2024 Trends: Planning a Themed Wedding
Themed weddings offer a fun and custom-made way to celebrate your love with your loved ones, transforming your special day into a must-see experience. 2024 has seen a few themes being embraced with a lot of creativity and enthusiasm.
The Getting Ready Part
Finding the perfect rings, dress and suit, booking the band and makeup artist and sending out the perfect invites. Before ‘and they lived happily ever after’ there’s, of course, the big day.
Weddings, much like the love stories they celebrate, come in all forms and styles, brimming with personality and flair. From bouncy castles that bring out the inner child to the old-world opulence of a Great Gatsby theme, there are no rules on how you and your guests will be celebrating. Swimming in a Champagne sea? Sure. Bass beat rattling the chandelier? Absolutely.
Specialised colour themes like All Pink, or a Black and White party add another layer of personalisation, creating an atmosphere that’s as unique as your love.
So, comb your hair, and slip on your dancing shoes as we head to some of the most original themed weddings of the season.
2024 will be the year of unconventional weddings and personalisation. From non-traditional wedding venues and catering options with a less formal feel, to alternative wedding dresses that reflect your personal style.
Jennifer Read-Dominguez, Rock My Wedding Editor
Cocktail Hour
Before the big ceremony, the guests gather together with a glass of something sparkling and take in their surroundings. Have they walked into a winter wonderland, a nautical affair or a full-on music festival? According to 167 weddings featured in Rock My Wedding in 2024, the top five themes are as follows:
Too Glam To Give A Damn
This theme combines bohemian style with rustic glam elements. Some props include personalised sunglasses and disco balls which are absolutely excellent fun.
Neutral Lovin’
A classic and elegant affair, neutral colour palettes are popular for country house and barn weddings. This theme is characterised by a sophisticated and serene atmosphere.
’Til Death
For those leaning towards an alternative and gothic aesthetic, this theme serves coffin-shaped wedding cakes, dark tassel banner signs with deadly romantic quotes, and blood-red rose bouquets.
Destination Wedding Heaven
Travelling for weddings has seen a surge in popularity. These offer stunning locales for the most sensational wedding photos, particularly during golden hour.
Zest For Love
Bright colour schemes, including yellow and green or pink and orange, are embraced by couples who aren’t afraid to use bold shades on their big day. Magenta is a standout alternative wedding dress hue, tying into the trend of colourful gemstones and dopamine dressing.
The Reception
As the couple takes their wedding portraits and the guests gush over how beautiful the veil is and how sharp the tuxedo looks, they all look forward to what comes next.
A trend incorporated across the board has been a focus on sustainability, with couples using upcycled decorations, things like invitations and banners being produced from recycled materials, and vintage or pre-loved clothing worn by the bridal party and guests alike.
Photography credit: Suzy Elizabeth Photography
Grand Entrance
When the door to the barn door swings open or you walk down a gravelly pathway to the grand gazebo, the excitement is palpable.
For those who live life on their own terms, whether that be goth or glam, a festival-style wedding might be just the ticket. Imagine an outdoor setting with tents, fairy lights and a stage for live music or poetry readings, creating an atmosphere that’s more Coachella and Glastonbury than a bland banquet hall. Guests can revel in the joy of food trucks, musical or literary paraphernalia and, perhaps, even a mosh pit for the truly adventurous.
The attire? Think bohemian and relaxed for festival vibes or leather jackets and all-black for a gothic edge. It’s a celebration where love rocks and everyone rolls with it.
Toasts and Dinner
A destination wedding tends to make full use of its exotic surroundings, with regional cuisine served at the tables and local florals incorporated into the decorations. Those who’ve made the journey get to experience as much of the location as possible, sipping perfectly chilled provincial wine, listening to songs sung in the language of the people, and taking in views worth hopping on a plane for.
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The Send Off
After the last song has been played and the last glass of prosecco has been sipped – it’s time to go. Some might be heading to an after-afterparty in the Best Man’s room, others could be planning PJs and a face mask in bed and the newlyweds might already be jetting off on their honeymoon. But the memories of the wedding will last forever, in the minds of everyone involved, and in the many, many pictures taken on the day.
Your dream wedding might feature the whimsical fun of a mini golf course, the dark romance of a haunted mansion or even a bubblegum colour scheme. The possibilities are endless and each themed wedding offers a canvas for creativity, allowing you to paint your love story in the most expressionist way. As you plan your special day, remember that the best themes are those that resonate with you and your partner’s hearts and reflect your shared passions the most. Here’s to a wedding that’s uniquely yours, and a celebration that’s as unforgettable as the true love it honours.
Photography credit: Firewood Film
