The Hottest 2022 Wedding Trends

It’s clear that 2022 wedding trends are going to make this an incredible year! The drama from 2020 and 2021 are hopefully behind us, and weddings have definitely been impacted.

While there will always be huge weddings, gone are the days of assuming that every wedding will be massive. 2022 will surely bring weddings that have a bit more intention to them. The focus will be on guest experience, getting the most bang for your buck, and curating a wedding that fit the couple getting married.

If you’re lucky enough to get married in 2022, you’ll have a lot of leeway when it comes to designing your wedding. The pressure is off to stick with tradition and do things the “old way”. Of course, if traditional is what you’d like, that’s okay. But, if you’d rather shake things up a bit, go for it.

This post is going to let you know some of the hottest 2022 wedding trends, strait from an amazing source. I was able to interview Alyse Balderrama, a wedding planner from Event Shoppe Chicago, for her take on what’s trending right now. Alyse made the jump to wedding planning in early 2021, from non-profit event planning, because she loves weddings so much, and truly enjoys what she does!

If you’d like to know more about Event Shoppe Chicago, check out their site. You can also follow them on Instagram is @event_shoppe_chi or Alyse @alyse_event_shoppe_chi. Event Shoppe Chicago has a range of services from Essential Details to Platinum Planning to meet diverse needs and budgets. Skilled planners, like Alyse, can help provide wedding planning right from the start of engagement, or jump into what you’ve already got going on. As an expert on wedding planning, she and her team are there to help!

Big thanks to Alyse for her help with this post! And now onto the trends!

2022 WEDDING TRENDS IN FOOD

Let’s jump right into one of my favorite topics, food. As I’ve written before, wedding food is something universal. No matter where you get married, eventually there will be food. And, in 2022, food is trending big time. It’s all about the guest experience and having the most amazing food for your wedding.

HIRING A PRIVATE CHEF

With smaller guest counts, couples have the luxury to splurge on their wedding food.

In fact, one of the biggest 2022 wedding trends is hiring a private chef. The chefs are asked to put together a personalized tasting menu to fit the couple’s tastes and relationship. Imagine being able to showcase food from places you’ve traveled together. Or, what you enjoy cooking for each other, but with a chef’s touch.

According to Alyse, this allows your wedding’s dining to be an unforgettable experience, and it’s perfect for an intimate wedding with close family and friends. If you’re a couple looking for a way to elevate your wedding and make it unique, this is something you should definitely look into!

VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN FOOD

As a long time pescatarian, I think this 2022 wedding trend is awesome.

When weddings serve plant-based food, everyone at the wedding can enjoy it, even if they also like to eat meat. Many newlyweds are finding that their guests want to have a vegan or vegetarian option, and serving plant-based food is a win-win. According to Alyse, vegetarian and vegan foods are more cost effective, accommodate more people, are sustainable, and can be super delicious.

EDIBLE FLORALS

If you want to make food pretty, add a flower!

Because guests eat with their eyes first, and then their stomach, edible flowers are super popular right now. This is true for both cocktails and cuisine. It’s a great way to add more personal touches and beauty to an unexpected place in your wedding. Many couples are anticipating that the flowers will be a welcomed surprise for their guests, and that it will be a touch that their guests will remember.

2022 WEDDING TRENDS IN ENTERTAINMENT

While music and dancing will always have it’s place at weddings, 2022 weddings are going to get a bit more creative, as you’ll see below.

HAVING MORE THAN ONE ENTERTAINER

With smaller guest lists, and perhaps more time to plan their wedding due to postponements and reschedules, these days engaged couples are more likely to splurge on entertainment. They are even curating different entertainment during separate parts of their wedding.

Alyse told me that having more than one entertainer at a wedding is going to be a big thing this year. For example, some couples may have a string quartet play during their ceremony and cocktail hour, and then a DJ will be there for the reception. This allows for the feel of live music during select wedding events, and a shift for a big party later on.

GAMES & ACTIVITIES

Alternative games and activities are really big right now.

In 2022, you may find yard games, photo booths, and extra food options (dessert bars and late night grub) as ways to be entertained. This may be due to smaller guest lists, or just a desire to change things up a bit. Some guests aren’t into dancing, and the alternate activities could be super fun at the right wedding. Plus, when there’s more yummy food, your guests will surely go for it.

