Trends We Love: "Something..." Edition
We’re guessing most of you have heard the phrase, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. Well, we borrowed those ideas for this edition of Trends We Love!
It’s no secret that wedding planners spend a whole lot of time browsing Pinterest + Instagram, just like you, in hopes of finding something that inspires us for our next big event.
The problem is that we all start to see the same things, or at least very similar things, repeated over and over. Now this doesn’t mean that a specific trend is stale or dated, it just means that your guests may not be quite as “wow’ed” considering they’ve likely seen it before too.
However, we don’t settle for mediocre weddings here at Love Letter Weddings. We do beautiful + unique + fun weddings that will keep your guests talking for a long, long time.
So we’re here to whip up a fresh batch of inspiration for you! We’re highlighting some ideas that we’ve personally incorporated into weddings and are so excited to share with you.
Something Old
BACKYARD WEDDINGS
A lot of the weddings that took place in the good ol’ days were much simpler than those happening now. And while we totally love planning big + extravagant parties, we think our grandparents just might have been on to something when they kept things intimate + meaningful!
However, we know that most couples don’t have backyards made up of acres and acres of grass + empty space, so we aren’t necessarily suggesting that you have a backyard wedding in your own backyard. Think more down the lines of “vacation rental backyard” or “private estate backyard”... fun, right?!
Not only do backyard weddings feel super cozy + intentional, but they give the couple the opportunity to personalize every single detail. From chairs to lighting to picking your ceremony backdrop, you have the flexibility + freedom to design the day to be exactly what you are picturing. Another bonus? You get to be on the property all day long, from getting ready to dancing late into the night.
CONFETTI + CUSTOM BAGS
Remember when there used to be baskets filled with rice or bubbles at almost every wedding ceremony you went to? We honestly love the idea behind this… it gives guests a fun way to get involved and let’s be honest, it makes for some seriously cute pictures! (Need proof? Scroll up and ooh-and-aah over that first photo for a second... we'll wait for you to get back, we promise.)
However, we love to tweak this old trend a bit and replace the rice and bubbles with wildflowers, herbs, birdseed or popcorn!
Want to make it even more fun? We wholeheartedly recommend customizing the bags that the confetti is stored in! You can get so creative with this and add a subtle + unexpected personalized stamp or monogram. Or maybe you want to put this space to more use and include a thank-you message or poem… we love that idea just as much!
This trend is “something old” meets great photo op, and that’s a combination we can always get behind!
NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE STATIONS
A trend that we’ve seem pop up a LOT over the past few years is the idea of serving a “Bride’s Favorite” and a “Groom’s Favorite” alcoholic beverage. While this is a super fun way to add a personal touch to your reception, you could easily step up your beverage game even more and include a non-alcoholic beverage station!
While we personally love a good cocktail, not all guests do. So why not bring back the “punch bowls” of the past? You can come up with some seriously fun, non-alcoholic mixes to serve your guests.
Think less down the lines of fruit punch + lemonade and more down the lines of a fun mocktail or aqua fresca… incorporate some pineapple juice or some ginger ale or some fresh fruit, just get creative!
Something New
NON-WHITE WEDDING DRESS
White dresses are so very traditional, and traditional isn’t a bad thing at all! However, sometimes traditional doesn’t flow with the rest of the wedding celebration. We’re here to officially give all of our brides-to-be permission to ditch the white and add some flair.
Does your wedding have a very prevalent boho theme? Add some colorful embroidery to that dress white dress!
Do you want your reception to feel like one big dance party? Find a cute little number covered in sequins so you can light up the dance floor!
Another favorite? Cultural wedding dresses. We recently did a wedding where the stunning bride wore the most beautiful blue Indian wedding dress, and we were OBSESSED.
Your dress can and should be an accent to everything else you’re designing for the day. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the (white) box.
WEDDING PLANNING, TOGETHER
Traditionally, a majority of the wedding planning process has fallen onto the bride’s and her mother’s shoulders.
But lately we’ve noticed that our brides and our grooms are equally involved in the planning process, and we are absolutely loving this new trend! Whether it’s deciding on the general vibe of your wedding or the style of photographer you both love, we think both the bride and groom should give input and steer the direction of the planning.
