With a new year, comes new trends. According to Vogue, Wedding Forward and a few other online data sources, there’s some trends that are here to stay and some that just have to go. Let’s keep in mind that these ever so popular sources are looking towards a completely different demographic than what I’m seeing in Northeast Iowa – which means, take this with a grain of salt.

First things first.

I couldn’t agree more with the idea that smaller weddings, shorter ceremonies and customizing your day is the way to go in 2023. My motto is and always will be, the day is about you and your fiancé and no one should change your mind on something you are excited about. The internet sources confirmed that 2023 couples are continuing to include family and friends in ways they have not traditionally. For example, 55 percent of officiants are now family or a friend of the couple. (Wedding Trends)

Next, a smaller more intimate ceremony and reception has been a growing trend. Starting in 2020, or maybe 2021, the celebrations were forced to be smaller with COVID and restrictions. Since then, it’s just stuck. There’s exceptions, lots of exceptions in Northeast Iowa when the whole town is considered family, but overall smaller is popular.

Budget.

Who would have thought “budget” could be trend, but I’m here for it. Taking it back a step, couples are suggesting that weddings are more customized to their likes and wants, ultimately making it less “boring” for their day. One article mentioned couples bringing the idea of a mission statement into their planning. Including a mission statement allowed couples to hone in on what brought joy and sparked their interest – therefore they knew what to spend money on and building a budget friendly wedding, possibly even cutting costs.

Fashion.

Let’s be honest upfront – I am not a fashion expert. I will hand that baton off to Morgan at The Dress by Morgan Lynn. However, pearls were one fashion topic that seemed to pop up a little more often this year. The simple, monochromatic weddings go hand in hand with pearls, even with a small addition of vibrant color.

The white, cream, ivory and black colors for styling seem to be a popular go-to for couples in the coming year. In addition, adding a pop of color to the neutral palette is a great way to include a playful touch. The 2023 pantone of the year is Viva Magenta – what a vibrant beautiful color that would be as an accent!

Lastly, as far as colors go, the neutrals and pops of colors can be incorporated by florals, which is also a growing trend.

What’s out?

You can’t have things that are popular without some things that are losing excitement. First up, hashtags. They sound like a great way to collect photos in one location on social media, but they just aren’t used like that anymore and so many things get missed. A wedding without a hashtag is still going to be a wedding.

Bridesmaids dresses will ALWAYS be a topic of conversation when it comes to trends. Whether you have a 27 Dresses themed wedding party or a simple dress, the uniform bridesmaid’s dresses are a thing of the past. 2023 brides are making the call to allow their attendants to pick their own, have some flexibility and find something that works for them, which is great, because we all know how bad one dress can fit, but look incredible on the next girl.

Well, that’s it. I can’t stress enough that these are just thoughts and ideas pulled from others of what is gaining popularity and what is becoming less exciting for some – all in all, if you’re day involves a big ceremony, a particular color and your favorite hashtag, go for it!! There’s nothing stopping you from making your day perfect.