If you’ve been trying to plan your big day for any longer than six-and-a-half minutes, then you’ve no doubt fallen down the Pinterest rabbit hole and come out the other side feeling flustered. That’s because there is so much out there; so many options, so many ways to do things, so many ways to personalise a wedding. It’s daunting. Wonderful but daunting. In fact. it’s enough to make you shake like a leaf caught on the edge of a hurricane, which is why you need to take a deep breath, gently rub your earlobes and then remind yourself that:
Your wedding is not a competition; it is a celebration of your love story, and
Just like with the gorgeous white gown, there are certain wedding classics that will never-ever fall out of style, and for very-very good reason.
The problem is, you’ve gotten flustered. You accidentally overheard a conversation about how classic weddings are sooooo 2017 and you suddenly found yourself second-guessing everything, from the chalkboard wedding signs and the neutral colour palette. Don’t worry though. Every couple has this moment, which is why we are here to remind you of a simple truth: popular trends are popular for a reason - everyone loves them.
They are the little darling details that make people whoop and cheer and swoon. They’re the classics that make a wedding timeless. They the tried-and-true favourites. Now, there are a thousand wedding trends that come and go like a North Norfolk tide; but only a few are beautiful enough to become timeless classics.
So, without further ado, here are the best wedding trends that don’t have an expiry date:
1. Charming Chalkboards
It doesn’t matter how many times you may have seen the wedding chalkboard get brought out, they never lose their ability to charm n’ disarm, and that’s because there are so many ways they can be personalised. To give you some ideas on how you can give the classic chalkboard a gorgeous little makeover, you could use one to welcome the guests to your wedding, or tell people to capture the love with a hand-drawn picture of a camera and a hashtag, or encourage them to “choose a seat, not a side”, or even use them to write down little chapters of your love story and then dot them about your marquee. As you can see, you can DIY the chalkboard how you like, and that means they will never fall out of fashion.
2. Neutral Palettes Are Perfect
We love seeing couples embrace bold and vibrant weddings, packing their venues full of bright tones and rich colours. Of course we do. However, when it comes to making a wedding timeless, elegant, chic and classic, we can’t help but fall in love with a more neutral palette. There’s just no better way to create a beautiful backdrop than to celebrate crisp whites, soft creams, fresh cuts of greenery and untreated timber tones. It’s the art of subtle beauty. It’s about creating a timeless foundation that you can build on; that’s what makes a classic wedding stand out from the tide of trends.
3. Grab A Prop & Smile Pretty
Every. single. wedding. classic began life as a magical innovation, and the photo booth is no different. Mmm hmmm, what was once a little corner of memory-making fun has blossomed into a wedding day mainstay. What makes them so amazing, though, is that you can tailor them to fit any theme. You could have a vintage booth to suit your rural wedding or you could DIY your way to a digital version that will suit your uptown celebration. But whatever fits your wants and wishes, you can guarantee there will be a non-stop queue for the booth and, when you get the pictures back, you’ll realise the oversized glasses, feather boa, fake cigar and stick on moustache were, in fact, the huge hit you’d feared they wouldn’t be.
4. Lovely In Lace
Of all the big decisions leading up to your big day, none are bigger than the “which dress?” question, especially nowadays. There is everything from organza two-pieces to chiffon tulle skirts, and that’s without mentioning the added extras. But, if you want to embrace tradition and walk down the aisle in a wedding gown that will never age no matter how many years from now you decide to flick through your wedding album, then it doesn’t get more elegant than a lace dress. They aren’t just timeless, they are transcendent. It doesn’t matter whether you’re having a bohemian wedding in a forest glade or a high-end affair in a luxury hotel, a lace wedding gown compliments everything. Always. It is the secret ingredient of a harmonious wedding.
5. A Cocktail With An Autograph
No matter how cheesy it may read on paper, a modern classic that’s bound to survive the test of time is the signature cocktail. It’s a welcome rarity in the planning process and that’s because it’s a fun little way of adding a touch of you to your wedding day. It’s your chance to embrace the sillier things in life, whether it be a Something Blue Curacao Cocktail, a White Wedding Russian, a Honeydew I Do Margarita or even an Appley Ever After Martini. Have some fun, let the stress of wedding planning disappear for a second and get creative with your cocktails. Of course, you don’t have to come up with a moniker that plays on the whole wedding thing; you could use your new surname for inspiration, or even bring your honeymoon destination into the fold (anyone up for a Maui Wowie or a Lisbon Lover?).
6. Centre Of Attention
When it comes to tabletop centrepieces, we’ve seen them all, from the fun to the quirky. We’ve seen bowls full of beautiful seashells, flowers beneath upturned wine glasses with candles on top, Hunter wellies filled with bouquets and decorated pineapples. What’s more, we’ve loved them all. But we still can’t help falling for natural floral arrangements the hardest. They are - without question - the most timeless way to dress the space in the middle of your tables. You could choose to have pretty posies, big bunches of wildflowers or an arrangement of seasonal flowers; this wedding classic never fails to transform a space, and it never fails to draw out a chorus of “awwwwwws” as people take their seats either.
7. Embrace The Dancefloor Classics
There will be a moment when your eyes roll and your cheeks turn a darker shade of pink as Rihanna’s “Umbrella” comes on (especially if it’s followed closely by Kings Of Leon’s “Sex On Fire”). But there is a reason why your wedding DJ has played these once upon a time hits; they are dancefloor-fillers and crowd-pleasers and, after a few too many cocktails, you’ll find these songs are the ones that fill your wedding pavilion with laughter, joy and the sound of a hundred people singing along to the best/worst songs from the naughties. Basically, if The Black Eyed Peas and Wheatus aren’t invited to the dancefloor then your wedding is going to be left wanting - they’re the classics that make every wedding a hit.
8. Saying Goodbye With Sparklers
Of all the pictures you hope your photographer captures, none deserves the title of modern classic more than the sparkler exit. It’s just the most perfect way to capture the end of the night, all of your friends and family and nearest and dearest waving their sparklers in front the night sky as you and your soul mate wave goodbye from the back of a car, the sound of tin cans bouncing along the driveway. It really is the only way to be sent off; sparks flying, lights shimmering, smiles beaming and cheers filling the faces of all those around you. Trust us, this will be the photo you treasure more than any other. It always is.
Thank you for reading!