2022 Wedding + Event Trends

It’s our favorite time of the year – wedding & event trend forecasting! With events in full swing this year, we’re eager to see what’s on the horizon for 2022. Pull out your Pinterest boards and let’s get a head start on planning for the new year!

We polled some of the industry’s top experts to help you navigate everything eye-catching to incorporate into your upcoming soirées.

New & noteworthy wedding trends

As couples are finally inching their way to the finish line after postponements galore, trends are going to be at the top of mind. Considering that what was en vogue for 2020 may not hold the same weight moving into 2022, this will be an especially exciting time to get the jump on exciting wedding elements.

Firstly, it’ll be all about timing – according to Juls Sharpley of Bubbles & Bowties. “Our couples are dying to get straight through dinner to dancing! All they want to do is party. They are pushing and pushing on timelines. Of course, we can only do so much with what we are given, but we try to make it happen, and we can certainly understand. In addition, we are seeing 100% of our couples host after-parties. In the past, couples were very ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ on after-parties. But it’s obvious, right? Everyone is ready to party! And they just can’t get it enough.”

Nora Sheils of Bridal Bliss and Rock Paper Coin adds, “A big trend is the desire to leave a smaller footprint. Couples are willing to cut back and achieve this with smaller guest counts, sustainable catering, digital invitations, or a desire to utilize local vendors.

Couples are also splurging on personalized details, ‘wow factors,’ and different ways for their guests to be made to feel special. Expect over-the-top hotel welcome boxes, personalized table settings, and an extra effort made for the overall guest experience. Tablescapes will be full, lush, and very detailed. Escort walls will continue to be a big trend, as well as ceiling installations, although looser than in years past.”

Event trends on the rise

Whether you have a corporate event on the agenda or you’re simply looking to go above and beyond with your loved ones, overall event trends are going to be your guide for creating bespoke experiences.

For Joan Wyndrum O’Hear of Blooms by the Box, it’ll be all about florals and customization. “Consider having your caterer develop signature mocktails for your guests, and then be sure to include them on your bar signs or beverage menu with a few sprigs of greenery. Consider pairing two to three intense colors with two neutral colors like nude, black, or white. Then, you can experiment with color in your florals, candles, napkins, and invitations. An eco-friendly environment has been a center of news since the pandemic. With this in mind, it has led to an organic look and feel with natural and straightforward styling, with rustic textures of wood, stone, and hues of earth-tone florals.”

Jen Avey of Destination Weddings Travel Group notes, “The travel boom continues to bring groups of all shapes and sizes to international locales for celebratory reasons, the most popular being birthday parties. We predict more milestone birthday celebrations to take place in destinations such as Mexico and Caribbean Islands like Jamaica, Dominican Republic, etc.

Whether for an elaborate corporate itinerary or to message each other and share photos in one place simply, event apps will take center stage when it comes to organization and logistics for a big event in 2022. Technology continues to reign supreme, and event planners are using it to their advantage throughout the planning process and beyond.”