How We are Breaking From Tradition: 2023 Wedding Trends
At Elite Wedding and Event Planning, we always like to push the boundaries of what we can create on a wedding day. You’ll never find us in a ballroom, and we love untraditional wedding venues where we have to build from the ground up. We don’t design with the latest trendy color palette in mind and we believe that’s actually a really good thing. Who wants their wedding to look super trendy and then dated within a few years? Not us! So today, while we are sharing a roundup of 2023 wedding trends, we are so excited that a lot of these “trends” are about couples breaking tradition and making their wedding day their own!
If you are looking for a wedding planning and design team to help you plan a wedding unique to you, we would love to learn more about your vision. You can find everything you need to know about working with our team here (from venue scouting to full planning and design!). We plan weddings throughout Hudson Valley, the Catskills, and the Berkshires.
Photo Credit: Forged in the North
Now, let’s talk about 2023 wedding trends we are loving…
1. Couples are Cutting More than Cake!
The wedding cake has been a staple for what seems like forever but more and more couples are saying no to this tradition and choosing something that reflects their personalities instead. Not everyone is a cake person! Some couples are opting for a dessert table instead, or choosing something like pie to cut instead! One of our couples lately chose to cut cheese wheels instead which was so fun and different!
Photo Credit: Here North Photography
2. Online RSVP’s are Booming
During the last two years, mailing paper invites have given way to online RSVP options for more logistical reasons, but we aren’t seeing them quick to return. Even for our couples who love luxurious stationery as much as we do and are still sending full invitation suites, they are forgoing reply cards in exchange for an online RSVP option.
3. Wedding Favors are Dying Down (but Welcome Bags are Ramping up!)
While this might not be a 2023 wedding trend everywhere, for couples choosing Upstate New York as their destination wedding weekend locale of choice, we are seeing welcome bags get amped up! Instead of focusing on favors, we are seeing couples share a few of their favorite things (and some local flair) in welcome bags for guests.
Photo Credit: Here North Photography
4. Couples are Skipping the Wedding Parties
In the past, it wasn’t uncommon to see extra large wedding parties on both sides. Now, we are seeing couples choose to forego the big wedding parties and have just themselves or a Bestman and Maid of Honor included in the processional of the wedding ceremony.
Photo Credit: Custom by Nicole
Photo Credit: Here North Photography
5. Couples Want the Dance Party to Start Faster
While it seems like every year there are fewer and fewer traditions included in the wedding reception, this year we are seeing parent dances get the cut. When it comes to their wedding reception, couples really want their guests to feel like they are at a fun dance party all night. So, instead of having a first dance, followed by a father/daughter dance and then a mother/son dance, couples’ are prioritizing getting everyone on the dance floor faster by skipping parents’ dances altogether.
Photo Credit: Here North Photography
6. The Traditional Guest Book is Being Replaced with Something Fun
Gone are the days of the traditional guest book. Instead, couples are opting for something a little more fun (whether that be Jenga cubes or polaroid pictures). One of the reception elements we are frequently seeing get ramped up (instead of scaled back) is the photobooths! Couples are going above and beyond to make sure these wedding reception staples get used (and are not an eye sore!).
Photo Credit: Forged in the North
Which 2023 Wedding Trends Are You Loving?
While we love to see a roundup of wedding trends (and hope you feel excited by some of the ideas here!), we would love to hear what wedding trends are inspiring YOU right now. Make sure to DM us on Instagram and say hi! We always love to share behind the scenes – whether that’s a trend we are loving, a hot take on something happening in the industry, or even just some fun clips of what we are doing on any given day.
If you are ready to start planning your 2023 wedding, make sure to connect with us here! Our books are open for full planning and design services for 2023, but are filling quickly!