The 20 Biggest 2022 Wedding Trends

Bows, Bridgerton and bold colour!

Every year, the team at One Fab Day have a lot of fun predicting the emerging wedding trends we think are going to grow wings and fly over the next 12 months, but performing this task for 2022 was a little trickier than usual! With the easing of Covid-19 restrictions allowing for bigger, more raucous celebrations, weddings are beginning to look more and more like their pre-Covid counterparts. But what's changed!? Well, couples are more keenly aware how precious shared time with family members and friends are, and want their weddings to be a celebration of this. 2022 couples are looking to create a day that's highly personal, creative and fun, featuring unique, unexpected elements to wow their guests and live on in their memory, long after the day has ended. Featuring statement colour palettes, thoughtful decor, bold bridal style and offbeat entertainment, our list of the biggest 2022 wedding trends is getting us so excited for the year ahead!

Pssst! Don't worry if there isn't something here that makes your heart sing! Feel free to blaze the trail with your own one-of-a-kind wedding details, and watch the world follow in your trendy footsteps!

The 20 Biggest 2022 Wedding Trends

Back Garden Weddings | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Clay Austin via Style Me Pretty
Back Garden Weddings | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Faith Roper Photography

1. Back-Garden Weddings

Romantic, back-garden weddings and weddings at venues with enchanted gardens have become super popular over the last two years, as couples took advantage of the magic (and enhanced safety!) of gorgeous, greenery-filled outdoor spaces. While back-garden weddings involve a higher planning workload and limit you to the warmer seasons, they also provide an opportunity to host your wedding day in a very special place that serves as a completely unique venue for your guests, have greater control over the look and feel of the day, and - neighbours pending! - go on partying as long as you like! You'll find tonnes of inspiration in these real back-garden weddings we featured recently. If you love the idea of a back-garden wedding, but don't have a suitable family home, our list of the best garden party-style venues in Ireland should be your next port of call.

Wedding Cake Trend: Cake Hoops | One Fab Day
Photo by Bramble Sky
Wedding Cake Trend: Cake Hoops | One Fab Day
Photo by Amberton Cakes

2. Cake Arches

Cake tables are getting a whole lot more attention these days, through the medium of custom cake hoops and cake arches! Whether decorated with fresh flowers, dried foliage or left plain for a modern, minimalist vibe, these unashamedly extra cake displays make lovely focal points in any dining room, and we can't wait to see more of them in 2022 real weddings.

Vintage-inspired engagement rings | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
PHOTO VIA SOFIA KAMAN
Vintage-inspired engagement rings | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Trumpet & Horn

3. Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings

Still waiting or shopping for that perfect sparkler? In 2022, heirloom rings and vintage-inspired designs are going to be on the top of everyone's wish list, as couples grow more sentimental for the style of their parents' and grandparents' eras, and look for more sustainable ring options. Featuring old European cuts and colourful gemstones, vintage and vintage-look engagement rings are timelessly beautiful, and we just love the idea of connecting old and modern love stories through jewellery. If you're thinking of using an heirloom ring, you can read our guide here, and remember, many of our favourite jewellers can reconstruct an heirloom piece to create a brand new ring.

Weekday Weddings 2022 wedding trends
Photo by You Them Us via One Fab Day
Weekday Weddings 2022 wedding trends
Photo by Wild Things Wed

4. Weekday Weddings

With the wedding industry facing a huge backlog of weddings created by Covid-related postponements, this is one emerging trend that we simply can't ignore! While weekday weddings require a little more effort from your guests in getting time off work, many 2020 and 2021 couples were happy to reap the benefits, which may include cheaper rates and better availability in terms of venues and suppliers. It's true that having your wedding on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday can be less convenient for your guests, but this becomes less of a consideration if you've got a small guest list!

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Fairytale Lighting
Photo by Stories by Ash 
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Fairytale Lighting
Photo by Melissa Marshall

5. Fairytale Lighting

How you light the indoor and/or outdoor spaces at your wedding reception sets the tone and mood for the entire evening, so it's no surprise that fairytale lighting made our list of the top 2022 wedding trends. We're seeing all sorts of dreamy, unique and statement lighting options in 2022, all of which create a magical, movie-worthy vibe - take your pick from exposed bulbs, festoon and string light installations, mix-and-match vintage chandeliers and classic fairy lights.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Digital Wedding Invites
Photo by Secret Diary
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Digital Wedding Invites
Photo by on Etsy

6. Virtual Save-the-Dates

With so many couples having to make changes to their wedding dates in 2020 and 2021, virtual wedding invitations really grew in popularity, as stationers and graphic designers took digital invites to gorgeous new places! For us, the romance of real stationery can never be replicated online, but we love the idea of virtual save-the-dates, followed by a physical invitation that guests can display on your mantlepiece until the big day arrives. Virtual wedding invitations are ideal for modern, tech-loving couples, as they can accommodate last-minute changes and, depending on how you go about creating them, can be more budget-friendly and sustainable. Just remember to print copies for any guests who may not be able to access the digital versions!

