perfect shot!
We have a fabulous range of style props and accessories to help elevate these aspects of your styling to create the WOW factor and the perfect backdrop for those memorable pics. Just ask one of our friendly stylists for their top recommendations.
4. Outdoor weddings
After being cooped up inside for so many years and after quite a wet year last year, we are all bursting to spend some time in the great outdoors. Garden ceremonies, poolside cocktail hours and dining under the stars have always been on trend but alfresco weddings are really having a resurgence and we are here for it!
If you are lucky enough to find a venue with fabulous gardens, a deck overlooking the ocean or a perfectly manicured lawn be sure to make the most of it! Think classic garden umbrellas, jaw-dropping lighting installations and elegant white sun parasols for some shade and of course those fabulous photos!
5. Going all out for the ceremony
The ceremony is arguably the most important part of your wedding day and the reason all of your friends and family have gathered at your chosen destination so it makes sense to splurge a little on your ceremony!
Larger-than-life floral installations to frame the couple will be a big focus in 2023, as will florals lining the aisles. Unconventional seating arrangements will also be in vogue this year with semi-circles, curved meandering aisles and aisles created around the organic landscape of your ceremony location. We also have a feeling that champagne towers will continue their fantastic run of popularity because who doesn’t love hearing that celebratory pop to end the ceremony!
6. Embracing Cocktail Hour
For years, cocktail hour has just been considered that bothersome purgatory between the ceremony and reception when you are starving and can’t find anywhere to sit, however, cocktail hour is becoming one of the most central parts of any wedding day with couples even opting to have their first-look photoshoots with their full bridal party before the ceremony which means they don’t have to leave again after the ceremony and miss out on golden hour with their guests.
We have all been to those weddings where there is only one couch or a few bar stools and no shade or warmth available during those hours between the ceremony and reception and it really can feel like torture. But no longer! With one of the most popular wedding trend predictions of 2023 being the enhancement and focus on the guest experience, we predict the amount of cocktail furniture hired will increase this year along with the type of furniture being more carefully considered. If you want more information on how to choose the perfect amount of furniture for your cocktail reception, be sure to check out our blog here.
There will also be more of a focus on the bar & food service during cocktail hour. Cocktail & canape menus, elaborate catering experiences, glassware details, and even the ice cubes are now being considered with edible florals frozen inside or giant cube or sphere shapes (we love a signature ice cube!)
7. Signage & Stationery
Signage and stationery have come a long way in the last few years and are now two of the most considered and detailed pieces of every wedding. Welcome signs, seating charts, dinner menus, place cards, cocktail menus, and plaques for loved ones that are no longer with us. These often-last-minute additions are, this year, moving front and centre in the styling process and we love seeing all the newest concepts being dreamt up by these very talented creatives & couples alike. Linen signs and vintage mirrors were big in 2022, what will they think of next?
8. Fabulous Food
That age-old idea that you will go hungry at a wedding is well and truly behind us with couples splurging on not only generous, decadent menus for their guests but also making the food a central experience on the day! Think Fairy Floss & Gelato Carts on a summer afternoon in the garden or by the pool, oyster shucking, seafood bars, chefs creating your fabulous meals amongst your guests with pizza ovens, pasta alla ruota – yes, that’s that incredible pasta you have seen, served tableside in a cheese wheel (to save you the google search) and antipasti and cheese stations throughout cocktail hour or on your dining tables to start. Incorporating these experiences and displays into the overall theme of your wedding day can be simply achieved with a stylist’s touch so be sure to get your stylist to work with your caterers to ensure it comes together seamlessly!
