With the second season of Married At First Sight NZ upon us and the 2018-2019 wedding season about to swing into full gear, there is a whole new season of gorgeous wedding trends to love.
To get the lowdown for 2019 – and see how on trend our MAFS couples are – we chatted to event planner to the stars, Mark Niemierko. His company Niemierko Weddings organised Julia and James Corden’s Babington House wedding and Rochelle and Marvin Humes’ Blenheim Palace nuptials, and when it comes to weddings there’s not much he doesn’t know.
From glass straws to wildflowers and everything in between, these are the trends to look out for in 2019.
Bold colours
We’re seeing more and more couples forgoing the classic white decor and instead embracing bright colours and a bold aesthetic. Too much white can look clinical and I always encourage my clients to embrace colour. One of my favourite weddings I’ve worked on recently had a navy and blush pink colour scheme which worked beautifully.
Low flowers
The clear advantage being you can see one another across the table.
OTT flower walls and huge candelabras are out and more subtle arrangements are in with couples opting for low floral displays for both the aisle and tables. Similarly, wild flowers and boho-inspired arrangements are growing in popularity in the wake of the royal wedding.
Wedding wind downs
People are wanting to party later and later so we now offer wedding wind downs for an hour after the main party. At a recent wedding we organised a sing along around a grand piano in the hotel’s drawing room.
Experimental entertainment
With the photo booth idea overdone, couples are now looking for new and unusual ways to entertain guests. Tarot card readers in the bathrooms or character coat check staff make memorable talking points.
Fancy ice
Floral ice cubes are proving the new ice sculpture as a simpler way to jazz up drinks.
Dessert rooms
Couple are realising that the cake-cutting moment is the biggest non-event of a wedding. Instead of focusing on one huge cake that will likely go uneaten they’re offering a number of dessert options for guests to choose from.
Wholesome food
Last year it was pizza and food trucks but they’ve had their moment. Couples are still looking for laidback ways to offer simple tasty food though. Sharing plates and farm-to-fork concepts are both proving popular.
Sleeves
We’re seeing a return to classic cuts and simple fabrics with strapless dresses losing their appeal. In fact, all my brides getting married next year are wearing gowns with sleeves.
Illustrated invitations
Gimmicky invites have lost their charm and we’re seeing more couples choose traditional options with bespoke illustrations. These custom designs are used throughout the wedding stationery including place names, maps and menus.
Little touches
Couples are going the extra mile when it comes to treating their guests and table favours are being replaced by hand-delivered gifts. For recent weddings we’ve organised hangover packs, customised eye masks and welcome food packs. My favourite idea is recycling the ceremony flowers into little bouquets and delivering them to guests’ rooms alongside a thank you postcard from the just-married couple.
Zero waste weddings
Following in the footsteps of Princess Eugenie, brides-to-be are thinking more about the planet while planning their big day and choosing to go plastic-free when possible. It helps that linen napkins and glass straws looks much chicer than their plastic counterparts.
New destinations
Move over South of France, the coolest locations for destination weddings in 2019 are in Lake Como, Mykonos and Croatia.