Luxury Wedding Trends | In Awe Weddings & Events

2022 was the biggest year for the wedding industry since 1984, as a wedding designer following visual 'trends' as such isn't something I do. However, couples wedding priorities and a shift in the industry is only aligning with everything I love about planning and designing wedding days across the UK so here are my favourite 2023/24 luxury wedding trends.

RELAXED YET REFINED LUXURY WEDDINGS

After what everyone has been through the last few years, the emotional charge behind weddings now is higher than ever and nearly weds are putting a huge priority on spending more time with guests. Due to this couples are appreciating the time spent with guests during their big day and choosing to go for a more relaxed itinerary which lends itself to facilitating interaction with loved ones and making those precious memories again.

This is another reason why gorgeously styled lounge settings are here to stay, quieter break out areas of sofas and easy chairs are the perfect place for guests to enjoy those deep and meaningful conversations and have a moment away to really be present at any occasion.

AN EPIC PARTY

Everyone is now searching for the gold dust of how to plan a wow-factor wedding, curating that guest experience and those magic moments that are the reasons you and your guests remember it as the 'best day ever'.

In Awe Weddings & Events has always approached every occasion as an opportunity to plan 'the party of all parties' and couples are recognising and understanding more than ever what makes an incredible event.

It's more than a sharp intake of breath and the urge to photograph everything when you first walk into a room, it's about curating the atmosphere and evoking a rollercoaster of emotions through talented entertainment, delicious innovative catering and planning in those one or two moments where you can really seek the attention of your guests.

OCCASIONS SPANNING A NUMBER OF DAYS

In keeping with the theme of making the most of time spent with your loved ones, weekend weddings give you that perfect opportunity and enable you to curate a perfectly balanced itinerary that combines unique eating and drinking experiences, epic partying, fun activities and relaxing for the ultimate way to celebrate!

Weekend wedding planning is something I am wholly passionate about as they bring a license to planning and designing more than one event that truly reflects the personality of a couple. From an intimate candlelit meal or cocktail and canape reception the night before, to a relaxing hangover brunch with bellinis on tap the day after. Whether it's an extravagant affair on a country estate such as Wilderness Reserve or using a number of City venues that require more in-depth logistics, the possibilities are endless.

A multi-day celebration is even more important for those couples who have guests travelling from around the globe as they can seize their wedding as the chance to make the most of precious time together before they put 1000's of miles between each other again.

WILD SHOW-STOPPING FLORAL INSTALLATIONS

'Blooms in abundance' as a luxury wedding trend is not going anywhere, and they are getting wilder, larger, and more instagrammable by the wedding! I'm seeing my couples allocating more and more of their wedding budgets to ensure we can include these huge utterly gorgeous installations as part of their day.

It is important when it comes to your wedding floral design to work with your florist and consider what elements can be repurposed throughout your day in order to gain maximum impact and ensure you have as many beautiful blooms breathing life into your wedding at every opportunity!

I think this stems from commercial venues and shops in the luxury hospitality and retail sectors opting to invest in stunning shop fronts and installations. People recognise how much this wow-factor visual adds to an experience that has translated into weddings.

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PERSONALISED DETAILS & AUTHENTIC WEDDING DESIGN

Alongside those larger visual wedding wow moments such as showstopping florals and the atmospheric wows of amazing entertainment, couples are prioritising and considering the smaller details now more than ever, as these can have as much if not a greater impact on a guest’s experience. This could be anything from drinking the wine you drank on your first date, to a nod to a loved one who is no longer with us, a personalised napkin for every guest, or even basing your wedding dessert on an old family recipe.

EMBRACING WEDDING TECHNOLOGY

As a UK Wedding Planner, I am always conscious of presenting sustainable options to my clients. Something I have hugely moved away from suggesting is paper invitations and I am seeing more and more couples wanting to do the same. This is not only for the sustainability factor but also due to the time-saving nature of collating RSVP's/ pre-orders/ special requirements and the logistical organisation of posting them out.

Paperless Post teamed with a wedding website is my favourite luxury wedding option for sending out save the dates and invitations. Paperless post is brilliant and has 100's of gorgeous customisable designs drawn by designers such as Oscar De La Renta & Kate Spade to choose from, and to RSVP you just include your wedding website domain. They also ensure that emails don't end up in your guest's junk inbox and have options to send personalised messages to nudge for RSVPs or give important wedding updates!