Top 10 Wedding Trends of 2019

Long gone are the days of “chicken or fish” wedding planning. In 2019, your wedding is an opportunity to tell the story of who you are as a couple. With personalized favors, creative food choices and interactive reception activities, weddings are becoming more and more tailored to express the unique personalities of the bride and groom and to give guests something truly memorable to walk away from.

For some, that might mean a return to the traditional, opting for an elegant sit-down meal, deep colors & textures and rich, romantic florals. For others, things like indoor, bohemian greenery, fun & casual small bites and getting playful with reception activities can make for a charmingly personal and fun-loving night for your guests.

Your wedding is a time to celebrate a love story that’s all your own. Whether you’re coordinating special drone shots from the reception or asking your guests to unplug for an intimate ceremony, the essential element is the same: you’re gathering the people you love most around you to celebrate where you’ve been as a couple and the special commitment you’ve decided to embark on together. However you want to express that, we’ve got you covered with the wedding trends to watch to help jumpstart your creativity.

We’ve charted the top 10 wedding trends of 2019 to act as your launchpad towards whatever this special day might look like for you. Take a peek and get inspired!

1. Mixing Things Up with Non-Traditional Florals

Like everything else on your big day, your floral elements should tell the story of who you are as a couple. When you think of traditional romance flowers, things like roses, tulips and peonies typically spring to mind. However, nontraditional options are an opportunity to highlight your unique taste while simultaneously saving you money and presenting more eco-friendly, seasonal options. Get creative with elements like pampas grass, olive branches or succulents. What wildflowers are in season in the town where you first met? Thinking outside the box with elements like fruits or dried flowers can really set your wedding apart.

2. Not Your Average Reception Activities

Receptions in 2019 are all about giving your guests something fun and interactive to participate in. From cigar rolling and mixologist stations that get people straight into the action, to unique things to watch, like having a watercolorist create a live painting of the event or a chef hand-carving Iberico ham for hors d’oeuvres, an action element can be tailored to your personality and give your guests something memorable to experience.

3. Make it Green

The greenery trend is here to stay in floral decor. In 2019, couples are expected to continue integrating elements like vines, eucalyptus and rosemary into everything from ceremony alters to centerpieces. With a look both bohemian and elegant, greenery is a chic way to bring the outdoors in and provide a warm, down-to-earth backdrop for your guests to enjoy.

4. Inside Out & Outside In

The “outdoor in” trend goes further than greenery— a major theme in 2019 is to bring outside elements inside for an indoor wedding and, conversely, indoor elements outside for outdoor weddings. For an outdoor venue, bringing plush furniture to install for a “living room” type atmosphere creates a uniquely luxurious space for your guests to kick back, while hanging plant installations at an indoor wedding can help add a dramatic natural element.

5. Ditch Tradition with Grazing or Family-Style Catering

Although 2019 does show some signs of a trending return to the more formal, plated-dinner reception, many couples will still opt to ditch the traditional sit-down meal for something more creative and interactive that doesn’t tie the newlyweds to a sweetheart table. Grazing tables loaded with heavy appetizers can be a great way to get guests mingling and give the bride & groom the opportunity to circulate through the room and greet their guests. A family-style meal where servers bring out large platters for guests to serve themselves at the table can bring an intimate, rustic feeling to the meal and makes for a great opportunity to feature dishes significant to the couple or their family heritage.

6. Don’t Forget the Drone

A very “2019” question: if your photographer didn’t use a drone to capture video & pictures from the day... did your wedding even happen? Drone footage with special aerial group shots is only trending up in our forecast for this year.

7. Setting the Scene with Photo Walls

Having a photo opportunity for guests at your reception has become a go-to, fun element for couples to include. However, in 2019, you’ll see less of the typical, small photobooth setups and a turn towards large, dramatic photo walls and even full scenes for your guests to pose in. Large balloon walls or floral walls make for a dynamic backdrop for guests getting their model on and can tie-in nicely with other decor elements at play in your reception. Some couples are even converting airstream trailers into their own staged photobooths for the night!

8. Going Deep with Colors & Textures

On the rise in 2019 are deep, dramatic color palettes and the use of bold textures, like velvets and fur. Expect to see plenty of dark blues, reds and purples as couples opt for a more dramatic and elegant evening atmosphere to add an air of luxury to the festivities.

9. Keeping Things Unplugged

One interesting trend departure comes in the form of the “unplugged” wedding. While wedding-specific hashtags and live updates from guests have been commonplace in recent years, more and more couples are requesting that guests put away devices for the ceremony, or for the entire wedding. A phone-free wedding can mean a more intimate, in-the-moment experience— just make sure you have a great photographer booked to capture those candid memories!

10. Late Night Treats with a Personal Touch

Food is a great way to tell a story, and the growing trend of providing a late-night snack for guests after a night of dancing & imbibing is the perfect opportunity to be a little more fun and casual with the story you tell. Fall in love at a food truck? Break out the late-night street tacos. Have a two-city story? Kansas City BBQ sliders will go great with mini deep dish pizzas at midnight. A Seattle love story could do well to cap the night off with a coffee cart. Guests will love the personal touch and thank you for the forethought. Feeling inspired? Kick things off with a Gourmondo Event Planner and let us help make your big day as unique as you are. Call Gourmondo at 206-762-2977 or fill out a quote request online at www.gourmondoco.com.