With every new year, you can expect to see a selection of emerging trends that will inspire brides, grooms, and wedding planners to create unique, personalized wedding receptions. If you’re planning a wedding this year, you might be interested in finding decor trends that speak to you and ensure a stunning space to welcome the happy couple. Check out some of the best reception trends for the year to develop your own aesthetic that delivers something delightful and unexpected for everyone.
1. Palazzo-Inspired Style
While you might not be able to jet off to Italy for a destination wedding, you can still bring a little bit of Italy home with a Palazzo-inspired wedding reception. The hallmarks of this style include graceful, timeless decor that’s rooted in history. It features golden frescoes, statement floors, high ceilings, rich fabrics, and manicured garden spaces.
Some ways you can bring your wedding venue closer to the Palazzo style include adding a vinyl dance floor with a printed design, opting for walnut wood tables, using Ginori china and gold bulk candle holders, serving in blown glass goblets, and designing velvet menus with a painted scene. If your venue has antique chandeliers and gold accents, all the better!
You can also think a little bit outside the box for your Italian inspiration with garden venues that feature hedges and mazes. You might even want to make your wedding cocktail an Aperol spritz, served at a bar beneath a pergola outside.
2. Artistic & Bohemian
If you’re someone who has a lot of interest with an eclectic aesthetic that doesn’t always seem to match, boho and artsy is gonna be the right choice for you. Instead of a clean, homogenous design, you get to explore something a little more unconventional that merges a variety of styles and details. The ideal bohemian wedding will blend raw and unexpected decor with elegance and a touch of artistic flair so your space feels authentic and genuine.
So, what are some boho or artsy elements you can incorporate into this style of wedding? Consider colorful geometric rugs layered as a path to your simple metal arch, along with black glassware, rattan charger plates, dried florals, and lots of patterned fabric accents. Bring a little of that boho style to your wedding outfits with woven texture in your dress or suit.
3. Unexpected Colors
Choosing the palette for your wedding is an essential, yet sometimes, challenging part of wedding planning. There are many traditional pairings, including seasonal recommendations, like burgundy and navy for winter or pastels for spring. However, as customs and trends evolve, people are putting the classics to bed and opting for unexpected color combinations that are more representative of their personal style.
When the wedded couple truly relates to their color palette, they add another layer of meaning to their ceremony and reception. Many couples are turning to national parks to find their palettes, inspired by the scenery around them for fresh, iconic colors with a sense of adventure. Other couples are turning to colors that hold meaning for their cultural backgrounds, like the hues of a national flag or the symbolic colors from their heritage.
4. Sustainable Decor
As everyone becomes more environmentally conscious, reception and event decor is taking “going green” to another level. Since many couples strive to live environmentally and socially conscious lives, wedding planners can expect this to extend to everything from single-use cups to confetti thrown at the exit.
A few ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint for wedding receptions include thrifting bigger decor pieces, like tables and couches, renting essential decorations instead of buying, creating compostable place settings, using only recyclable materials, gifting reusable wedding favors, and opting for biodegradable confetti. You’ll want to stay away from paper, plastic, and other single-use items that guests will throw away.
5. Colorful Glassware
When people think of glassware, they think of clear pieces that are easy to incorporate into any table setting. Sadly, these pieces don’t usually have any character — they’re just a functional choice that seems like a necessity. However, new wedding trends are showing that it’s possible to make every detail matter. One way in which you can make glassware matter is by adding unique colors, shapes, and textures.
This creative element enhances your reception space with vibrant hues that can intertwine with your wedding palette. You can opt for colorful drinkware that matches your florals or the bridesmaid’s gowns. Or, choose a single glass element in a bold shade that stands out among the other neutral options on each table.
6. Fruity Focus
Since couples this year are focused on sustainability, fruit is a big trend for accents and table decor. Everything from oranges and lemons to pineapples and mangos can be used to embellish your tables with a touch of texture, fragrance, and color — and you can always eat them afterward!
Fruit is a truly unique choice because it adds another dimension to your reception decor, fully evoking all the senses. You can incorporate this element into your ceremony space, too, by lining your aisle with baskets of fruits and scattering your tables with berries. Use whatever fruit is fresh and ripe for the season to ensure the best flavors and colors.
What Do You Love?
Have any of these decor trends inspired you to start putting together your wedding reception? Share your ideas with others!