Wedding Industry Trends 2017-2018

Introduction

The wedding industry underwent significant transformations between 2017 and 2018, marking a departure from traditional nuptial celebrations toward more personalized, experiential events. This period saw couples increasingly prioritizing unique representation of their personalities and values over following established conventions. The industry responded with innovative approaches to virtually every aspect of wedding planning, from venue selection to culinary offerings, dress designs, and entertainment options. This comprehensive exploration of 2017-2018 wedding trends reveals how couples reimagined their special day with authenticity at its core.

Weddings became less about formal protocol and more about creating genuine experiences that reflected who the couples were as individuals and partners. Social media influence continued to grow during this period, but interestingly, it inspired both trends toward highly Instagram-worthy moments and, simultaneously, a counter-movement toward more intimate, unplugged celebrations focused on presence rather than documentation.

Venue and Decor Trends

2017-2018 witnessed a dramatic shift in preferred wedding venues. While traditional banquet halls remained popular, an increasing number of couples opted for non-traditional spaces that felt more personal and authentic to their story.

Industrial and Warehouse Venues

Industrial spaces, warehouses, and converted factories became sought-after venues, particularly for urban couples. These locations offered the perfect canvas for mixing rustic elements with modern aesthetics. Exposed brick, high ceilings, and concrete floors provided a unique backdrop that required minimal decoration while making a bold statement.

Botanical Gardens and Conservatories

Botanical gardens and glass conservatories surged in popularity during this period, with couples embracing the romantic atmosphere created by natural surroundings. These venues offered built-in greenery and florals, reducing the need for extensive decorations while creating an ethereal, magical ambiance.

Minimalist Decor Philosophy

The "less is more" approach to wedding decor gained significant traction in 2017-2018. Couples moved away from over-the-top floral arrangements and excessive decorations, instead opting for thoughtful, meaningful pieces. Long farm tables with simple greenery runners, single-stem vases, and candlelight created intimate dining experiences.

Drying Floral Arrangements

A distinctive trend emerging toward 2018 was incorporating dried flowers and pampas grass into arrangements. These elements added texture and romance while offering cost savings and the ability to create pieces that would last beyond the event day.

Unique Table Numbers

Couples personalized their receptions with creative table numbering systems. Family photos, favorite destinations, or meaningful dates replaced traditional numbers, adding personal touches and conversation starters for guests.

Fashion Trends

Bridal fashion in 2017-2018 embraced diversity and practicality while maintaining elegance. The concept of the "perfect wedding dress" expanded to include options that allowed for comfort, movement, and personal expression.

The Rise of Separates

Bridal separatesmix-and-match tops and skirtsgained popularity as they offered versatility and value. Brides could change their look between ceremony and reception without multiple dress purchases. Practical yet stylish, this trend spoke to modern brides' desire for functionality along with tradition.

Dresses with Pockets

Perhaps surprisingly, wedding dresses with functional pockets became highly sought after in 2017-2018. This practical feature allowed brides to keep essentials close at hand while dancing and mingling, reflecting the growing emphasis on comfort during celebrations.

Colored Accents

While white and ivory remained the norm, 2017-2018 saw more brides incorporating color through statement sleeves, embroidery, or colored sashes. Soft pastels and metallic accents provided subtle ways to personalize the bridal gown while maintaining a traditional aesthetic.

Groom's Fashion Evolution

Men's wedding fashion also evolved during this period. Though classic suits remained popular, many grooms expressed themselves through colorful bow ties, patterned socks, unique boutonnires, and sometimes even less formal attire like tweed suits for rustic weddings.

Comfortable Footwear

Both brides and grooms increasingly prioritized comfortable footwear. Block heels, lower heel heights, and decorated sneakers became acceptable alternatives to stilettos and dress shoes, reflecting the longer celebration periods and focus on dancing that characterized modern weddings.

Food and Beverage Trends

Culinary offerings at weddings transformed significantly between 2017 and 2018, with couples moving away from cookie-cutter menus toward personalized dining experiences that reflected their tastes and heritage.

Interactive Food Stations

The traditional plated dinner gave way to more interactive options. Food stations became increasingly popular, with chefs preparing dishes to order. These could include pasta, sushi, taco, or omelet bars, allowing guests to customize their meals and creating entertainment around food.

Comfort Food menus

Many couples embraced comfort foods, elevating familiar dishes with premium ingredients. Mini grilled cheese and tomato soup shooters, gourmet slider stations, and elevated macaroni and cheese brought nostalgia to wedding receptions while satisfying guests' appetites.

Locally Sourced and Seasonal Ingredients

Farm-to-table concepts continued gaining momentum, with couples prioritizing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. This approach not only provided fresher, more flavorful food but also supported local communities and reduced environmental impact.

Alternative Dessert Options

While traditional tiered cakes remained popular, many couples incorporated or replaced them with alternative dessert options. Doughnut walls, pie stations, ice cream sundae bars, and dessert spreads featuring childhood favorites created memorable experiences and reflected couples' personalities.

Signature Cocktails

Custom cocktails became a standard feature at 2017-2018 weddings. These drinks typically incorporated ingredients meaningful to the couple, such as fruits from their honeymoon destination or flavors from their first date. Named creatively, these beverages served as conversation starters and personal touches.