Hand-painted wedding details | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Orna Hand Painted Candles
Hand-painted wedding details | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Riley Sheehey

7. Hand-Painted Details

From dresses, stationery, cakes and even decor items such as candles, ribbons and napkins, we're noticing a huge surge in dainty, hand-painted wedding details. For couples who want to incorporate personalised and artistic elements into their soirée, hand-painted décor details create a bespoke feel that your guests are sure to love!

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Gail Secker via Fletcher and Foley
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Sharon Kee Photography via One Fab Day

8. The Little White Dress

Between elopements, two-part weddings, micro weddings and casual-chic civil ceremonies, the format of weddings has been forever changed by Covid-19. One huge advantage of this is the opportunity for more than one bridal look, which, as you can imagine, we're very much on board with! Short wedding dresses, otherwise known as the little white dress, were hugely popular in the 1960s, and at intimate civil ceremonies and small weddings throughout the decades. In 2022, we're expecting to see more short bridal hemlines than ever before, at multi-part weddings, rescheduled evening receptions and intimate celebrations. The best part? A LWD is so versatile, you can rewear it long after the wedding ends!

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Colorpop!
Photo by The Ganeys via The Wedding Sparrow
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Colorpop!
Styling by Kristine Hayes | Photo by Studio Brown

9. Bold, Vibrant Colour

Muted and pastel-filled colour palettes have been popular for a couple of years now, so we're only too delighted to welcome bold splashes of colour to the party! Featuring warm, earthy tones, vibrant colour-block palettes, monochrome with striking flashes of colour, and eccentric, colour-clashing combinations, this one has got to be among our favourite 2022 wedding decor trends. Wondering where this trend will take us over the next 12 months? Well, colour trend forecasters Pantone predict the top colours for Spring and Summer 2022 will be pink-purple Orchid Bloom, vibrant Super Sonic blue, fresh Fair Green, playful Bubblegum pink, vivid Coral Rose and cool Cascade blue. And their Colour of the Year for 2022, Very Peri, a rich shade of purple, is bang on trend, too.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Interesting Table Layouts
PHOTO BY PAOLA COLLEONI via Brides
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Interesting Table Layouts
Photo by Jaypeg Photo & Film via The Lane

10. Unusual Reception Table Layouts

In an effort to keep people safe, wedding stylists and venue coordinators created some very unconventional table plans and room layouts during the pandemic, some of which turned out better than they could ever have imagined! As a result, we're seeing lots of creative layouts emerging for 2022, such as square table groupings, infinity shapes, U shapes, T shapes, X-shaped long tables, single-length dining tables, and double-width long tables. If you've got the space, and your guest list allows, these unusual layouts give your dining space a cool, contemporary feel.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Chilled Out Hen & Stag Weekends
Photo by Sarah Elliott  via Eye Swoon
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Chilled Out Hen & Stag Weekends
Photo by Camille Styles

11. Laid-Back Hen & Stag Weekends

While destination and city break stag and hen dos will always be popular, many wedding parties are choosing to host more laid-back celebrations close to home these days. Whether it's small dinner celebration, a back-garden BBQ, a spa day, a relaxed, at-home party, karaoke and cocktails in a private, rented room, or an Airbnb getaway, pre-wedding events will look a little different in 2022. We're also seeing lots of couples combine their stag and hen parties into a "sten do". If splitting up your friend group by gender just isn't for you, this is the perfect alternative - click here to see our favourite ideas for this kind of party.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Romona Keveza
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Monique Lhuillier

