Over the past few years, there have been noticeable shifts in almost every industry – and the wedding landscape is no exception. Traditions were upended, and novel food and beverage ideas were brought to the table. Age-old rituals were subtracted from the wedding-planning equation, and new experiences were introduced to the matrimonial journey. With all these changes, you might be wondering: What does 2023 have in store when it comes to wedding trends? What’s in, and what’s on its way out? 

Having planned wedding after stylish wedding, Walters Wedding Specialists have a finger on the pulse of industry trends. The consensus? There’s never been a better time for shaking things up. “More and more couples are wanting to enhance their guest experience and are providing more experiential items throughout the wedding to do so!” Walters Wedding Specialists say. From inventive food and beverage stations to non-traditional attire, here we’ll share Walters Wedding Estates’ best advice and predictions for the year ahead.

What’s Out: Uniformed Attire

Tradition dictates that wedding parties should all don the same attire – that way, their uniform for the day appears unified in color and style. But there’s a reason why some bridesmaids secretly dread this part of the job: what fits one party member might look unflattering on another. No one likes feeling uncomfortable in their attire, so more and more couples are ditching this tradition and bestowing the gift of free will upon their closest friends and family.

What’s In: Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

A little chaos can go a long way – especially when making your nearest and dearest feel their absolute best on your wedding day. Today, the trend leans toward comfort – phew! – and more individualized choices. “It’s such a fun and unique way for each girl to wear a dress that is more suited for them,” Walters Wedding Specialists say. “Plus, it’s so beautiful seeing all of the different colors, patterns, and textures together.” However, just because you’re giving your wedding party free reign on their attire doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them some guidelines. To avoid a completely disjointed look, give them a loose prompt: same hue in different styles, or same style in different colors, or different colors and styles with a unified hemline.

What’s Out: Wedding Favors

Sending off your guests with thoughtful trinkets is a customary way to thank them for their time, love, and support. “Thoughtful” is a key element here, as typical, run-of-the-mill wedding favors have fallen out of – well, favor! Instead of focusing on physical objects, for example, the trend is to lean into experiences and edible treats guests will actually enjoy. “We see that more couples are opting for different experiences like a photo booth or coffee cart or late night snack over the traditional wedding favors,” Walters Wedding Specialists say. “It goes back to enhancing the guest experience and giving your guests a really amazing experience at your wedding with fun things to do.”

What’s In: Food and Bar Stations

This idea of creating “experiences” extends to food and beverage repertoires, too. Tradition says that plated dinners and tiered wedding cakes are the elevated way to handle the program. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a delicious multi-course experience, there’s also no rule against having a little fun with your menu. “We love seeing interactive bars and food stations that allow guests to customize their food and drink selections more!” Walters Wedding Specialists say. Some offbeat, interactive ideas to make your own: a street taco station, a mashed potato bar, a fried rice selection, charcuterie boards, a buffet-style barbeque feast, and so much more!

What’s Out: Garter Toss

Today’s trends are tossing the garter toss out the window – and for good reason! While some outdated traditions are still fun and quirky, the garter toss has been under a lot of scrutiny lately. “I’m happy to see the garter toss go,” Walters Wedding Specialists say. “It’s fun to incorporate other trends like anniversary dances, etc.” Feel uncomfortable incorporating the garter toss into your big day? Skip it altogether, and entertain your guests with other activities like: musical chairs, karaoke challenges, trivia, and more.

What’s In: Weekend Itineraries & Extended Celebrations

It might still be called your wedding “day,” but weddings have ballooned to become so much more than a few-hours-long event. This is good news for newlyweds who spend months – if not years – planning the occasion. The festivities don’t have to end in a day; you have the opportunity to stretch out the fun and spend even more time with loved ones and friends. Multi-day celebrations are increasing in popularity, and the best way to orchestrate this is to come up with a well-rounded weekend itinerary. Make the most of it by spacing out your welcome party, ceremony, and reception, and sprinkling in some exciting recreational activities in the area before hosting your farewell Sunday brunch.

What’s Out: Wedding Hashtags

At the height of their popularity, hashtags were the cool-kid thing to adopt at weddings. (If you didn’t have a personalized, one-of-a-kind hashtag for your big day, you weren’t doing it right!) Creating a hashtag for you and yours is a clever way to consolidate social media posts about your celebration. However, some would argue that it can be too demanding of a request for guests, particularly for those who aren’t so social media-savvy. That’s why couples today are ditching the pound sign and choosing to share their wedding content on your own terms. Some are even going as far as unplugging from social media altogether. It’s all about the experience, remember?

What’s In: Personalized, Authentic Celebrations

With all of this said, there’s something even more important to keep in mind than trends that come as quickly as they go. Your wedding day is just that – yours. Borrow ideas from today’s trends, or ignore them entirely. Whatever you do, make sure it feels true to who you are as a couple, and find a team that can bring your unique vision to life. At Walters Wedding Estates, our Planning Representatives are dedicated to making sure that every detail of your big day – or your big weekend – is fine-tuned to your needs and wants, from start to finish.