Like all trends, wedding trends continue to evolve. New ideas are everywhere this year, while the best of past trends have become enduring standards. The good news? While you’re planning your wedding venue, attire, decorations, and more, there’s no single dominant trend, so this is the wedding season for doing it your way with a perfectly personalized experience created with touches from across the spectrum.
Whatever your style—minimal, traditional, classic, rustic or modern—it’s all here in our list of wedding trends for 2019, culled from the predictions of top wedding planners and wedding style watchers.
Bouquets and Floral Arrangements
According to the experts cited on weddingwire.com, sculptural floral installations became popular in 2018 and will continue to appear this year. Greenery, often oversized, is being featured not only as decoration for the wedding venue or reception hall, but also for the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets. Perhaps most unusual, bridal trend watchers are also seeing jewelry made with live blooms and greenery taking the place of the customary bridal bouquets.
Other non-traditional bouquets include the bride and wedding party carrying a single, stunning flower, which coordinates particularly well with minimalist decor and sleek wedding gowns. And, as it often is with trends, there’s the opposite direction for bouquets: A cascade of bright, bold flowers and textures in asymmetrical arrangements.
“Local” is a growing trend as well, with brides choosing to source their flowers from vendors who offer blooms and greenery grown in the area or even foraging for flowers for an informal, impromptu bouquet taken right from the wedding site.
Wedding Gowns and Bridal Party Attire
According to top bridal designers interviewed by Marie Claire magazine, these four trends in wedding dresses stand out from the rest:
- Chic and effortless: When royalty marries, every detail is examined and talked about for weeks, but nothing can influence bridal fashion like the royal bride’s gown. Just as Princess Diana’s gown sparked trends in 1981, Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, did the same in 2018. Her Givenchy wedding dress gave fans of the pared-down, chic look even more reason to choose a slim silhouette that puts all of the attention on the bride.
- Bare shoulders: The designers predict that 2019 will have more than its share of off-the-shoulder sleeves and necklines. This is a style that flatters any bride or bridesmaid.
- Minimalism: Sleek is the word for spring 2019, the designers say, with a focus on “new silhouettes.” The silk column gown with few embellishments is the perfect example of this clean, chic look.
- Long sleeves: “Long sleeve dresses are feminine and traditional, but also elegant and simple,” says designer Lela Rose. “It’s a classic silhouette that will never go out of style.”
Groom’s Wear
2019 groom and groomsmen trends are bold and often colorful, according to a recent article on weddingwire.com. Richly textured fabrics such as tweed and velvet are also on tap, as are “playful” patterns that offer unique alternatives to the classic solid styles. Even if it’s just a patterned tie, florals and houndstooth are having their day in modern weddings.
Neutral colors are taking a back seat to vibrant green and burgundy, while bright blues are paired with black for a fresh but formal look. Much like the trend of having bridesmaids in coordinated but different dresses from each other, different suits or colors for groomsmen are new this year.
Grooms are also breaking old traditions by wearing white, per Brides magazine. Its article on “12 Trends Your Groom Needs to Know” also includes navy blue suits and suits paired with t-shirts and sneakers. Taking a cue from brides, who often change into a less formal or different dress for the reception, some grooms are wearing second suits!
Hair and Makeup
There are a few new and notable trends for hair and makeup this year, but plenty of tried-and-true looks are still very much in style, so chances are that no matter what look you choose, you’ll still look right up to date.
Here’s what Harper’s Bazaar says to watch for in hairstyling:
- Low ponytails tied with large white bows
- The “half-up”: pulling just the face-framing layers of hair back and letting the rest flow
- Edgy bobs cut extra-blunt
- Tendrils (another trend the Duchess of Sussex can take credit for!)
Makeup wedding trends for 2019 also have something for everyone, including:
- Sheer, barely-there foundation for natural coverage
- Matte “statement” red lip color, particularly when the rest of the makeup is restrained
- Full (but well-groomed) brows with a hint of tinted brow gel
- Tinted moisturizer for a touch of glowing color
- Lip stain topped by a thin layer of lip gloss in a similar shade
The Reception Venue
Whether you choose a grand ballroom for a crowd or your church’s fellowship hall, there are plenty of ideas for creating reception decor and an experience that your guests won’t soon forget:
- Have an onsite “mixologist” station where guests can try new drinks or interactive food stations where guests can create their own hors-d’oeuvres.
- More brides still opt for the big, centerpiece wedding cake, but also are including fun new options such as cake pops, truffles, macarons, and even donuts and waffles!
