Wondering what two NJ wedding planners predict will be all over in 2023? Well you’ve come to the right place! If you haven’t met us yet, we’re Kristen and Nicole, owners and lead-planners of Well-Dressed Events, New Jersey’s premier style-centric wedding, party and event planning company. We specialize in high-end, unique events for modern, bold, standout clients and we pride ourselves on cutting-edge, creative design, styling and event management.
How do we select our trends?
Glad you asked. Of course, we look at what’s going on in the wedding industry as a whole. What’s on the runway, what BRIDES magazine talking about, etc. But what really drives our picks is the frequency and cadence in which we saw our couples adopt these elements in 2022. As you know, June through the end of October is coined “wedding season” here in New Jersey. That’s when majority of couples want to get married because of the weather. But, that obviously doesn’t mean it’s the only time weddings are taking place. So we look at our early 2022 couples and the different or unique elements they incorporated, and see how frequently they appeared at the rest of our weddings up until the end of 2022. We also compare to our 2023 full-service brides to see how those trends are carrying over into the new year as well.
Check out our top tends for 2023 New Jersey Weddings below!
Color and texture
We are so happy to see color coming back into weddings. It’s been a few years of soft, ethereal vibes and while we love that look, there’s nothing more fun as a wedding pro than getting to play with color! Whether it’s deep and moody or bright and vibrant, we predict we’ll be seeing more color make its way back onto our New Jersey wedding scene.
A big way we are seeing couples incorporate color and texture into their wedding day design is through their bridal party. More and more we are seeing our couples move away from the matching dresses or suits, and leaning into the mis-matched look. We love this not only for the visual interest it creates, but because we’re big believers in allowing people to dress for their own bodies.
We’re still loving dried elements in florals this year to pump up the texture, but we think we’ll be seeing less pampas grass. Because let’s face it, we beat that one to death in 2022.
Non-tradition
If you’ve worked with us you know our favorite phrase is “there are no rules!” (well, that and the F word). And it will ring true in 2023! Now before we give Nonna a heart attack, we are not talking about ditching religious or centuries-old family traditions. If you have traditions or rituals from your faith or family that you want to honor, you absolutely should. What we’re talking about is elements that have been synonymous with weddings since forever, and that aren’t really vibing with today’s couple. I.e. the bouquet and garter toss. Those two moments have been on the decline in recent years and TBH we’re not sure if anyone really misses them.
Some other wedding traditions that couples are forgoing:
- Designated sides for each family at the ceremony
- Bathroom amenity baskets (IT’S OK NOT TO HAVE, WE PROMISE)
- Rehearsals and rehearsal dinners the day before the wedding (trade them for welcome drinks!)
- Post-wedding brunches
- Favors
- Guest Books
- Flower girls/Ring bearers
- Bridal parties
Bridal parties deserves its own paragraph. Many of our couples are choosing to completely opt out of having traditional bridal parties and instead are incorporating special people into their day in different ways like having a friend or family member officiate their wedding ceremony. Trust us on this one, you are not going to offend people if you don’t have a bridal party. In fact you might get a hug.
Unique Experiences
This one has definitely been on the rise in recent years, but really ramped up and got more creative toward the end of 2022. Unique experiences like cigar rolling, food trucks, espresso carts, and Chick-Fil-A have all been gracing the wedding scene. We’ve had couples incorporate performances like flash mobs or a NOLA-inspired brass parade (check out Hudson Horns to see what we’re talking about!). And if you like the idea of some sort of modern guestbook, we’re seeing a ton of people use the After the Tone voicemail recorder!
Basically, this one ties in to the non-tradition. If it hasn’t been done before, all the more reason to do it! And as a reminder, you can never go wrong with fun food and drink!
Statement Seating Charts or Escort Cards
From tequila shot escort cards to champagne walls, these larger-than-life seating experiences are not going anywhere! We love a collection of backdrops in different sizes and material, or an oversized elegant paper scroll. We’ve also been seeing escort cards that tie back to the couples relationship, like oyster shells, mini olive oils or even cookies!
What do you think?
As with any trend, you can take these or leave them! The one thing that we always try to drive home is DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY! If you want to stand on the right side of the aisle because that’s your good side, just do it! If mom and dad want to sit on the opposite side so they can see your face when you say your vows, let them! If you love tradition and want to throw that damn bouquet across the dance floor, more power to you!
We’d love to hear what you think of these 2023 wedding trends and if there is anything else you think will be really big this year. Of course, if you need help planning or coordinating your 2023 New Jersey wedding, call us!
