As one of the busiest wedding planners in Las Vegas, thousands of couples each year descend upon the Nevada desert, putting their wedding dreams in my hands and telling me exactly what they envision for their nuptials. And oh, how the ideal wedding changes from year to year as our cultural attitudes continue to evolve. Compiled from client bookings and inside information from my go-to vendors, below are some very surprising 2023 wedding trends to follow.
- Enter the three-year vow renewal
- Wardrobe and accessories are going BIG
- More couples are eliminating or downsizing bridal parties
- Bridal bouquets are going less garden greenery and more tropical
- We’ll see more pets on the guestlist
Expect A lot of Three-Year Vow Renewals
Traditionally, vow renewal ceremonies have been written off as hokey by some, or something to be done at the 20 or 50 year anniversary mark by others. In recent years, the vow renewal ceremony has been a trend that picked up steam, with many of my clients wanting to renew their vows in celebration of their five or ten year anniversary. But recently, we have had quite a few vow renewal ceremony bookings for 2023 by couples who were only just wed in 2020.
With tens of thousands of couples having tied the knot under less than ideal circumstances in 2020 and the beginning of 2021, many are seeking a do-over without having to wait for a milestone anniversary to pin it to. The year 2020 saw a lot of courthouse nuptials, lackluster elopements, and masked-up weddings. However, couples got married in 2020, chances are it wasn’t exactly what they wanted to do, and that has left a lot of couples frustrated and taking a mulligan on their first wedding. Enter the 2023, three-year vow renewal ceremony.
Perhaps your dream was an elopement or micro-wedding, but you envisioned it without all of the constraints that the pandemic placed on your special day. A vow renewal is your chance for a post-pandemic do-over.
Accessories Are Going Big and Bold
Capes, exaggerated vales, offbeat looks, cocktail gloves, campy ensembles and bows… if it’s over-the-top, you are going to see a lot more of it with 2023 wedding wardrobes. While fashion has always been a major component of weddings, so many of our couples are calling on bridal boutiques and designers for exaggerated statement looks for 2023. Danyelle Verhaalen of Grey Pearl Bridal Gallery in Las Vegas, Nevada, shares that she is fielding a ton of design requests asking for “something that hasn’t been done before.”
In addition to accessories paying homage to bygone eras and movie star glam, many brides are now requesting non-traditional colors, newer necklines, mismatched color palettes and asymmetric designs. Gone are the basic white wedding gown with the sweetheart neckline. Bridal fashion as self-expression is a major 2023 wedding trend.
Many Couples Are Opting Out of Traditional Bridal Parties
So many of our couples who have booked 2023 weddings are either modifying the idea of the traditional bridal party, or they are expressing the desire to do away with bridal parties, altogether. If 2020 and 2021 taught us anything, it’s that we don’t need nearly as many people at our celebrations as we once thought we did. Focusing on our closest friends and family is what makes an event special. Therefore, rather than large weddings with bloated guestlists filled with business associates and acquaintances, couples are opting for a VIPs-only guestlist which all but eliminates the need for a formal bridal party.
Another reason for this trend might be the stage of life of many couples who are getting married in recent years. Although it’s a great honor to be asked, being in a bridal party is a job that comes with expenses and responsibilities. As we get older, our nearest and dearest have other pressing responsibilities from parenthood and demanding jobs to mortgages or even elderly parents. The rigors of being included in a bridal party can become more of a burden, and couples are starting to shy away from the tradition.
Less Greenery and More Bold Tropical Flowers
Last year saw many variations on garden-themed bridal bouquets filled with greenery, while 2023 is leaning towards less green accents and more towards big, colorful tropical flower-filled bridal bouquets and floral design. Our go-to florist, Gaia Flowers, has been inundated with orders and requests for this bright-hued tropical look in the new year. From orchids and hibiscus to bromeliad, ginger, angel’s trumpet and canna; mixed tropical bouquets are the new “It” bridal bouquet for 2023.
Pets at Weddings
All those pandemic puppies have ushered in a whole new era of pet love that goes beyond what we have seen in years past. Pets, especially pups, have become such an integral part of the American family that more and more couples are refusing to leave them out of their special day. Solidifying this trend, companies like Fairytail Pet Care in the Las Vegas area are offering vetted and trained handlers who will dress, wrangle, occupy and care for your fury family members at your wedding. Expect to see some four legged guests at weddings in 2023.
About Wedding Planner McKenzi Taylor McKenzi Taylor is a celebrated wedding planner known for her storybook micro-weddings and elopements in some of the most picturesque natural locations throughout Las Vegas, San Diego and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Both her flagship brand Cactus Collective Weddings, and her newest brand Electric Sugar Elopements for rebel and alternative couples who want to break from tradition, offer all-inclusive packages, detailed themes and magazine-quality photography. She has been featured in Bridal Guide for three years running in their feature, "Wedding Planners We Love."
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