Next year is going to be B-I-G. Wedding-wise, anyway.

With almost every couple being glad to see the back of 2021 (and the endless chat around how to plan, postpone or survive a wedding during Covid), there’s a high-voltage buzz around being able to celebrate again without having to jump through a long list of ever-changing government hoops. We say this, knowing they’ll still be around and there’ll still be very real challenges we’ll face with this pandemic (staying virus-free at the time of your own wedding being one very real concern) but here’s hoping we’re not eating our words in 12 months when we say we’re making p-r-o-g-r-e-s-s.

The silver lining in all of this wreckage though, has been the way it’s fast-tracked a mass shift in perspective. Couples have had time to consider what’s important to them and why they’re getting married in the first place.

The knock-on effect is a surge of weddings that are inherently more personal and meaningful. Couples are creating their own traditions, ditching any that no longer seem relevant and basically eating, drinking and wearing whatever the hell they want.

It’s helped couples to reimagine the way we celebrate love and how individual that looks for everyone, and it’s this way of thinking that’s dictated most of the 2022 wedding trends we’ve expanded on below.

Odd-numbered wedding parties

Couples will be relieved to know that it’s entirely okay (and in fact, on trend) to have odd number wedding parties. It’s evolved off the back of a new train of rational thought and post-pandemic perspective that questions why you would include someone just to balance out the numbers? Now it’s about choosing those friends or relatives that first come to mind and sticking with it – regardless of how uneven that looks.

Digital wedding registries will boom

Most modern couples live together prior to their wedding and as such, they don’t need another toaster. What they do need? Money. For many cultures, this is a standard wedding gift and in more recent years it’s become the gift-of-choice for Western weddings too. The catch here is that asking for money can feel awkward or impersonal, which is why we’re tipping digital registries that allow couples to communicate what they’ll be using that cash for will become even more mainstream.

Check out our Gravy (set to launch in early 2022) which not only allows couples to collect money as a wedding gift in a personal way, but also request contributions to charity and – our fave thing – ask guests to gift them time, skills and good deeds as a wedding gift without having to outlay a cent. Think asking for help to paint the house, plant a garden, dog-sit or even request that guests become an organ donor or adopt a koala on behalf of the couple.

High impact florals

Flowers have always been a key styling feature at weddings but come 2022, we’re expecting to see more couples throwing money at big, high-impact installations (like an arbour or hanging masterpiece that can be repurposed at the reception) versus lots of smaller table arrangements. More metaphorical bang for your buck makes sense.

Micro-weddings and elopements

It comes as no surprise that one of the biggest 2022 wedding trends will be micro-weddings and elopements. Even despite most Covid restrictions being lifted, couples are making a deliberate decision to host small, intimate gatherings where the focus is very much on each other and the act of getting married, rather than a wedding itself.

Reinventing tradition

One thing we won’t see in 2022 is couples investing in traditions simply because it’s the “done thing”. Moving forward, couples will be very intentional about what elements they decide to include in their big day. The way this looks for every couple will be different but some examples include:

Mum walking down the aisle.
No wedding party or mismatched, gender mixed wedding party.
Either no readings or several, non-traditional readings.
Personal vows full of laughter rather than full romance.
No cake cutting, bouquet toss or first dance (but perhaps an alternative to these instead).
Bride speaking instead of the groom.
Getting ready together in the morning.
Signing marriage certificates discreetly post ceremony.

Sustainability

Sustainability – it’s the way of the future and while we’ve still got a long way to go, we’re pleased to see more couples making more eco-friendly choices when it comes to their wedding. That might mean shopping for gifts locally, hiring a wedding dress, eliminating any single-use items in favour of hired items, throwing biodegradable confetti, sourcing local and seasonal food and flowers, recycling waste and using cleaner products for hair and makeup.

Pearls

It’s a niche trend but a biggie. Pearl embellished wedding veils, pearl earrings, pearl rings, pearl headbands and hair clips – basically any accessory with pearls will be given a big thumbs up. Discover some of our favourite Australian jewellery labels here.

Incorporating an Acknowledgement of Country

As a way of showing respect for our Australian Aboriginal culture and heritage, more couples are incorporating an Acknowledgement of Country into their wedding ceremony. It’s a practice we’re 100% behind; so much so we’ve written an entire article on how to Incorporate an Acknowledgement of Country. Give it a read.

Weekday weddings

All the postponements due to lockdowns and restrictions have mean that weekend availability can be hard to come by for many venues. For this reason, we expect to see a surge in weekday weddings in 2022 as couples choose to hold their nuptials on any ol’ day of the week. Mon through to Thurs is fair game (and sometimes comes with a discount too, so it’s not a bad thing for the budget).

Non-white wedding dresses

Not exactly a new wedding trend but one that’s been a little slower to really take off has been non-white wedding dresses. That’s all about to change, especially given the number of micro-weddings and elopements, which lend themselves to less traditional attire and the shift in attitude around bucking tradition in lieu of things the couple actually like (which may just happen to be a non-white wedding dress).

Destination, whole-weekend weddings

If COVID taught us anything, it’s that wide, open spaces are good for the soul. Perhaps that’s why we’re seeing so many couples flee the cities to tie the knot in regional and coastal areas where they can spend an entire weekend with their loved ones breathing in the smell of fresh country air and freedom. Start searching for the ultimate destination wedding venue here.

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