Discover the latest wedding decor trends for 2022-2023 and plan your perfect wedding with inspirations and decor ideas by Velvet May designs
With a significant number of weddings being postponed to later in the year and hesitation over future bookings, asking ourselves when we can with certainty call the world Covid-free again, I wanted to provide a source of inspiration to all the brides that are eagerly waiting for the go-ahead in their planning proceedings, or that will be married in 2022 and beyond.
I am Valentina, from Velvet May designs, a wedding stationery studio based in Yorkshire, UK. I have a passion for all things weddings, from the early days of the engagement (proposal stories are so exciting!), the research of wedding colour schemes and venue decor (in particular well curated table arrangements make my heart skip a beat), but above all paper goods. After all, the first impression your guests get of your wedding is from the invitations, so setting the right tone from the start, and carrying that theme through to all the different elements, is extremely important.
I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about key wedding decor trends that are stealing the scene in the wedding industry. These are on point styles that have been a hit from architectural magazines to high end shops alike. Perhaps having some unplanned extra time before your big day could be channelled into thinking of additional elements you may want to incorporate in your day that you hadn’t previously considered.
So what are some of the biggest trends that you could incorporate in your wedding aesthetic?
|| Looking for more wedding inspo?
- Here you can discover the top wedding color trends for 2021
- And here you can find Elisabetta&Denis wedding day in rustic style
Top Wedding Decor Trends for 2022 & 2023
Wedding Decor Trend 1 / Japandi
The first trend may be more of an unknown to you out there, but, even though separated by a whole continent, Japanese and Scandinavian designs combine the love of simplicity, warm textures and natural materials.
You will have most definitely heard of the term “hygge” (the homely feeling of coziness and contentment) and have probably seen its translation onto house decor with clean lines, natural bleached wood and warm cozy throws. Japanese minimalism marries this trend perfectly, with its neutral tones and willingness to find beauty in imperfection (the term “wabi-sabi”, not the spiced green condiment).
Texture is everything, used with muted colours to create a clean and relaxed design. Hand-made is also a top value of this trend.
|| Discover more: Japandi Interior Trend
planner & stylist – Anemone; photography: Fern Edwards Photography
Planner & Stylist: Elisabetta Rizzato; photography: Jessica Speziale
For invitations, any textured paper would be perfect to set the scene, but if you can splash out for hand made paper that would give an extra wow factor to your guests when opening their post.
Also, simple invitations don’t need to be boring – simplicity is the purest form of elegance, and you can ask your stationery designer to mix and match colours in the same tonal range, or different textures, to add interest to your invitation suite elements. To make the most of the beauty of handmade paper, why not incorporate a beautiful quote or illustration in your invitations, that your guests could frame.
Simple invitations, natural colours – stationery: Velvet May Designs
In your venue decor, add texture and pattern. It could be in your vases and centerpieces, achieving an organic warm feel with linen or cotton table runners and napkins, perhaps paired with natural crockery and rustic stoneware dinnerplates.
Modern simple table with cotton plant – styling: Knots and Kisses; photography: Clare Kinchin photography
Flower arrangements should be light and airy. Add height to your centerpieces, without obstructing the view. You could put vases on tall metal structures or using acrylic blocks.
Cakes can be displayed in the same way – I have seen some beautiful acrylic blocks with floral arrangements inside, and the cake taking prime position on top. Simple and understated, but highly striking.
Long table with black lamp in the middle and 2 tall vases on the side – florist: Bloom and Bridal
Long tables – photography: Sun and Sparrow
styling: Carrie Ann Tilley; cake: The Sweetest Thing Cakery; flowers: Wild Fire Floral Co
Wedding Decor Trend 2 / Boho chic
Laid back, edgy and dreamy are the essence of a boho-chic bride.
Warm earthy tones and pampas grass decor create a soft and feminine look. For your wedding styling, choose furniture made of natural materials, like bamboo, rattan and wood. The sense of tact from the uneven surfaces complements the visual appeal of grain variation, knots and lines.
See-through chairs and flowers – photography: Boho chic weddings
Cake and cupcake tables in yellows – photography: Boho chic weddings; cakes: Cakes by Yolk; styling: L27
Rattan chairs on the beach – Provenance Rentals; photography: Dearly Beloved Photo
For a wedding backdrop, macrame knits add a retro, 70s look. Hung over a metal frame and decorated with flowers, these backdrops are an investment piece that can be reused in your home and remind you of your beautiful day.
Macrame couple background – photography: Boho chic weddings
Macrame chairs – macrame: Savannah in the Wild; styling and photography: Mascara Events
Add playful elements with tipee tents, areas for children to play with, or using bouquet hoops instead of traditional flower arrangements. Whether for bridesmaids and bride, or to hang as ceiling and wall decoration, these ever so popular items look beautiful using dried flowers, with dried flowers and grass taking the centre stage in both home and wedding decor.
Tipi – styling: Savannah in the Wild; photography: From the Smiths Photography
Bouquet of dried flowers on a hoop – The Lost Orangery
This is how Martha Tobyn, creative director and founder of styling agency Anemone, expects this trend will evolve:
”Boho weddings is not a trend that is going away. Instead designers and stylists are evolving this trend each season to breathe new life into it. For 2020-2021 it is definitely the chicest it’s ever been! I’m predicting a move towards dried plants such as sandy palms and white preserved Ruscus. And a more playful use of pastels and richer colour combinations.”
