While last year was all about to donut walls and barn weddings, this 2018 is all about embracing mismatched décor and really thinking outside of the box. Gone are the days where weddings were all about following a recipe of formality, with matching décor and “must-haves”. Now, weddings are all about doing whatever makes you happy, with guests loving relaxed and laid-back weddings full of personal touches and surprises.

For couples that are wedding planning this year, 2018 trends are favoring couples who want to design and build a wedding that suits their personality. Forget about matching colors, stuffy desserts, and name cards for tables! This year it’s all about doing things a bit different.

Here are some trends to watch out for this year:

Style & feelings over matching

Weddings now are moving towards a general style and feeling, rather than a palette or color coordination. A boo wedding might have whites, soft colors, and greenery while a more glamourous wedding touches on golds, darker tones, and florals.

Couples are opting to design their wedding for how they want their guests to feel, so get creative an add an adjective before your style choice, for example “relaxed, free boho” or “fun, stylish, modern”. Weddings are now becoming all about the experience when it comes to the look and feel, which makes designing and choosing vendors a lot more fun.

Fun, funky entertainment

Music will always be a staple of weddings, but couples are opting to get unique when it comes to musical choices and other entertainment options. Rather than a DJ, people are opting to hire folk bands from their culture, or a getting groovy with a 90s cover band.

When it comes to other entertainment, a lot of weddings are choosing to bring something onsite to surprise their guests. Whether its life sized board games like Jenga or Connect Four, a caricature artist, or a photo booth with tons of funny props, guests love having something fun to try at weddings.

More unique food choices

Personalizing the food menu, and really giving guests a culinary experience, is a huge priority this year. Couples are opting for more variety when it comes to food options, stepping away from the classic plated meals and opting for food that’s local, fresh, or even from another country. Seasonal menus are a huge hit, and to bring variety some couples are opting for food stations with a live chef to serve guests.

Specifically, people are stepping outside of the box when it comes to desserts. Last year, we saw couples move away from traditional wedding cakes (link to desserts blog), but this year we will see dessert tables that are mismatched with sweets, cakes, and anything to satisfy their guests sweet tooths.

Bolder colors

This year, the color palette of choice seems to be deeper and darker. Couples are opting for deep colors like emerald green, royal blue, mustard yellow, and ruby red even in the summer. Navy with a touch of silver or gold will be big in the winter, and wild flowers with deep, dark colors will be a hit no matter what the season.

Money over gifts

Lastly, you’re going to see more couples asking for cash rather than gifts. Nowadays, couples usually live together before getting married, especially in the city. Which means that couples often have most things they need! Or, live in a tiny apartment.

For many couples, it makes more sense to ask for cash rather than gifts to pay back the wedding or to spend on their honeymoon. Don’t be offended if you notice this request – it’s just how weddings are evolving!

Written By Brad Dalli from Dalli Digital