As the 2022 wedding season begins to draw to a close it's always nice to look to the future and what looks set to trend in 2023 as far as weddings are concerned.
What was big in 2022?
The year of colour
I definitely felt brides being much much braver with colour this year. There were less 'blush' or 'green and white' weddings than previous years. My couples lent into the seasons more and let the time of year influence the colour schemes - with great result! For example soft and delicate spring palettes, bolder brights for summer and beautiful moody, textured Autumn weddings.
Statement Flowers
Statement flowers became more of a 'must have' for many of my couples this year. Instead of the abundant table flowers I might have had in the past, the budget is now been spent more on statement pieces such as urns, staircases and arches leaving enough for some simple, pretty bud vases for tables. This is a really wonderful way of creating wow moments with your wedding flower budget and I think creates something really memorable and worthwhile. Statement pieces can sometimes also be moved around during the day to also get the most value - this is always something we will chat about during consultations.
What's looking big for 2023?
Seasonality and Sustainability
Granted, this is not something which is completely new but I think as it becomes more of a global talking point it will make its way onto the wishlist of more couples getting married in the years to come.
There are no two ways about it... floristry can be hugely detrimental to the environment. Flowers are flown halfway around the world, placed in non-biodegrable floral foam for a few hours of glory before being discarded. It just doesn't sound pretty does it?
So what can we do? Seasonality is really key, and this will come down to your florist being really honest about what is available at the time of year you are getting married. Peonies in July is a no. The more seasonal and flexible you become with your flowers essentially, the more flower you should be able to get for your money - win win. Trust your florist with your colour scheme! During the summer months we have an abundance of locally grown flowers to chose from and that really should be a starting point for all wedding flowers. The more we support our local flower farms the more they will be able to invest in growing and the selection will only get bigger and more exciting. Obviously in the colder months we do need to look further afield for flowers but I think as with all sustainability and environmental issues its about doing what we can, when we can and change will come.
Sustainability is something you can definitely discuss with your wedding florist. Floristy has come a long way in the past decade and we have many more techniques and products available now which are more environmentally kind.
80's Comeback
Yes, think puff sleeves and big bows. The bridal runways have been full of nods to the 80's trends.
In terms of your flowers I think a beautiful silk trailing ribbon with a big bow is a subtle way of incorporating this trend... Ill leave the puff sleeves up to you!
Blue and Lavender Bridesmaids
The most popular colour for 2022 bridesmaids was definitely 'sage
green' but trends have shown a shift towards soft blues and lavenders for 2023. The Pantone colour of 2023 is 'digital purple' and we will definitely see these colours begin to influence colour schemes. Bridesmaids colours always has a big impact on colour schemes so it would be no surprise to see more purple and blue colours thrown into the mix. I think this is really exciting and both colours will work well through the seasons in various shades.
Carnations and Chrysanthemums
Well they do say everything comes back around eventually... Carnations and Chrysanths have had a really bad rep over the past decade. Partly due to petrol forecourts putting out sad cheap
bunches of the things. But you heard it here - they are back. Partly because they don't cost a small mortgage to buy like a garden rose and partly because they are seriously pretty (carnations) and amazing (chrysanthemums) when chosen well and used
appropriately. Ive started sneaking a few into this years weddings and they have been amazing. They last a seriously long time and anyone wanting pure white can't fault a carnation. The ruffles and impact are amazing too. So don't baulk if your florist suggests a touch of either. Just have a look at the colours and the varieties and trust your lovely florist to do the rest.
Who would believe that only a few years ago dahlias would have been considered unpopular and out of fashion and now they are on the most wanted list for florists during the late summer and autumn weddings.
Whatever next... Gerberas perhaps?! Stranger things have happened... but I won't hold my breath on that one!
And what's going out of fashion?
Eucaltyptus
I'm sorry to say it but eucalyptus is on its way down the list. Not many people know it's actually not in season for the bulk of the peak weddings. If its a non negotiable your florist will probably have to order double just to pick out the nice bits and pay a hefty price for the privilege. Again, this is all about allowing your florist the freedom to suggest and select seasonal foliage which will add glorious scent, texture and movement to your arrangements. Eucaltypus can stay for autumn, winter months but during the peak spring/summer season there are a hundred better foliages to use.
Statement table flowers
We've all been at a wedding where you can't see who's sat opposite you because of a huge flower arrangement placed in the middle of the table, obscuring everyones view. Well its out with the statement table centres in favour of something smaller and more discreet. As I talked about at the beginning couples are allocating more of their budget to statement pieces and saving money on table arrangements. Some venues definitely benefit from some height on tables but couples are moving to more creative ways of bringing the ceilings down - think hoops and flower clouds!
I hope this gets you excited for the 2023 season - I can already see lots of these trends in motion and it makes me so, so excited to see it all unfold!
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