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Focus

As guests increasingly prioritized mindful drinking, weddings began offering more sophisticated non-alcoholic options. Mocktails, artisanal sodas, infused waters, and coffee bars provided appealing alternatives that didn't leave non-drinkers feeling like an afterthought.

Technology in Weddings

Technology increasingly influenced wedding planning and celebrations during 2017-2018. From digital invitations to interactive guest experiences, technology created new possibilities while raising new considerations for couples.

Digital Wedding Invitations

While paper invitations remained standard for formal weddings, digital invitations gained acceptance for more casual celebrations. These offered environmental benefits, cost savings, and easier RSVP tracking while allowing for creative designs and animations.

Wedding Websites

Personal wedding websites became ubiquitous during this period, serving as central hubs for all wedding-related information. These sites typically included details about accommodations, registries, schedules, and mapsreducing confusion for guests and minimizing questions for the couple.

Drones in Wedding Photography

Drone photography and videography emerged as a premium option during 2017-2018, providing breathtaking aerial shots of venues, ceremonies, and group photos. The technology added cinematic quality to wedding documentation and captured perspectives previously impossible to achieve.

Social Media Integration

Couples embraced social media through custom wedding hashtags, encouraging guests to share their perspectives. Photobooths with instant social media uploading capabilities and live streams for remote guests also became more common, extending the wedding celebration beyond physical boundaries.

Wedding Planning Apps

The market for wedding planning applications expanded significantly during this period. These tools helped couples manage budgets, track RSVPs, coordinate vendors, and organize seating arrangements, simplifying the complex planning process through technology.

The "Unplugged Wedding" Movement

Counterintuitively, the proliferation of technology also sparked a movement toward "unplugged" weddings. Couples began requesting that guests refrain from using their phones during ceremonies to encourage presence and authentic moments rather than documented experiences.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Weddings

Environmental consciousness emerged as a significant factor in wedding planning during 2017-2018. Couples increasingly sought ways to reduce the ecological footprint of their celebrations without sacrificing beauty or meaning.

Locally Sourced Flowers

Importance was placed on using locally grown flowers rather than imported blooms, reducing transportation emissions and supporting local growers. Seasonal florals became the preferred choice, offering natural beauty at typically lower costs.

Paperless Alternatives

Beyond digital invitations, brides explored paperless alternatives for other wedding elements. Digital guest books, electronic registry access, and online thank-you notes reduced paper consumption while maintaining traditional sentiments.

Eco-Friendly Favors

Disposable wedding favors gave way to sustainable options. Seed packets, potted plants, edible treats in reusable containers, and donations to environmental organizations replaced traditional keepsakes that often ended up discarded.

Repurposed Decor

Renting or repurposing decor became increasingly popular, with couples sourcing vintage items, using sustainable materials, and planning for reuse of wedding elements beyond the event day. Some couples even planned to donate flowers to hospitals or nursing homes after their celebration.

Ethical Rings and Jewelry

Couples showed growing concern for the ethical implications of their wedding jewelry. Conflict-free diamonds, recycled precious metals, and vintage or heirloom rings offered meaningful alternatives that aligned with couples' values.

Entertainment Trends

Entertainment at weddings evolved beyond the traditional DJ and live band in 2017-2018, with couples seeking more interactive and personalized experiences for their guests.

Non-Traditional First Dances

Couples increasingly personalized their first dances through choreographed routines, surprise flash mob-style performances, or incorporating family members. Some even replaced the dance entirely with activities like a game, song performance by the couple, or a meaningful video presentation.

Interactive Entertainment

Beyond dancing, many weddings incorporated interactive entertainment elements. Lawn games, activity stations, roving performers, and even mini-experiences like palm readers or temporary tattoo artists kept guests engaged throughout the celebration.

Music Personalization

Couples took greater control over their wedding music, creating carefully curated playlists that reflected their relationship journey. Live musicians offering unique musical experiences, such as jazz trios during cocktail hours or acoustic guitarists during outdoor ceremonies, became more common.

Late Night Snacks

As receptions extended later, couples began offering late-night snack options to keep guests energized. Food trucks, midnight buffet stations, or passed comfort foods provided a second wind for partiers and became memorable event highlights.

Surprise Performances

Surprise elements, such as dance performances by family members or flash mobs involving the wedding party, created excitement and social media-worthy moments that elevated the entertainment factor of receptions.

Conclusion

Wedding trends from 2017-2018 reflect a broader shift toward authentic, personalized celebrations that prioritize meaningful experiences over traditional formalities. Couples increasingly viewed their weddings as opportunities to share their personalities and values with their communities, resulting in celebrations that felt both distinctly modern and deeply personal.

The trends established during this period have continued to influence wedding planning, with sustainability, personalization, and guest experience remaining key considerations. While specific aesthetics have evolved since 2018, the fundamental movement toward authenticity and experience-driven celebrations that characterized this era has endured, suggesting that the greatest trend of all was the shift toward weddings that truly represent the couples at their center.

Looking back, 2017-2018 appears as a transitional period when wedding traditions were both honored and reimagined. The most successful celebrations during this era balanced meaningful traditions with personal touches, creating events that felt timeless yet contemporary, respectful of convention yet distinctly individual.