Without a doubt, wedding ideas for 2021 are going to be inspired by the Coronavirus lockdown. Not directly of course, I mean we're not thinking tailored hazmat suits for the grooms men and social distancing on the dance floor. More that brides will have longer to plan, DIY and shop locally when it comes to big day supplies.
From helping the British economy bounce back to adopting a ‘go big or go home’ mentality for postponed weddings, this period of time we’ve been stuck in our homes – not able to hug our loved ones – will have a profound effect on how we choose to celebrate. We may see couples chose to celebrate on a much smaller scale, 'micro-weddings' that allow the bride and groom to be with the ones they have missed the most during lockdown. Or maybe brides will go in the other direction and opt for an over the top celebration that is extravagant and oversized, bringing everyone together to enjoy our newfound freedom. Be it big or small, we are sure that wedding ideas for 2021 will be sentimental and caring. I think we've all discovered how much we need each other right now and how gifted we feel whenever we receive the smallest token of affection from friends or family. Of course, we will lose this feeling over time, but as we roll into 2021 I'm sure couples will still be hyper aware of how important it is show someone you care.
Expect 2021 to be a bumper year for weddings, thanks to postponed dates from this year. And with each of those couples putting their own personality and flavour on their day, we predict a surge in creative and unique weddings.
Here are our favourite wedding ideas for 2021 to get you excited for the big day.
Buying British
Lockdown has put a huge strain on the UK economy and, in 2021, we’re going to see more couples choose to support the UK’s phenomenal network of suppliers, bridal boutiques and independent businesses with their hard-earned money.
The buzz of going out to a wedding shop, to feel the fabrics of the dresses, to see the styles in person and try them on will be such a luxury and encourage more brides to invest in British brands. More couples will turn to independent shops on Etsy and local designers to buy their décor and stationery instead of choosing Amazon or a big corporate brand. Local suppliers, from caterers to photographers, will get more booking as couples choose to invest in the economy on their doorstep.
Little Acts of Gratitude
Weddings in 2021 will have an even deeper meaning; an extra layer to the day when there is a moment to stop and reflect on the events of the past 12 months and be grateful for good health and safety, to honour the opportunity of being finally able to celebrate with the ones you love.
You can easily incorporate poignant acts of thanks into your big day. Though time-consuming (we have time at the moment...), a personal note on each guest place setting is a hugely meaningful gesture. Choose special guests, such as grandparents or close friends, to take home one of the flower arrangements at the end of the night. Smaller things include baking special ‘thank you’ biscuits for each guest, or hiring one or two babysitters to look after young guests during dinner and speeches and into the evening – it’s a way of giving parents some much-needed time off...
A Traditional Touch & Feel
Weddings will go back to their heart: making treasured memories with friends and family. Experts across the wedding industry are predicting tradition to be a defining feature of 2021, from timeless dresses to nostalgic fragrances and traditional speeches.
“I am seeing a return to the more traditional side of weddings,” says Jennie Evans of bespoke floral designers Liberty Lane Flowers. “Many more of my clients are choosing their local, childhood church for their ceremony, with a statement archway to frame the entrance, and delicate meadow flowers lining the aisle. They are then moving on to a marquee or Sperry tent in the grounds of their parent’s house or a private home setting.
Brides will be valuing the sentimental moments of their day and having their bouquets preserved and framed, or plant roses in their gardens that were used in the wedding flowers.
The Wedding Guest Experience
Wedding ideas for 2021 will be much more about experiences. That means couples will focus much more on entertainment and looking after their guests. Think a cool cocktail service or DIY cocktail bar instead of a standard paid bar, and interactive entertainment such as comedians or tarot readers on top of music.
Interactive experiences have boomed in popularity at weddings, and we see that ramping up in 2021 with things like street artists to sketch your guests, acrobats and fire performers, roaming musicians, magicians etc.
Sustainable Weddings
“Couples are increasingly putting sustainability as a top priority for their wedding day and 2021 will continue to see a big growth in this. The stats are scary – one wedding day produces the same CO2 emissions as five people will produce in a year,” say the team at Norfolk’s stunning Holkham Hall.
Their effort to make their big day's sustainable is great inspiration when you're looking at wedding ideas for 2021. You could arrange a tree planting party for your guests to reduce their carbon footprint; keep 'food miles' down by opting for locally grown meat and vegetables (even better if it can be directly from the Estate you’re marrying on, like at Holkham) or a vegan menu; serve local beers, wines and spirits; and choose a venue with a beautiful backdrop that doesn’t require lavish decoration that will end up in landfill. All of this also helps to kickstart our British economy.
Wedding Music – Song Request RSVP’s
Ask your guests to assist with your wedding music by sending a song request along with their RSVP. This will save you time creating the ultimate wedding party playlist and it also means there’s no excuse for your guests not to get up and dance during the reception when their favourite tune comes on!
Heirloom Investment Wedding Dresses & Accessories
As we mentioned earlier there will probably be two extremes for weddings in 2021. Some couples will go all out and have a decadent, no-expense-spared big day, while others will keep things more considered and invest in pieces which they can wear again and again. On the whole I think we’ll see lots of stunning crowns, headpieces & wedding dresses which will become heirlooms to be passed down to future generations.
Time apart from our families has reminded us of the crucial connection between generations, which will lead to more heirlooms being worn now (Granny definitely has a brooch you’ve got your eye on) and heirlooms invested in for your children. Considering they predict a baby boom post-lockdown, we might need to buy several heirlooms…
Micro Wedding in 2021
Micro weddings are weddings with less than 20 guests, and we’ll see more and more of these intimate ceremonies in 2021. In some cases, it might be about budget constraints, but for a lot, the reasoning will be that couples simply want to scale back to just the family and friends they can’t live without.
Lockdown has been a period of reflection for many about what’s truly important, and for some couples, that will crystallise exactly who they want by their side on their special day. Crucially, their budget won’t change. They’ll want to splash out on their guests and create an unforgettable experience.
2021 will be a year of the authentic wedding, gone will be the large, showy, corporate-event style celebrations. Instead, weddings will become more intimate as people will want to be surrounded by those friends that are really important to them, and will be less concerned with having people ‘just for show’. The offset of having smaller guest numbers will mean couples will have more budget for stationery, jewellery, clothes, food, and decorations.
A Weekday Wedding
Guests can expect to see an influx of invites to weekday weddings in 2021. It’s due in part to the build-up of 2020 weddings which have spilled over into 2021, but also budget considerations for couples who’ve been more stretched than expected. Hiring venues and suppliers is cheaper on weekdays and there’s more likely to be availability.
So if you're a guest, start saving up now for outfits, travel and hotels. While we absolutely love the idea of a full year brimming with weddings not just on the weekends, please be careful to avoid showing up to work hungover the next day…
Much love
From Laura Daly & the girls xx