Note that this doesn’t mean that both of you have to be involved with planning every single detail of the day though! While we love collaborative efforts, we also love teamwork. And a successful marriage seems to go hand-in-hand with good teamwork! Once the basic ideas and concepts are decided on together, we’re all about dividing and conquering.
We’re going to let you in on a little secret… some of our favorite wedding moments have involved the groom planning a surprise for his new wife or vice versa. Whether it’s a sweet song or a funny dance or bringing in an unexpected guest, we love when fun surprises supplement the detailed planning of our couples.
So go ahead, surprise away! Just promise us you’ll tackle the majority of the process together.
ISLAND FUSION FOOD
We love, love, LOVE food here at Love Letter Weddings. And you know who else loves food? Umm, we would assume EVERYONE because what’s not to love!
The food and beverages you serve at your wedding can make such a lasting impression on your guests, so you might as well wow them.
...which brings us to our next favorite “new trend” - island fusion food.
What is island fusion, you ask? Think kimchi brussel sprouts or macadamia nut pesto caprese… take a fun, exotic ingredient and add it to a more well-known dish and BAM! A super delicious yet new + surprising food dish that will surely have your guests talking (and getting seconds).
Something Borrowed
FAVORITE QUOTES + LYRICS
We all had our favorite book growing up or have a current favorite song that we like to sing (or in our case, belt out) in the car. The fun part is that if you really dive into the words of these books, songs or poems, you’ll find so many amazing quotes about love + friendship.
And isn’t love + friendship what marriage is all about?
Sprinkling in some quotes from your favorite literature is a super unexpected + adorable way to personalize your ceremony! Whether you borrow words from Emily Bronte or Kanye West, we’re sure you can find something that is sweet, meaningful, funny or even all of the above! Our only ask is that if you borrow some words from a popular rap song, you actually perform the rap at your wedding and then send us the video. Please and thank you!
HAWAIIAN ELEMENTS
There is a delicate line between cultural appropriation and respectful nods to a local culture, but we’ve found the lei exchange to be the perfect addition to most destination weddings.
The lei exchange has a beautiful history and meaning. The tradition represents a couple’s own unity + completeness while at the same time presents an opportunity to both include and honor parents + family members.
Also, who doesn’t want to wear beautiful, fresh flowers? We always love flaunting some fun flowers and greenery, we can tell you that much!
VINTAGE CAKE CUTTING SETS
Vintage cake cutting sets can be beautiful, unique, cost effective, and potentially even meaningful! Need we say more?
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that customized cake cutting sets can be expensive… and you honestly won’t get much use out of it! We love when couples find a fun set at an antique store, but we especially love it when couples find a set in their own parent’s attic.
This trend is a total win-win. You’ll have a beautiful set to photograph, it could be a true one-of-a-kind item, it’ll likely be cheaper than buying a new set and you could be starting a new family tradition.
Something Blue
A BLUE-SUITED GROOM
We know, we know, this one seems a bit obvious. But it’s blue and it’s a trend that we love, so we couldn’t not mention it!
Blue suits just look incredibly sharp, right? Not only does it look dapper as all get it out, but it feels a bit more casual + relaxed then a traditional black or gray suit.
PASSPORT + DESTINATION WEDDING
This is a trend that we’re super passionate about, for obvious reasons!
Is there anything more beautiful than having the serene ocean as the backdrop for your ceremony? We didn’t think so! We love, love, love when we can plan beachfront weddings… designing a beautiful event is so easy when you can use a backdrop designed by Mother Nature herself!
Not feeling a beach wedding? We think any destination can work just as well! Bonus points if it’s an exotic locale that requires a (blue) passport. Wink, wink.
Let’s be honest, your day is going to be so, so special regardless of where it takes place. But it can be made even more special + memorable if it takes place somewhere unique. You get one day to truly celebrate your shared love with all of your family and friends, so why not make it as special as possible?
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue… and we hope you’re now feeling something resembling “inspired” after reading these fun trends!
Know of any other unique trends that could fit in either the old, new, borrowed or blue categories? Let us know in the comments below!
XO,
The Love Letter Weddings Team
