2018 was quite the year! From royal weddings to A-class Celebrity weddings, it had it all. As we jeer up to enjoy yet another eventful year, here are our top picks for the trends that will dominate weddings in 2019.
Use of signage at Weddings
This is a fairly new idea in the Ugandan wedding industry yet it is quite popular elsewhere. Signage is a creative way to interact with your guests on your special day. Signs can be used in various ways such as greetings to welcome your guests; for directions to show your guests around; for communication such as any sayings the bridal couple want to tell their guests or simply for fun. Signs can be set up all over the reception venue at strategic points to add to the décor and creativity at your wedding. A few weddings did this in 2018 and we predict more of this come 2019.
Introduction of the Pre-Reception Cocktail
A pre-wedding reception cocktail involves guests having snacks and drinks before the main wedding reception. It can be set up at the wedding reception venue or at an alternative venue and occurs before the bridal couple arrive. It allows your guests to mingle and say hello to friends they have not seen in a while and whom they may not be seated at the same table with. It serves as an excellent ice breaker. This tradition has largely been associated with affluent weddings but is now more widespread. Indeed, we predict pre-reception cocktails at most weddings in 2019!
Return of the Wedding after-party
A wedding after-party is a post reception gathering that prolongs the wedding festivities into the wee hours of the morning. It is a way to keep the fun going and includes lots of drinking and snacking. In the 90’s and early 2000’s, the wedding after party was the in-thing. It was common practice for wedding receptions to start early evening and for guests to stay after the wedding for the after-party. This tradition then started to die out in the mid 2000’s. 2018 saw the return of this trend and we predict it will continue throughout 2019.
Artistic food Displays
Gone are the days when caterers just laid out food at weddings. The new trend is not merely about the food itself but also the artistic layout. It is now common practice for dessert (fruits, cakes and ice cream) and salads to have very creative displays at weddings. These displays are now seen as part of the décor and we predict this trend staying popular in 2019.
Themed Weddings
Yes, weddings can have themes! A theme serves as a guide to all activities surrounding the wedding. From wedding invitations, to cake flavors, to signage to décor as well as the wedding day programme; everything is centered on the wedding theme. Themes can be varied depending on the couple’s preferences. They may include: romantic, playful, modern, traditional, Love conquers all etc. Themed weddings were observed in 2018 and we predict that this will continue throughout 2019.
Multiple changing gowns
Changing gowns have been an ever present at weddings. This is a tradition that dates way back to the 1930’s when brides would change from the wedding gown into a different dress on their way to the honeymoon. It is a tradition still going strong today. However, where in the past, there was just the one changing dress, brides are now changing into multiple dresses. It is now not uncommon for brides to change into 2 different dresses at the reception. This was a feature in 2018 and we predict a growing trend for 2019.
Photo Booths
In this technology era, nothing is more popular than the selfie! From presidents to religious leaders to ordinary persons, most people have taken selfies at some point. It is the new way to share with your friends about what is happening in your life. Weddings have also not been left behind and have created an enabling environment for their selfie-crazed guests through setting up photo booths. A photo booth is a designated area with an appropriate background where guests can go to take as many photos as they wish! It is a fun way to interact with your guests and the bridal entourage can also join in the photos. This was observed at a few weddings in 2018 and we expect the trend to continue in 2019.
Smaller sized Weddings
The average wedding crowd in Uganda is 350 – 500 guests. This represents friends of the couple, work colleagues, relatives and friends of their parents. The diverse nature of our weddings means that all these groups are represented at the wedding. It has therefore been the norm to have large weddings but the associated cost implication has meant that this is starting to change. Wedding crowds are getting smaller. Throughout 2018, the wedding crowd was dwindling and we predict this trend to continue in 2019.
Creative Wedding Invitations
The wedding invitation is usually the first interaction that your guests receive about your wedding. It is the first tidbit intended to generate excitement about your wedding. Consequently, there is a need to be very creative about it. More and more couples are moving away from the traditional bland invitation cards to more creative ways. Cards are now more personalized to reflect the tastes and preferences of the couple. From African fabric to newspaper pullouts to electronic cards to cloth fabric, all is possible. 2018 saw lots of innovations in this regard and we predict the trend to continue in 2019.
So there you have it; our top wedding trends predictions for 2019! We wish you a wedding-ful year!
ปั้มไลค์
Like!! Great article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.