Oh the joys of summer wedding season. Over the course of the last two months I have seen some interesting wedding ideas and trends however I have reached a point where it is time for an intervention.
Here is my list of wedding trends that need to die and I don’t want to see for 2016.
- Anything involving a mason jar
- Mason jars are for canning – like Colorado western slope peaches (yum)
- The term “Rustic -shabby-country chic”
- Burlap
- Table runners
- Wrapped around mason jars
- It stinks, catches on everything and even if you cover it with lace… no.
- Cupcakes
- This trend started at least 7 years ago and it is time for it to go
- This doesn’t mean replace it with cake pops either
- Barns
- We get it – you wanted to have a more casual theme. Enough.
- Candy bars
- How many sugary treats end up being wasted? People end up being on sugar overload and feel like crap at the end of the night.
- Sparklers
- The fun lasts for 45 seconds but the burns and fire risks last much longer
- The old school guest book
- No one knows what to write – do they just sign their name, cute saying, or just a “congrats”
- What do you do with it after the wedding?
- Staged wedding party photos
- The jumping simultaneously – no one looks good
- The no-so-cute or funny, bar and beer photos
- Un-natural items Photoshopped in (a.k.a. we have all seen the T-Rex or Jaws)
- Everything DIY
- Saving your stress level can mean more than saving a few bucks
- Viral wedding dance videos
- Choreographed Wedding Party dances
On the fence about:
- Wedding dress changes
- If you have the money – they do make sense – makes dancing a little easier
Things that I DO like and want to see continue:
- Outdoor games
- Corn hole, Jenga, ring toss – an awesome way to keep guests entertained
- Water stations
- After dancing your ass off on the dance floor – you can help stay hydrated without the worry of having to go on a wild goose chase for your original water-glass
- Try vintage vases or metal tea boxes instead of mason jars
- For outdoor weddings – providing your guests with:
- High heel covers to avoid sinking into the ground
- Sunscreen and bug spray/wipes
- Umbrellas – individual or big for ceremony seating
- Pashminas for chilly evenings when the sun goes down
- Photo booth
- Many wedding planner says this needs to go – but what needs to be retired is the props
- Make sure you AND your guests get a copy of the photos
- Lounge seating by the dance floor
- For a place to rest and for those not dancing to be apart of it all without having to sit alone at the dining table
- Lighting Lighting lighting
- This makes a huge difference in the ambiance whether it is uplighting or overhanging garden lights
- Splurge – chandeliers inside the tent
- Late night snacks
- For those that have stayed till the end
- Provide BEFORE they leave not as they leave
- But not a food truck… that is a lot of money that just makes guests stand in line making the experience fizzle
- Flower curtain/ backdrops
- For the alter, photo booth, behind the head table
- Song requests
- Create a line on the RSVP card for guests to pre-request a song
- But don’t forget about yourself and write-up your “Don’t Play” songs for the DJ
- Create a line on the RSVP card for guests to pre-request a song
- Wedding cake alternatives
- Fruit pies
- Cookies
- small sweet confections
- (Please note: if I attend, I DO want wedding cake)
- Have a small wedding cake to cut (for tradition) and then the other options as well
- Social Media Hashtags
- Just make sure to create one that isn’t too long or related to something else
- Non conventional guest book
- Use the photo booth photos during the wedding for a scrap-book and have them sign next to it
- The finger print posters – something you can actually hang in your new house
- Other sign-able art pieces
- Marriage advice cards
- Go classic with basic cards
- Or take it up a notch with funny Mad Libs inspired cards
- Kid friendly activities
- Bags filled with coloring books, games, and other items to keep them entertained during the “boring” parts of the reception
When in doubt – don’t hesitate to browse Pinterest to look for other interesting and fun ideas. Just make sure they are unique to YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE, not the next trend to impress your friends and family. It is your wedding and about you and your guests enjoying themselves while celebrating as you two tie the knot.
So whether you chose to take my suggestions or not – please know that if I attend your wedding and I see a mason jar, there will be an eye roll and possible “gag me with a spoon” motion.