With more and more couples tearing up the rule book and doing their own thing when it comes to getting wed, perhaps the biggest wedding trend for 2021 is no trend, which can also be reinterpreted as a bespoke wedding, with no two weddings the same. These days it’s no surprise to find a female ‘best man’ or a male bride’s maid. Mothers are just as likely to walk daughters down the aisle as are dads.

Not even the vows are the same – many couples are adding their own words, poems etc as a more authentic reflection of their partnership – to those which are required by law.

While the bride is still the focus of the big day, for many, getting married is about the importance of celebrating being a couple.

Yet certain trends or fashions will emerge as couples take on board ideas from other weddings which will complement their own ceremony.

Look out for a greater use of technology and social media and an increasing desire to make the big day as sustainable and eco friendly as possible, though this might not extend to the popularity of getting married abroad.

With 2020 declared the year that no one got married, one possible pandemic influence on 2021 could be a greater use of Zoom, especially for guest with health issues or might not be in the right frame of mind to travel.

Chances are that, those weddings which were due to take place in 2020, will have taken some inspiration from some of 2019’s most high-profile betrothals, and will stick to the original plans. Many couples will have been inspired by 2019’s celebrity weddings which were splashed all over magazines, Instagram and other social media platforms.

One of the biggest, possibly the biggest wedding in recent years, was that of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, with the couple hosting two very elaborate and lavish weddings. The three-day affair in India, was all Bollywood. The second wedding, which also took place in India, was all Hollywood. Then, a few weeks later, there was a reception at the Jonas’ family owned restaurant Nellie’s in Charlotte, South Carolina.

If there’s a 2021 trend to take away from the Chopra/Jonas nuptials, then look no further than Priyanka’s veil. Designed by Ralph Lauren, Chopra’s wedding veil was 22 meters long and required five people to assist her down the aisle.

A 22-meter veil is slightly on the extravagant side, but nevertheless, expect veils of various lengths – just not 22 meters – to feature prominently this year, as will the slogan veil, such as Hailey Bieber’s  ‘Till death do us part’ veil designed by Virgil Abloh.

By coincidence, two guests at the Chopra/Jonas wedding could have, if not set a trend for 2021,  but taken on board what many couples are already doing.

Nick’s brother Joe married Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner in a small ceremony in Las Vegas, which included an Elvis impersonator. The wedding took place at The Little White Church, where a number of celebrities have tied the knot, including Britney Spears, Eva Longoria, Michael Jordan, and Bruce Willis and Demi Moore.

The scale of Nick’s wedding was completely opposite to his brother’s, but the small wedding ceremony was followed by a proper, full-on knees-up in a château in the south of France.

And more and more couples have been doing something similar. The trend for getting married abroad was showing no sign of abating, but following Covid-19 couples maybe more circumspect about asking friends and family to travel great distances, sacrifice annual leave, and paying out a great deal of money. If the trend for weddings abroad continues, expect the trend to be towards a small ceremony and a big wedding party when the newly-weds return home.

This wedding strategy has several benefits. The newly-married couple will be more relaxed and can enjoy the shindig on their return, while the bride can either get to wear her wedding dress for a second time or opt for a wedding party dress.

With more and more people now used to Zoom, the potential to live stream your wedding is greater than ever. Capturing and live streaming the sun coming up on your Caribbean beach wedding to friends and family back home, will ensure that no one misses out. If the time difference is too great, there’s also the potential to watch ‘as live’, at a more convenient time.

The money saved on not hosting guests can be spent on a lavish wedding bash a week or two after the nuptials.