As a wedding photographer, we see it all. I used to be one of those people who was ready to die on the hill of individuality, but recently I have changed my perspective a little. My new stance is that weddings are hard, make it easier on yourself. One of the easiest ways to make wedding planning easier is to draw inspiration from others. We live in a world where we are bombarded with content every moment of every day. Thousands of influencers exist to make wedding content and it is nearly impossible for a bride to come up with a wedding day that hasn't been done in some way. Now don't get me wrong, I am still of the opinion that your wedding should be exactly how you want it to be, but if you draw inspiration for everything you want it to be then you'll still end up with something that is uniquely yours.


I am writing weekly content that will make it easier for my clients. This week's blog has some of my favorite 2023 trends in it. Take inspiration from these trends, but imagine how they could fit your wedding! For instance, change the colors, change the shape or the material, but use the inspiration and make your wedding day everything you dreamed it to be.

Mismatched Wedding Parties


Wedding parties are altogether different recently. It used to be a very traditional thing where each person had a role and helped make the wedding day perfect. While your bridesmaids and groomsmen should still be helpful, they have a new definition for 2023. I have been to several weddings without a wedding party. The bridesmaids and groomsmen are more like honored guests than helpers. I don't know if they got a bad rap with all of our sayings like "always a bridesmaid never a bride" or movies like 27 Dresses, but these days Gen Z does things differently. One way to help relieve the tension and make it less of a chore to be in your wedding party is to loosen up the reigns when it comes to outfits. There are a lot of sites out there that allow you to give your friends a guideline of what they should wear. Everyone can show up in an outfit that represents their personality and honors their style. I am starting to like this look way more than matching bridesmaids dresses and I wish this was a thing when I got married just 2 years ago!


Two popular places you can find mismatched bridesmaids' outfits are Lulus and Anthropologie

Simple Cakes


Over the years we have gone through so many trends. Cakes seem to be one of those things that couples go back and forth on. Recently, simple wedding cakes have been all the rage. The most typical thing that I see at weddings is that the couple will have a small, simple cake to cut. They keep the tradition of the cake cutting, they will both eat their cake (or at least the groom always will lol) and then there will be other desserts for the guests.


Along the lines of simple cakes, almost every cake I have seen this year has some sort of greenery on the table. Florals on the wedding cake table are definitely a 2023 trend.

Private Vow Readings


For a while there I was terrified that wedding formal sessions and first looks were going to be a thing of the past. Fewer and fewer couples were requesting them in 2021, but then they began to evolve in 2022!

When I first started photography we used to call these sessions "bridals" because it was typically the time for just the bride to have her portraits taken. Later it evolved to having both partners in the photos and I tossed around the name "wedding formals". This year I am calling them "wedding formals" because they have evolved into something I love! Wedding formal sessions are totally romantic, private, and intimate. Usually, it's just you and your photographer and videographer. I always suggest that we book these soon after the wedding attire is ready to go and before the wedding day. These sessions start out with a first look. Photos are taken and poses are suggested. Then they transition into a private vow reading. You can make your promises to your partner in a beautiful location without the pressure of everyone listening to you while you have tears and snot running down your face. After this, I give you some time to enjoy the moment together, and then we get into the fun things. We end with the cutesy poses and the ones that make you genuinely laugh.

And there you have it! The stress is half over and the wedding day ceremony just got so much easier. In my professional opinion, these sessions are a must! If you want to capture the vows (especially for video) and all of the little details that you have carefully chosen, this gives your photographer/videographer more time to focus on you and your accessories during this wedding formal session, and then even more time to capture candid moments and detail shots on the wedding day!

Synthetic Wedding Flowers


Okay, now this one is actually brilliant! Couples spend so much money on flowers, and one thing that they always wish is that they could keep the flowers. There are a lot of places and ways to preserve flowers, but it's not quite the same. That is why florists are getting creative with their designs. Recently I have seen wood flowers pop up, and they look nothing like wood! The flowers in the photos below are wood flowers and I was amazed the first time I saw them.


Here's my suggestion: Have your florist create authentic floral arrangements for the things that you wouldn't want to keep. Areas such as the cake table, the aisle, the tables, or any arches could have real, alive flowers. The flowers that you and your wedding party have could be made of wood or artificial material. I did this before it was cool and honestly, it was just because I am allergic to pampas grass, but wanted a boho wedding. Now I still have my wedding bouquet and I love it! It looks just as beautiful as my wedding day, the photos turned out great, there was no wilting or issues with it on the wedding day, it was easy to transport to all my events, and I get to look at it every day still.


It just make sense!

Multiple Dresses - Parties, Ceremony, Reception, and Exit


In 2023 we do things for the aesthetic and your wedding is one of the times in your life when you are literally expected to be the center of attention. Show up and shine with multiple different outfits throughout the entire wedding experience! It does not have to be expensive to spoil yourself with new outfits for your weddings. Here are some of my favorite ones that won't break the bank.


Bridal Shower:

Bachelorette Party:

Reception:

I love all of these trends!


The best part? Even if you are halfway through wedding planning, you can switch things up and use these trends. They are good ones, they are fun ones, and they are trends that I think should stick around for a while! Thanks for reading and happy wedding planning!