Wedding Decor Trend 3 / Modern farmhouse
A rustic wedding theme will never get old, there are so many variations to keep it modern and contemporary. Wedding venues offering a barn wedding are also upping their game, with fantastic lighting, character wooden beams perfect for hanging decorations, and banquet-style food serving.
Barn wedding and metal chandeliers – photography: Boho chic weddings
This theme is all about closeness, friendship and sharing, in a relaxed surrounding.
Keep the table decor simple, using dark coloured table runners, even more stylish with long tables, rather than your more classic round ones. Hang flowers from the the top instead if you can, filling the entire room space from floor to ceiling. Without big flower arrangements on the table you’ll have more space for serving sharing platters, especially with your appetisers.
Long table with ceiling floral installation – florist: Bloom and Bridal; planning and Styling: Emily K Weddings; photography – Caitlin and Jones
Italian-style chunky sharing boards and nibbles are perfect for guests to interact and keep the atmosphere cheerful and vibrant. The food sharing concept can be applied to the main course as well, with amazing joint carveries and all the trimmings. For dessert why not take this outside with a fun cake and cupcakes cart.
Opt for a modern and edgy table plan printed on fabric that can be hung from a wall. This adds texture and presents a lovely contrast against wooden beams or exposed bricks in your venue surroundings.
Cake and sweets cart – Provenance Rentals and photography by Amy Haberland
Fabric table plan from wall – table plan: Knots and Kisses; photography: Clare Kinchin photography
Additional wooden decor could be used for a quirky table plan – see this beautiful step ladder and imagine vases and props (of little jam jars with flowers or succulents), with A5 sheets of seating plans scattered or hung from the shelves. Again, easy to repurpose inside your home – office, bathroom, hallway.
Lighting is also an essential element – from metal chandeliers to strings of fairy lights indoors; thinking of where is the best light in your venue at different points of the day, for your drinks and canapes, or even an outside evening fire pit if possible with your venue, to keep that connection indoor-outdoor that your guests will love to part of.
Decor: Maisons du Monde
Big foliage circle with lights – Victora Baker Photography
Stay updated with the latest trends in interiors and design: join our Trend Membership here
Wedding Decor Trend 4 / Biophilic (aka plant love)
So many of us these days are crazy plant ladies, aren’t we? This is because we are naturally drawn to our surrounding as human beings, but because of busy daily lives we sometimes forget our connection with nature. Incorporating nature in our environment has time and time again been considered the way to reduce stress and blood pressure levels, while increasing our mental well-being and creativity.
Foliage is an inexpensive way to create beautiful decorative arrangements, but also plant pots can be DIYed, try your local garden centre. Table numbers can be fashioned with glass frames adding foliage inside – and you get to keep the frames to display all your stunning wedding photos after.
Leafy cake – Red Floral Architecture
Tall, jungle looking plants are very trendy for this look, even as a backdrop they add height to your venue decor. Or as a backdrop to the top table or your ceremony, opt for a garden-wall with plenty of greenery.
planner & stylist – Anemone; photography: Genevieve Lutkin
Floral/leaves wall over top table – Red Floral Architecture; photography: Tobiah Tayo
With plants taking the focal colour point of your scheme, the rest of the decor can be kept neutral, or moody colours can be also incorporated for a 1920s art deco look. The Gatsby look is always a popular choice for bridal themes, with the sharp geometries and extravagance, and you can easily incorporate this in your biophilic theme. Geometric installations are an eye-catching way to provide an interesting background.
1920s Gatsby pose couple – photography: Boho chic weddings
Dark blue and gold cake – styling: Knots and Kisses; cake designer: Edible Essence; photography: Maxi Photography Devon
Vintage mirrors – Provenance Rentals; photography: Shanna C Photography
Use a range of mirrors in different sizes for your table plan, like in this arrangement. Mirrors add depth and space to any environment, and the gold-effect frames convey opulence and elegance.
For stationery, white and gold would give an elegant, understated combination – add geometric elements to the invitations to elevate the look; or a black and gold palette always makes people go “wow”, especially with plush velvet ribbon textures or where written calligraphy is added as an extra.
Black, gold and velvet stationery: Velvet May Designs
Finally with this theme think about incorporating all the senses – candles, essential oil diffusers, or even spraying the stationery with your chosen wedding scent. Jo Malone shops offer free wedding scent consultations, where they help brides (and grooms) find the perfect fragrance that will mark the start of their new life together.
Leafy table – Red Floral Architecture
Trends are a perfect source of inspiration for you to find the right mix of elements to suit your personality. I hope you will have found at least one or more styling tips that you will love incorporating in your wedding planning.
If I can be more help to you with your wedding invitations and on-the-day stationery, please get in touch at hello@velvetmaydesigns.co.uk. Happy to ship internationally. I look forward to hearing from you and help you create a beautiful design for your wedding.
Valentina
From Velvet May designs
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