Trendspotting for Wedding Vendors: Where to Find Fresh Inspiration
Every love story is beautifully unique, but most couples still seek to find a personalized balance of traditional and unconventional on their wedding day. But tradition ebbs and flows as time goes on, and wedding trends and styles are constantly changing or evolving to keep up. It can be very difficult for vendors to stay ahead of the curve, balance trends with their own styles, and find unique inspiration to continue evolving their own creative pursuits. So, what are some unique ways to find innovation and become a trend spotter as a wedding professional? Keep reading for some of our favorites!
A stunning vintage-style photo from Taylor Czerwinski, Bridal Connects photographer.
Follow the Experts in Aesthetics: Trendsetting 101
To stay ahead in the wedding industry, it’s all about finding inspiration in unexpected places. The best ideas often come from thinking outside the box and exploring new perspectives. At Bridal Connects, we’re always excited to help wedding professionals discover fresh ways to innovate and push creative boundaries, which is why we’re excited to dive into this topic!
“Trends can come from everywhere, and they often transcend different professions and styles of work.”
The first place that you can look to find new wedding trends and new ideas to add to your portfolio, is one that many people probably wouldn’t consider first: the experts in aesthetics – interior designers. Interior designers are exceptional at completely transforming a space to fit exactly what their clients are looking for and using their own creativity to turn a dream into a reality, all within a seemingly ‘boring’ space. And as creatives ourselves, we all understand that trends can come from everywhere, and they often transcend different professionals and styles of work. In fact, many of the interior design trends that we’ve seen arise over the past few years have already made their way into the wedding industry. Take, for example, the accent pillow trend. Don’t be embarrassed, I, too, have about 15 extra pillows on my bed at all times. But, as a wedding vendor, you’ve probably noticed accent pieces and accent colors making their way into your client’s visions, too. An accent color in bouquets, in table arrangements, even an accent wall, or a special custom design on the wedding cake – accent colors are everywhere!
A couple of trends that we’re absolutely loving – bridesmaid’s dresses in different shades, and a first look with your bridal party! These heartwarming photos are from Caroline Brogdon, Bridal Connects photographer!
So, take notice of the changes that you’re seeing in the interior design world. Changes in how rooms are laid out and framed, different color schemes making an impression, even trending lighting fixtures and tones. Trust me, these are all things that will be making their way into styled editorial shoots, and then into your client’s visions for their special day. Here’s a couple of places that you can find that inspiration for yourself:
- Architectural Digest is a great online resource for the latest and greatest changes in the interior design world.
- HGTV – my personal favorite (and a wonderful excuse to go to Target to check out the latest Magnolia collections).
- Sherwin Williams – yes, the paint company. It’s a great resource to see what their predictions are for the upcoming color scheme trends.
And, the prediction from your team here at Bridal Connects: get familiar with the phrase ‘quiet luxury’ – we’ll probably be seeing quite a bit of that style in the next few seasons!
A trend that has everyone swooning – vintage-style photography adds a timeless and personal touch to every wedding album. This incredible photo comes from Rhett Marley, Bridal Connects photographer.
Walk the Runway, Then the Aisle
Sure, the title here is self-explanatory, but there’s a lot more to this section than meets the eye, so let’s talk about it! Of course, the first thing that’s important here is the latest trends in bridal styling: what is everyone wearing at the altar? The style of dress that the bridal party is seeking out is a great indicator of what the overall style and vision for the wedding day will be for a particular couple. Like other fashion trends, bridal styling is constantly changing, so as a professional, it’s important to keep an eye on what the latest updates are, because they’re a fantastic indicator of wedding trends on a larger scale. Consider this: if the trend in bridal dress is navy blue tuxes for the groomsmen, the overall style of the wedding for a couple who chooses these is likely modern, clean, and elegant. Keeping up with the latest runway styles from popular and innovative dress designers is a great way to find inspiration for the upcoming wedding season. It’s a front row seat as to what your upcoming couples might be seeking, so take notes!
“People appreciate visual beauty, and that type of inspiration can come from everywhere.”