- Photo booths are still very big, but you can make it your own with unique backdrops that reflect your wedding’s theme.
- Instead of traditional buffets, stations are in, such as a raw bar or carving station. Stations allow food to be spread out across your reception venue, encouraging guests to move about and mingle.
- Wood or ceramic centerpieces with plants are predicted to be popular on reception tables this year, particularly when the plants are locally sourced.
- Table settings are dialing up the color! Complementary shades are being used instead of single-pattern plates and somber table linens.
- Black accents are being included, which provide an attractive contrast between other decorative elements. Think black candlesticks next to white floral arrangements.
- A mix of modern and traditional is a smart way to have it all. Blend contemporary pieces on your tables with more timeless elements to create a rich and unusual design.
- Lucite is clearly on the rise (pardon the pun)—name cards, signs, chargers, table numbers, and even flatware is available in lucite. Its transparency lets everything else on your tables shine a little brighter.
- Laser-cutting tech is making it easier for couples to have highly customized place settings, menus, and name cards.
Sustainability
Couples are finding new ways to have more sustainable weddings. As mentioned above, food and natural decorative elements can be found locally, but there are additional ideas such as skipping the formal printing and sending digital RSVPs. Reusable or rented decor also support your sustainability goals.
Favors
Giving experiences is a trend across all types of gift-giving. The Knot suggests skipping “the monogrammed chocolates” and offering your wedding guests an experience, with ideas ranging from a cocktail mixing class to a sunset cruise. Customized gifts are also in, according to hitcheed.com, which lists special coffee or tea blends as one unusual idea. The “experience” angle can also be incorporated in your reception with a video or photo booth, or providing games for your outdoor wedding reception venue.
Wedding planners are also seeing edible gifts such as small bottles of artisan olive oils and hot sauces with custom-printed tags.
Timing
Sunday weddings are becoming popular, according to weddingwire.com, which is a great idea if you’re having several events for guests over the course of a weekend. Saturday can be the day for welcome parties or brunch, with the big event on Sunday.
The time of year factors into 2019 trends as well, with ceremonies being held in autumn months. Depending upon where your wedding venue is, a fall date may help you avoid the unpredictable rains of spring and the heat and humidity of summer. Finding a date with your preferred venue will likely be much easier when you’re not competing with the spring and summer wedding rush.
What’s out?
Some trends evolve into new traditions, but most come and go. Here are just a few:
- The first look: This trend of the last few years can actually be a minus for guests, who want to see you and your fiance’s first look for themselves.
- Rustic wedding and reception venues: Just like the farmhouse interior decorating style that’s been made famous by HGTV designers, the rustic burlap concept will be on its way out.
- Large bridal parties: Brides and grooms are often having only their siblings or a friend or two, making their ceremony more intimate and keeping the focus on the couple.
- Rose gold: Again, as with interiors, rose gold had its moment, but wedding planners predict that deep blues and jewel tones will take its place.
- Traditional getaway cars: One wedding planner says she’s “seeing fire trucks, Teslas and decked-out golf carts” instead of limousines whisking the happy couple away.
Have Your Wedding Your Way at The Thrasher-Horne Center
Martha Stewart is right: Weddings are becoming more personalized than ever in 2019. If you’re searching for a unique wedding venue in the Jacksonville area that allows you to create your perfect ceremony and reception, the Thrasher-Horne Center is it! Our affordable wedding venue offers the flexibility you need to make your wedding just what you envision.
Our wedding ceremony and reception hall amenities and features include:
- Five suites (four with movable wall partitions) that can be configured for your wedding ceremony, wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, or any other wedding-related event.
- A grand room with a contemporary design that accommodates nearly 220 guests and still leaves space for dancing.
- A scenic location on the campus of St. Johns River State College in Orange Park, which is convenient to all parts of Northeast Florida and the First Coast.
- An experienced, on-site event planning staff that can help execute your plan to your specifications.
- Rental prices that include a custom furniture setup and breakdown with custom seating options.
- Independently controlled lighting and temperature in each of our suites.
- A recommended group of caterers and a warming kitchen for easy service.
- Free parking and easy access to our facilities.
- A beautiful backdrop for your wedding photos, such as our grand lobby staircase and landscaped waterfall.
- A full range of rental equipment available, including a dance floor, baby grand piano, table linens and much more.
We invite you to come see the Thrasher-Horne Center’s unique wedding venue and amenities for yourself! Please call our Rental Coordinator at 904-276-6815, extension 2 to schedule your personal tour.
