2021 is finally here! The calendar has flipped and 2020 is in the rearview mirror. While all of our problems aren’t over, it’s exciting to see a new year come. A time of fresh beginnings. 

Every year when we sit down and plan out our business strategy and think about the year ahead, we also think about how weddings might change. Now, we are no experts in the wedding service industry, but we do go to A LOT of weddings every year and we would like to share how we think weddings in 2021 are going to look different than in the past. 

Micro Weddings (still)

While 2020 might be over, there are going to be some things that haven’t changed, and one of those will be micro-weddings. We aren’t going to get into the whole vaccine discussion in this post (we aren’t doctors), but we don’t think the idea of smaller weddings will be going anywhere anytime soon. 

Even if we see COVID numbers dip, we expect people will still be having smaller guest lists, smaller bridal parties, and maybe even only family at their weddings. Why do we think that?

There are a couple reasons. One of them is that people have seen the other side of wedding planning. Before last year, everyone thought they HAD to invite every family member, friend, and acquaintance they had known since elementary school. After 2020, they not only saw the surge in smaller weddings but the real benefit of inviting only those you truly want present. Less stress, and less money!

Now, all this is to say – if you can’t imagine not having a massive wedding with hundreds of guests then you should go for it. Find a way to have your dream wedding and do it safely. But we’ve had a lot of couples who have trimmed down their guest list after seeing other couples having 50 people or less. At the end of the day, they had the people who really mattered. The ones they love. 

Less Traditional Wedding Cakes

This is one that I’m very excited about and something we’ve been seeing more and more often. 

The idea of a simple, traditional vanilla wedding cake isn’t the only option. Recently, we’ve been seeing unique flavors of wedding cake, like key lime pie, german chocolate, and more. 

But the flavor of the cake is not the only cake trend we will see in 2021. 

We are betting to see very different cakes. Instead of a normal cake, couples are choosing cookies cakes, cupcakes, sundaes, and much more. This is one area we expect to see people start thinking outside of the box. 

More Live Streaming

Honestly, this is one of the best things to arise out of COVID weddings. Technology has played a huge role in bringing together families and friends for weddings. Without the wonderful world of Zoom and Google Hangouts, so many people would have missed those first kisses, cake cutting, and first dances. 

Couples are becoming more comfortable with the idea of live-streaming their wedding on Facebook or to a private group, and we think that’s wonderful. While COVID has kept a lot of us apart, it shouldn’t keep your loved ones from seeing one of the best days of your life – and we are so excited about it. 

If you need any tips on the best ways to live stream your wedding or what you should plan for, we would love to share our experiences. 

2021 Wedding Trends 

Regardless of the trends, we see this year, we are so excited for another year of capturing those special wedding moments. Every year we are blown away by how blessed we are to have this job and have the opportunity to be there for some of the most intimate and magical moments in our couple’s lives. 

We know that planning a wedding in the middle of a COVID pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone. It’s not easy for the couple, the family, or even the vendors. But we just want to share an encouraging note with all fo the weddings we shot last year.

While all of those weddings looked different than the couple imagined, every single one of them have an amazing wedding and had a great time. They shared those moments with their new spouse, their family, and some friends. At the end of the day, they were married and that’s what mattered the most.

If you have any questions about wedding photography or you got a shiny new ring for Christmas, we would love to chat over a cup of coffee (over Zoom of course).