Trends

2022 Wedding Trends for Canadian Couples To Watch

With a new year comes new trends and ways of doing things, and weddings for engaged Canadians are no exception. Whether you’re in the earliest stage of your engagement or you’re planning to tie the knot soon, it’s important to know what’s happening with marriage events for 2022. Even if you’re just someone who loves all things nuptials, here are some things to know for the new year.

Choosing the Dress

An elegant white gown is a classic symbol for tying the knot. Look for more brides opting to move away from the traditional white dress to other colors such as cream, ivory, silver, champagne and rose. These color choices often extend to themes for the event, such as the attire for the rest of the wedding party, including groomsmen. Other trends include outfits that are more detailed and not limited to the classic wedding gown silhouette. Cocktail dresses, jump suits and mixed pieces are increasingly popular alternatives to the typical gown.

Celebrating Alfresco

During a global pandemic, social distancing mandates have impacted the ability to hold public gatherings. One workaround that you’ll see more couples moving toward is holding events outdoors, especially during the spring, summer and early fall. Look for more outdoor venue alternatives, not only for the wedding itself but for other related events such as bridal showers, engagement parties and rehearsal dinners. Outdoor spaces make it easier for guests to spread out and comply with social distancing requirements. Often nature provides the best backdrop for the special day.

Having Multiple Celebrations

Some partners will opt to move away from the big wedding with many invitees by throwing multiple smaller events with different guests. We’ll see engaged couples stay compliant with pandemic guidelines by having a small ceremony with their nearest and dearest. On other dates, they may have more informal get-togethers to celebrate with friends and family who weren’t at the ceremony. Breaking up the celebration into multiple, more low-key events is not only safer but may also result in significant cost savings.

Throwing Hybrid Ceremonies

Video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, WebEx and other applications have helped facilitate virtual meetings for many people since the start of the pandemic. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram make it easier than ever for users to go live and share an event with distanced guests. Look for more couples to have hybrid ceremonies that have both an in-person component that observes social distancing guidelines and a virtual or online element for remote participants. Online guests may also get access to specially curated content such as photos, videos and digital party favors.

Celebrations Trends With Wining and Dining

Another trend in nuptials celebrations that will continue is creative menus. More celebrants are moving away from a traditional reception dinner featuring sparkling wine for toasting and wedding cake. Given outdoor and destination venues, a couple might opt for tasting menus composed of small plates with various types of cuisine that are appropriate for certain dietary restrictions. Instead of paying thousands of dollars for a large, multi-tiered cake, some couples will opt for smaller, more individualized servings of desserts. From cakes to pastries and even frozen novelty treats that can be customized and personalized, this trend will continue to evolve in 2022. On the beverage side, some couples will opt for local brews over champagne as the party drink(s) of choice.

Despite the uncertainties of the new year, there are things still in the air besides a novel virus, including love. Canadians will continue to find new ways to solemnize their unions with different types of marriage celebrations. From wedding fashion to ceremonies to food and drink, it’s important to take note of emerging and continuing trends in the new year to personalize this major life milestone, especially in a changing world.

Wedding Trends To Take You Into 2022 and Beyond

As the world continues to turn, love continues to bloom between couples all over the globe. While the past year and a half and have dramatically altered many aspects of our lives, two hearts continue to come together, resulting in a lifelong pledge to love each other for better or worse. While love springs eternal, wedding ceremony trends continue to shift and evolve for many, including Canadians. Here are some to keep an eye on, especially if you plan to tie the knot soon.

Simpler Nuptial Trends

Where time and budget allow, the over-the-top lavish ceremony will never truly go away; however, there is definitely a trend toward more relaxed, understated luxury. Many couples will say farewell to formal, black-tie affairs and hello to laid-back weddings that feel more like fun get-togethers with families and friends. Think of alfresco nuptials in a cozy garden setting with an emphasis on simple, natural fabrics and finishes instead of the glitz and glamor of precious metals, gems and crystal. Put a ring on it, kick off your shoes and tuck a stalk of your favorite wildflower behind your ear as you head to the altar.

Multi-Day Celebrations

Traditionally, weddings take place on one day, with the reception immediately after or later the same day. A global pandemic has made many couples re-imagine their one big day as several special days with events spread throughout. Imagine a weekend with different events involving guests from your various social circles. From bowling to a backyard party to a Sunday brunch, a multi-day celebration provides you the opportunity to host casual yet intimate functions that are more accommodating to the various people who are happy to celebrate this new phase of life with you.

Trends; Everything Old, Very Little New

A growing trend with weddings is the use of vintage furniture, finishes and fashion. Older furnishings evoke feelings of nostalgia and a love for all things timeless. While the trend of wearing family heirlooms is hardly new, more partners are choosing classic styles that inspire fond recollection of the good old days. This trend isn’t just limited to attire and decor. Look for a classic approach to wedding gifts, menus, invitations and more.