On a broader scale, don’t confine your search to only the latest bridal trends. As with our previous section considering interior design, trends start in one area of industry, and then slowly make their way into all the others. People appreciate visual beauty, and that type of inspiration can come from everywhere – including straight from NYFW, or even your favorite influencer’s OOTDs. That pair of jeans that you’ve been dying to try on might just be the driving force behind the newest wedding day trend. As an example, one of the most recent trends in wedding dress construction has been corset-style tops, with a very distinct structure to them. However, this is a style that has been making its way through popular culture for the last couple of years, through corset-style tops and more loosely structured, but similar looking sundresses (you know the ones!).
Another breathtaking vintage-style photo that inspires all of our greatest wedding dreams! This stunning photo comes from Naomi Gilbert, one of our talented Bridal Connects photographers.
Capturing the Moments, Capturing the Trends
Photography is one of the most emotionally charged and stunning ways for a person to express their own creativity and allow others to truly see the world through a different perspective. Because of this, it’s a major aspect of someone’s wedding day, and contributes heavily to the overall style that a couple is hoping to achieve. Photographers are constantly seeking out new sources of inspiration to further their craft, and so they can be a wonderful resource to stay ahead of the latest wedding day trends. Yes, it’s important to consider what you’re seeing from fellow photographers and vendors in the area who you’ve worked with before in terms of their wedding content, but we find that styled shoots are editorial work are some of the best ways to spark some new ideas for yourself and others. Consider that we’ve been seeing a huge uptick in vintage and film-style photography and videography, and how that’s started a major resurgence of film photography for weddings. Even further, consider the candid style of photography and videography that people widely prefer now to consume on social media, and how that’s coincided with documentary-style and candid imagery being popularized in the wedding industry. We can’t deny that it’s all connected.
“Look for inspiration in the moments that others are gravitating towards capturing.”
Look for inspiration in the moments that others are gravitating towards capturing, and really consider how they might translate to a wedding day. Photographers have the power to advance trends or shut them down before they begin, so looking at what they put forth themselves is very helpful. Think of styled shoots as a vision of the photographer’s own creation, where they’re able to take liberties they normally wouldn’t on a wedding day. The next time that a photographer shares a new editorial or styled shoot, pay close attention to the style and content that they’ve captured, and really consider how it may translate to what future couples might be looking for.
An up-and-coming wedding trend for 2024 that we’re excited to see continue: adding floral arrangements on or around your cake! It’s a great way to add a motif to your wedding album through your florals! This amazing picture was captured by Taylor Czerwinski, Bridal Connects wedding photographer.
Stick to the Basics: They’re There for a Reason!
The basics, when we’re considering looking for the next big thing in the wedding industry, can span a lot of different avenues. But start with what you know. Social media is a great resource, not to mention, it’s free. Check out the latest editing styles, what people find aesthetically pleasing, what they’re wearing, whether they prefer fairy lights or candlelight – it’s all relevant. You don’t need to be a detective, and don’t stress about spending hours trying to decipher every popular video that you come across, just keep things in your back pocket for the time being. As long as you stay aware, a couple will come to you with an idea that they can’t quite express, but you’ll know exactly what they’re looking for, and how to deliver.
A trend that will never truly go out of style – soft waves! Stunning, natural, and they photograph beautifully. And we love a dainty hairpiece such as this one, courtesy of Magely Martinez, one of our talented makeup artists!
Outside of social media, it’s also important that you keep in contact with your network, and with other professionals in the area. It’s a great way to encourage collaboration among vendors, and make sure that everyone can work together to create something unique when the time comes to start creating based on a new trend. Wedding coordinators are another incredible resource, since they’re one of the first touchpoints between couples and the wedding planning industry. They’ll know exactly what people are looking for, and how often they see a new trend emerging will be a good indicator of what’s upcoming in the next season.
Overall, just keep your eyes open, and you never know when inspiration might strike!
One of our favorite trends in recent years; elevated natural beauty! Phoebe Brache, a Bridal Connects makeup artist, truly knows how to make a bride’s best features shine on her big day!
Conclusion
Wedding trends are constantly emerging, and innovation might come from anywhere, which is why it’s important to look in different places. A trend may start in the interior design industry, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see it as part of a table setting at one of your next weddings. Look in unique places, and you’ll find unique ideas! And if you experience a lull, or you need some extra tips, your team here at Bridal Connects would be more than happy to provide you with just that!