2022 WEDDING TRENDS IN CLOTHING

While some clothes stand the test of time, the trends definitely change each year. And in 2022, wedding clothes are shaking tradition up a little.

BRIDESMAIDS SHARE A COLOR, BUT NOT A STYLE

Gone are the days of the expected matchy-matchy bridesmaid’s outfits! In 2022, it’s all about the wedding party sharing the same color, but mixing up the outfits.

As we’ve seen over the last few years, it’s much more trendy right now to have your wedding party wear the same color, but not the same style. And, this tends is a winning situation for everyone. Bridesmaids can choose a style that they are most comfortable in, and perhaps even re-wear. And, wedding photos are much more interesting with different styles and textures featured.

WEARING SNEAKERS DOWN THE AISLE

Have you ever walked in high heels? While wearing a wedding gown? Down an aisle? With all of your closest friends and family staring at you? I have. And, this is why the next 2022 wedding trend is one I wish was a thing when I got married back in 2017.

Couples are stepping up their wedding style by wearing matching sneakers down the aisle. Both grooms and brides are planning ahead with shoes that match, and they get to be super comfortable during their ceremony. The cool thing about this trend is that it can make great photos. Couples can have words printed on the bottom of their shoes, or even write notes to each other. How cute is that?

If you’d like to learn more about “wedding sneakers”, check out this blog post, or go to this link for super cute and comfortable wedding shoes.

MICRO-WEDDINGS

Of course, no 2022 wedding trends post would be complete without talking about micro-weddings.

As mentioned above, the pandemic changed everything. The downside is that couples who wanted big weddings have been forced to reduce their guest list, but there are upsides to having a small wedding. Couples get to control their budget a bit better, spend more quality time with each guest, and splurge on the ultimate guest experience. Plus, the stress is off because there are less people to coordinate with.

KID-FREE WEDDINGS

As you all know, I’m a big fan of kid-free weddings, for those who want them. And, it sounds like this is a big trend in 2022.

It might be because of reduced guest lists, but many couples are choosing not to invite kids to their weddings. While this may seem harsh to some parents or close family members, it actually does make it easier for the couple getting married. According to Alyse, these couples don’t have to worry about providing childcare, kid-friendly activities, and children’s meals, among other things. And, not all weddings are meant for kids.

The good news is that parents are almost always receptive to this choice, if they are given enough notice. And, it gives them a chance to get away for a kid-free evening.

COVID PROTOCOLS

This isn’t really a trend, but it’s a reality for 2022 weddings. Covid is still present and a part of many of our lives. And, it impacts weddings.

Depending on where you are located, or your general comfort, couples getting married this year may require that their guests receive the Covid vaccine or a negative test in order to attend their weddings. This isn’t always up to the couple, either. Many states, counties, and cities have mandates about Covid protocols, so be sure to research what applies where you’re getting married.

While none of this ideal, the good news is that it does help increase the safety of your guests. And, the protocols can help ease anxiety about having a large gathering. So, you know, silver linings.

ALYSE’S ADVICE

I want to take this opportunity to thank Alyse again for taking the time to share with me some of the hottest and most impactful 2022 wedding trends. As an added bonus, she also shared some meaningful wedding advice:

If possible, be flexible with the date you’ll get married on. Many wedding vendors have limited availability in 2022 and chances are your dream vendors aren’t available for specific dates.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many options. Try to narrow down your choices to about three or four options, and then make a decision. This can go for your wedding clothes, food options, venue, photographer, etc.
You are not obligated to participate in wedding traditions that you don’t care about. You shouldn’t spend time or money on something that isn’t meaningful to you.

At the end of the day- don’t sweat the small stuff! No one at your wedding is going to remember what shade of pink their napkin was, but they will remember how your wedding made them feel! Focus on what’s important to you as a couple and let your wedding planner help you put together all the details.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

If you’re getting married in 2022, and any of these wedding trends appeal to you, I hope you have enough time to try them out. If you do, let me know how they went! I want to see photos of comfy shoes in your ceremony, similar but different bridesmaid’s dresses, and of course, that personalized tasting menu. Happy wedding planning!

More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:

Wedding Cakes: Trends, Traditions, & Tips

Guide To Wedding Food: From The First Bite To Last Call

9 Wedding Guest Rules That Are Okay To Break

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