All the Way Live

As couples push for ceremonies that have a relaxed or organic feel, another emerging trend is a push toward the use of live music. From folksy acts that emphasize acoustic guitars and strings to rocking bands with unique renditions of some of the world’s most beloved love songs, a live act brings a sense of accessibility and intimacy that helps to make the celebration special. Do you know singer-songwriters or musicians? Make the wedding even more memorable with a commissioned expression of love in song.

Perfectly Imperfect

When it comes to the big day, a couple may feel pressured to look perfect and have everything just so. Increasingly, many partners are ditching perfection for a more natural approach. Instead of picture-perfect captures of the newlyweds in forced poses, you can expect to see more candid shots that feature the glow of love between the new spouses and the ones who have come together to celebrate them. There’s magic in laughter, embraces, eyes closed in happiness and pure smiles, and capturing these moments is paramount.

Inclusive Celebrations

You can also expect to see ceremonies that are more inclusive and degenderized. Don’t be surprised if you get invited to a ceremony featuring a best woman, a man of honor or grooms-maids. On your very special day, you get to choose who’s in your ceremony. Reception traditions of tossing a bouquet or garter may also go the way of the dodo in modern celebrations.

The weddings of tomorrow will continue to shift and change as society progresses. More couples are choosing to prioritize simplicity and comfort. The joy of marriage is in the journey, and many star-crossed voyagers are setting a course for relaxation over fuss. 

Wedding Cake Trends for 2017

Modern cake trends seem to be shifting from what was considered "normal" to becoming something completely abnormal.

Common wedding cake trends seem to be drifting away from the traditional white cake and more towards making cakes more vibrant and fun with their colors.

The most common wedding cake trend seems to be moving more toward coordinating with the bride’s colors, even if there is no white on the cake. Here are some of the trends for cakes this year:

When most people think of a wedding cake, they automatically assume it should be white. There are a lot of reasons for this. White denotes purity, which became popular during the Victorian era. The white wedding cake is also a visual link between the bride and the cake. White cakes and frosting, at one time, symbolized affluence. It was difficult to get refined sugar before the Victorian age. The whiter the cake, the more wealth a family had to obtain those difficult ingredients.

Here are some of the cake trends for this year:

  • Metallic decorations – think edible glitter for sparkle, or gold- or silver-leaf sheets in cutout embroidery lace-like designs.
  • White on white – a traditional cake with only white decorations.
  • Ruffles – no, not fabric ruffles, but embellishments of sugar frills. Include fresh or sugar flowers to finish off the cake.
  • Naked cakes – show off the inside of a cake by not frosting it. Fill the layers with seasonal fruits or nuts to add texture and taste.
  • Marbleized decorations – hand-painted designs on the frosting, set off with a simple ribbon or flower border.
  • Stained-glass – these cakes are part of the hand-painted variety but include outlining the images in black.
  • Beads – cover your cake with edible beads for a unique look.
  • Greenery and botany – don’t limit your cake decorations to flowers, but use fruits and greenery or anything organic to make it your own.
  • Navy and black – most people don’t associate navy blue or black with a wedding, but more brides are choosing one of these elegant colors as part of their attire.
  • Whimsical cakes – more brides are forgoing the elegant white cake for a tiered cake that represents their personality.
  • Ombre effect – blend colors on the wedding cake from a dark, deep tone to the lightest tint.
  • A cake trio, or quartet – a table of cakes at your reception, giving your guests two to three flavors to choose from. Not only does this make for a spectacular display, but you won’t have to choose between your two favorite flavors.
  • Rainbow cake – the inside of the cake is done in the colors of the rainbow, while the outside of the cake is more traditional.
  • A “sweet” cake – cover your wedding cake in the candies or sweets you enjoy. Some brides are even creating cakes out of their favorite goodies, opting for a different type of dessert altogether.
  • Monograms – decorate with your initials in a repetitive pattern around the cake. From a distance, it will be a pretty pattern. You could also have a sugar-made plaque with your new monogram.
  • Buttercream cakes – instead of the smooth fondant layer on the cake, more brides are going with a simple buttercream frosting in a pattern that might not be perfect. It tastes much different than fondant and can feel more casual and relaxed.

Why Stacked Wedding Cakes?

In the Middle Ages, legend has it that cakes or buns would be stacked in a large pile before the newly wedded couple. The couple would then try to kiss each other over the stack, and if they could, it symbolized a lifetime of prosperity. Eventually, the layers of cake would be stacked together with frosting. Because modern refrigeration wasn’t available, the cakes would be covered with lard to keep them moist. The lard would be scraped off before serving, but invariably, a small amount of the lard could not be removed. Bakers began adding sugar to the lard to improve the taste, and thus, the modern wedding cake came into being.