Much has been written of late about how 2022 is trending to be the biggest year for weddings in the U.S. since the early 1980s. After years of uncertainty throughout the pandemic, engaged couples—along with their families and friends—are ready to celebrate new marriages in a big way with their own unique style.
At Meadow Brook Hall, we’ve seen interest in hosting weddings and events continue to grow. Read on below to see some of the latest wedding trends that our team of wedding and events planners are noticing for 2022!
Romantic, Relaxed Luxury
One lasting wedding trend our couples are looking for is an atmosphere of relaxed luxury.
The ongoing popularity of historic dramas like “Bridgerton” and “Downton Abbey” is inspiring more and more couples to seek out atmospheric, “Old World” locations that are steeped in history and romance.
With gorgeous architecture, magnificent gardens and scores of quiet corners, Meadow Brook is the perfect choice for romantics who can’t get enough of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings.
Make it Memorable
What other trends are we seeing in wedding celebrations? It seems the biggest trend is to not follow a trend at all, but to find a unique way to celebrate that means the most to each couple.
For some couples, that might mean creating an event centered around their loved ones and friends. A recent Wedding Wire article points out that a 2022 wedding might be the first time some guests are attending a party since the coronavirus pandemic began and couples want to make it memorable for everyone. Adding hors d’oeuvre displays, specialty desserts or late-night snacks will keep everyone happy and well fed for the festivities.
The ceremony itself is a significant area for couples to show their personalities. For many, asking a close family member or friend to officiate the ceremony is a chance to fill the occasion with special meaning.
Many couples are also adding a surprise element or fun activities for their guests, such as a special song-and-dance number, museum tours during cocktail hour, customized lawn games, a live wedding painter, custom fashion drawings for guests—the list goes on.
Beyond the Big Day
During the busy wedding week, the wedding party might reset with mental and physical health activities. This can range from offering guests personalized skincare and nutrition routines to making sure everyone’s hydrated, taking yoga classes together or even scheduling wellness procedures like red-light therapy or cryotherapy.
Building multiple events for all guests is also on the upswing: Full wedding weekends. starting with a welcome party, brunches and even afterparties fill the calendar. Other couples are mixing up the traditional order of events on the big day, with a pre-ceremony cocktail hour, enjoying light drinks and greetings first, followed by the ceremony and reception.
And finally, couples are considering the advantages of a Sunday or weekday wedding. This not only allows couples to book a venue that’s already full on the weekend, but it provides an opportunity to extend the wedding experience for loved ones over a full week.
Just Your Style
Couples are making design and décor choices based on their own taste, such as adding personal touches to stationery, perhaps hand-drawn illustrations of pets or favorite vacation destinations.
Brides, grooms and spouses-to-be are finding freedom in color choices too. Some might go bold and bright with non-traditional vivid purple and orange, especially in floral décor. Others are selecting muted earth tones, such as sunset and rust. Today’s couples are selecting a wider palette of hues than the classic wedding colors.
According to The Knot, some couples are taking weddings to new heights with aerial photography packages. Many couples are utilizing drone video and photos in their weddings packages to add a touch of grandeur to the event. Before booking, be sure to check with your wedding venue first on their drone policies!
Couples are looking beyond their immediate group toward the larger world too. There’s a focus on the environment, minimizing waste by using digital RSVPs, for instance. Charitable giving incorporated into the wedding is another way couples are sharing their good fortune. They might donate a set dollar amount per guest toward a non-profit important to them.
With so many choices of styles, moments, venues, vendors and more, the trends for even the most traditional 2022 weddings are anything but typical.
Whether you’ve dreamed of a fairy tale wedding, an outdoor garden wedding or anything in between, Meadow Brook is sure to deliver the entertaining spaces, inspired cuisine and first-class service for an incredible event. For more information about being married at Meadow Brook, contact our events team at mbhevent@oakland.edu.
