What Will Be the Future of Weddings Post-Covid? | Top 5 Predictions for 2022 Weddings | Something Borrowed
Top 5 Predictions for 2022 Weddings
1. Outdoor Weddings
To adhere to social distancing, we did a lot of outdoor socialising this year. A lot of us realised that, weather permitting, outdoor events can be just as good and even better than indoors. It can give you more freedom with décor, seating arrangements and food. (Just watch out for rain or unwanted critters!) As well as being safer, you’ll get natural lighting, beautiful scenery, and virtually unlimited space. It’ll probably end up being cheaper, and leave you with beautiful wedding photos.
Unfortunately, in England, you have to get officially married under an approved ‘fixed roof’. You could tie the knot under a veranda, a bandstand, or a beach hut – but it legally has to be fixed. The best and most popular thing to do is to get married by a registrar before hand and then have the big outdoor wedding ceremony outside.
2. Small & Intimate Ceremonies
Big traditional weddings have been popular for so many couples over the years, but after a year of Covid restrictions, people are starting to notice the benefits of small ceremonies. Most small weddings have about 50 people or less, and can be so beautiful when done right. Smaller, more intimate weddings tend to be a lot cheaper (you can spend the money on making it the best it can be, and maybe even a longer and more luxurious honeymoon!)
With a small-scale wedding, you’ll spend less time organizing getting stressed over planning a big one. More quality time will be spent with close family and friends, making the big day all-the-more special. You will have to spend some time narrowing down a restricted guestlist, but in the end will result in a really special wedding day that’s all about the couple, and the people who love them the most.
3. Staycation Weddings
Dreaming of a destination wedding? You don’t have to miss out! The UK is full of great destinations that can give you the wedding you always wanted. With travel restrictions in place, you might be tempted to just give up on going abroad to get married. But by going away in the UK for your wedding, you’ll save money, time, and stress, and the environment, but still find some beautiful locations which are perfect for your big day.
The UK currently has 32 recognized UNESCO World Heritage sites that are waiting for you. In Scotland for example, you’ll find plenty of locations that are straight out of a fairy tale. Populated with rustic castles, lochs, and beautiful coastlines, you’ll get some beautiful photos at exceptional venues.
Some other beautiful wedding locations across the UK include: The Lake district, Stonehenge, Bath, and some great spots in Northern Ireland - like the Giant’s Causeway in.
4. Big After-Parties!
In 2022, many couples will be making up for lost time by hosting big wedding after-parties. Especially if you’re going to go with a smaller wedding ceremony, the saved money can be used to make the post-wedding party more extravagant, allowing for a bigger guest list (and bar!).
Marquees are great for outdoor-ish after parties, as you can make good use of space and hire a bar for the night. It’s a great opportunity to let loose and relieve the stress from the lead up to the day, with all your loved ones (and your new spouse!).
Some great after-party ideas:
- Champagne tower
- Open bar
- Karaoke
- Dancefloor
- Food truck
- Drinking games (beer pong, ring of fire etc)
From 2 hours, to all night long, wedding after-parties will likely become more important as the popularity of big ceremonies decreases, and weddings generally become less formal. Definitely consider spending some time organising a memorable after-party, as it’ll be and event for you and all your guests to remember! (Or not!).
5. Sustainable Weddings
Thankfully, a lot of the predictions already made in this post do already help reduce global impact. But, to make a real difference, people will start finding more and more ways to help reduce single use plastic, food waste and carbon emissions. More and more sustainable wedding brands are appearing, making these things a lot more easily available.
Straying away from trends emerging due to the Covid pandemic, environmental issues may start to increasingly impact weddings. With people trying to be more eco-friendly, sustainable options will come in to play more often.
To be more sustainable at your wedding, try:
- Wedding invitations made from upcycled materials
- Reducing petrol emissions by staying local
- Getting married outdoors (built-in décor)
- Looking for eco-friendly florists
- Asking for donations instead of gifts
- Vegan or vegetarian menus
- renting your wedding dress
- Replacing confetti with lavender or other natural alternatives
- Eliminating food waste (no buffets!)
To check out some great ethical wedding brands, check out Green Union’s hand-picked conscious wedding vendor directory.
2022: An Exciting Wedding Season
It’s exciting to see what will happen to weddings next season. After this rollercoaster of a year, it makes sense to predict that a lot of things we learned from wedding trends in 2021, will carry through to next year. We’ll see a lot of less extravagant, and fun-loving weddings in the UK, while people enjoy finally being able be together to celebrate their love.
