Original weddings are sending traditions to a woodchipper - 2024 wedding traditions and what kind of weddings people want
April 18, 2024
In our modern times, weddings are still seen as a celebration of love, but more than before also as a unique expression of the couple’s personalities and values - and those have nothing to do with a traditional table setting at a tired old venue. Couples are looking for joy, fun, uniqueness, intimacy, and beauty, all things which are sending excess formalities and traditions to the woodchipper. Draw inspiration from our unique wedding flowers which pose an attractive, personal alternative to wedding rings, and original wedding bouquets of silver and gold. Learn what they can do for the modern version of weddings.
What couples want
Expressing and celebrating love remains an elusive, diverse mixture of traditions and innovations, as well as the newlyweds’ personalities and cultures. There’s a noticeable trend towards making the big day more personal and unique. Conventional wedding arrangements have been replaced by a wish to just have fun, communicate through the wedding, and enjoy some authenticity, intimacy, and an environment which facilitates and enhances the wedding harmoniously.
If a wedding’s purpose is to celebrate matrimony, marriage vows, and showing off the bride, then these things will likely remain unchanged. What is changing, however, is the manner in which love is expressed and celebrated. The couple’s individuality is starting to play a greater role, along with a desire for the bride, groom, and their guests to have fun.
"Non-wedding weddings" according to Vogue
The Vogue magazine asked eight world-renowned event organisers to share their predictions on what will be in and out in the world of weddings this year. The answers were anything but shocking. As summarised by Melissa Sullivan from Studio Sully, “Most of our couples are asking for non-wedding weddings: They’re wanting to celebrate their love with their family and friends but not to stick to all the stuffy traditions."
As further stated, this is supported by data - Pinterest has reported a 110% rise in searches for “non-traditional weddings” and 205% in “non-traditional wedding vows”, while searches for the term “anti-bride” went up by 480 %.
Main wedding trends in 2024
So what can be said about wedding trends this year?
Looking for beauty and intimacy
It seems that most couples believe beauty beats ostentatiousness, quality matters more than quantity, and intimacy is more important than the number of guests.
Micro-weddings (50 people at most), attended by the closest family and friends, are quite in. Such events offer a greater sense of personal intimacy and quality experience. In the same vein, faced with no societal pressure, some couples choose to get married with no one attending at all.
Diversity and multiculturality
Couples are accepting of their culture and open to cultural diversity. This applies to everything, from the venue, clothes, and wedding symbols to food or entertainment. Fusion and culinary specialties from many different cultures and countries are very popular.
Distinctiveness and uniqueness over traditions
Modern couples re-define what a wedding should look like, stepping away from traditional wedding clichés and emphasising their individuality. They like to personalise their wedding day—from the clothes or handmade decorations to showcasing their story, shared interests, and future. Weddings have become a celebration of individuality and creativity, and so couples are looking for the right place and way to express these qualities.
Theme weddings and entertainment
Theme weddings remain very popular, allowing people as they do to organise an original event that showcases their taste. The chosen theme influences everything—from decorations and clothes to catering or entertainment. Theme weddings can be built around a vast number of modern historic, hobby, movie, or other concepts.
Weddings are also about having fun, and so couples are looking for venues which aren’t just a place and instead allow for interesting entertainment.
Trendy venues
Non-traditional venues are predominant. People wish for relaxation, informality, and unforgettable memories. In essence, they want weddings that don’t look like weddings at all.
Original weddings in the countryside or nature
Be it a barn or homestead in Bohemia, a small God-forgotten chapel in the Bohemian Forest, the Italian or French countryside, a calm lake, farm, garden, beach, or vineyard, all these provide a much longed-for escape from the bustle of everyday life, replacing it with a harmonious romantic environment where the couple’s big day can take place, imbued with the peaceful informality of the countryside or wild nature.
Destination weddings
In recent years, the destination wedding market has grown exponentially, from 27.64 billion USD in 2023 to 36.49 billion USD in 2024, at an annual rate (CAGR) of 32.0 %.
Weddings abroad are based on the couple’s love of travel and desire for romance, adventure, and excitement. The guest list tends to be minimal and thus the weddings are usually characterised by a greater intimacy and lovely foreign culture elements.
They can take place at many different locations - from romantic chateaus, exclusive environments, private islands (such as Richard Branson’s famed Necker Island), the Maldives, the ever popular Paris, Venice, Morocco, Tuscany villages, French vineyards, or small Greek beaches.
Museums, galleries, historic landmarks
Sky’s the limit when it comes to picking a unique wedding venue—a restaurant, museum, art gallery, or library. As celebrating cultural diversity gains importance, so do various sites and locations which embody culture and history.
Backyard weddings
Backyard weddings became popular during the covid pandemic and it looks like they aren’t going away any time soon, perhaps even because of rising wedding and living costs. There are other benefits as well. These weddings are more personal and you can let your particular sense of style speak fully, emphasising comfort and the lack of formality.
Multi-day weddings
It’s no longer expected to be getting married on Saturday; nowadays, weddings can take place even on business days. Additionally, couples now like to extend their wedding to last multiple days (over the weekend or more).
Exclusive venues
Luxury venues remain extremely popular, be they private or public. Couples are spoiled for choice in terms of exclusive beautiful locations, in Italy, England, or the Maldives.
Wedding flowers and bouquets as an alternative to wedding rings
For intimate, romantic, and exclusive weddings
As wedding traditions evolve, so does wedding symbolism. Today, people are looking for alternatives which are more in line with their values and stories. Learn about the charm of our unique engagement flowers of silver and gold (“The Charm of Wedding Flowers for a Wedding without Wedding Rings") and why they’re a very personal and attractive alternative to engagement rings. Or read up on our silver and golden wedding bouquets in "Wedding Bouquet of Elegant, Graceful Flowers".
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