Part I
Each year a multitude of publications post their upcoming trends of the year. I have read a slew of those but as a venue owner, we have a pulse of our own as we look forward to what’s coming up. Let me share the top 10 that we see. Many of these trends, we have already experienced but are gaining momentum.
1. Draping -fabric and greenery
Draping gives such a dramatic effect wherever you see it. What was typically left to draping on an arbor at the ceremony has moved also to the reception hall. Draping in the rafters turns the event hall transforms this space as well. Draping at the doorways and draping at the sweetheart table – there seems to be countless places to add it. Typical draping was just fabric predominantly with embellishments of florals but draping with greenery is just as popular.
2. Repositioning Wedding Parties
We have gone from a bridal party standing on each side of the bride and groom in a well-designed order at the front of the church to something more flexible now. Before, it mattered who was tallest and who was shortest. Now, there is much more flexibility in various ways.
- Instead of bridesmaids being on the same side of the ceremony as the bride (and same with groomsmen), we see them trade places so that the bridesmaids can watch the expressions of the bride and same for groomsmen.
- With larger bridal parties, they line up in a staggered double row to eliminate the very very long line outward. Those last two in the bridal party never seem to fit into a photo.
- While the bridal party is initially in place, bride has now been escorted down by her father, the father takes a seat and the bridal party also takes a seat during the ceremony. This allows the bridal party to easily watch the ceremony and not feel lock-kneed as they stand.
- If the ceremony is planned to be lengthy, not only let the bridal party sit, but set chairs for the bride and groom to sit as well.
3. Weekend Weddings
This trend, we have seen these last 9 years that we began offering a weekend package. Having two houses on-site lead us to offering this package and it was received well and has grown more so each year. Most of your guests will not be able to do a multi-day event but many of your closest family and friends will be able to and will look forward to it. Turning your rehearsal dinner into an event adds fun and a memory for those closest guests. Here at the farm, it is easy to enjoy activities after supper like cornhole, a bonfire, or even a hayride. Hire a caller and do line-dancing. Go into town and do some of the Chattanooga touristy sites like escape rooms or karaoke. Extend your weekend fun but meeting up for a brunch on Sunday with those closest guests too or plan to meet up at Cloudland Canyon for a hike.
4. Aesthetic Dress Codes
This category encompasses two areas; guests and bridal party. Guests now have often become part of the decor and you will often see couples encourage the guests to dress in a general color scheme for enhanced photography. We have seen this a couple of times already but, I will say, that more often than not, our brides are more concerned with their guests having a wonderful time while they are here at the farm, that this is not particularly a consideration. That said, I see this on many of the Top 2025 Wedding Blogs. The other aspect, with the bridal party, has been around for years and has increased each year. Bridal parties (not just the girls, but often the guys too) have color coordinated but different attire. More and more we see where the fabric is not the same either, not just the style. This does photograph well and seems to be very popular with the bridal party too. I love this one from almost every aspect. Let’s keep this one around.
5. More Sustainability
Couples are becoming more mindful of the environmental impact of their celebrations, taking care to minimize waste and reduce the amount of unnecessary items that end up in the trash at the end of the night. There is a noticeable shift away from plastic props or glowsticks. (Vogue.com). Opting for real dinnerware and glassware versus plastic when feasible is being preferred.