12. Colourful Floral Print & Embroidered Wedding Dresses

Nature-inspired embroidery and floral print elements have appeared in a couple of bridal collections over the past few years, but this season, flora-and-fauna appliqués and bold blossom prints are popping up everywhere! From 3D floral appliqué on mini dresses, to gowns adorned with floral embroidery, and fabrics featuring blossoming prints, there's a version of this trend to fit every bridal aesthetic. Wondering where to go to get the look? You'll find lots of examples here and here. It's also worth noting that designers Hermione de Paula, Temperley London, Marchesa, Peter Langner, Markarian, and Alyne by Rita Vinieris are big fans of this trend.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Colin Ross
Bow Wedding Cake | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Little Button Bakery

13. Bows

Bows are back (although, did they ever really go away?)! We're talking big ones, little ones, and everything in between. Whether they adorn your wedding dress (see our favourite ideas here!), hair accessories, shoes, tablescapes or cake tables, we're here for them!

Salt and Pepper Diamond engagement ring | One Fab Day
Ring by Alexis Russell
Salt and Pepper Diamond engagement ring | One Fab Day
Ring by Aprés Jewelry

14. Salt & Pepper Diamonds

If you're looking for a truly unique engagement ring, this might be the trend for you! Salt and pepper diamonds are diamonds that have a mix of many white inclusions and black inclusions, natural colour markings that give the stone a moody, grey, speckled look. Beloved for their one-of-a-kind charm, salt and pepper diamonds have become really popular among cool couples looking for something different. They're also usually less expensive, making them a great choice for engaged couples on a budget, and, as salt-and-pepper diamonds take fewer resources to mine than regular diamonds, they're perfect for eco-conscious couples, too!

Destination Weddings at Home | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Koby Brown
Destination Weddings at Home | Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Justine Milton Photography via Style Me Pretty

15. Destination Wedding Styling at Home

With many couples still hesitant to plan destination weddings due to the uncertainty around Covid-19, you'll be glad to hear that you can create the look and feel (if not the weather!) of a wedding abroad in a venue close to home! From chic and rustic, Tuscany-inspired outdoor ceremonies to Moroccan-inspired lounges and Ibiza-style, ultra-glam receptions, couples are recreating the experience of a destination wedding with authentic and immersive additions like travel-inspired menus, music, scents, and blooms.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Live Wedding Painter
Photo by Fawcett Photography via Lizzie Art

16. Live Painting & Wedding Day Portraits

The ban on live music at weddings forced couples to come up with more creative entertainment options for their guests, including live painters, wedding portrait artists and caricaturists! Not only does this addition serve as a talking point for your guests, but the resulting drawing or painting serves as a keepsake for you and your guests, and even doubles as a wedding favour! If you're in Ireland, check out Wedding Art for wedding day paintings or The Floral Artist for live bridal bouquet portraits, and, if you're in the UK, try Lissie Art and Ben Hughes Art for live event painting. Oh, and if there's an artist you love that hasn't worked a wedding before, it's worth approaching them for a quote - they may be happy to oblige!

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day
Photo by Cody James Barry via Green Wedding Shoes
we’re holding out for ALL the Bridgerton weddings over here!
Photo by Anneli Marinovich via Love My Dress

17. Regency Romance

Just in time for season two of the Netflix hit, Bridgerton-inspired weddings are set to be huge in 2022. The obsession with the Regency era will find its way subtly into weddings, through literary-inspired touches and splashes of Regency Blue, a signature shade from the times. Expect to see a lot more pastel colour palettes featuring soft blues, stationery details in the form of handwritten notes and literary quotes, floral arrangements of English country roses and trailing wisteria, and afternoon tea details with vintage china tablescapes. We're also seeing a lot more Regency-inspired wedding dresses in the form of puff sleeves, empire waistlines, ruffles, gloves, ornate jewellery and pretty bridal flats. We can't wait to see these Bridgerton-inspired weddings come through!

Bouquet Preservation
Photo by The Floral Artist
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Bouquet Preservation
Photo by Posy Patou

18. Bouquet Preservation

After everything that went into creating the bridal bouquet, it's no surprise many brides want to preserve it! Well, bouquet preservation, a long-forgotten, post-wedding tradition is about to take off again in 2022. From pressing flowers, preserving in epoxy resin or dipping in wax, to custom bridal bouquet paper flowers and paintings, brides are looking to artists for modern ways to preserve and present their wedding flowers. For more ideas, check out The Floral Artist, Pressed Flowers by Nell, Lost Forest, Posy Patou, The Botanical Bouquet and Rubina Press.

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Monochrome
Photo by Paige Tuzée Designs
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Monochrome
Photo by Justin Aaron

19. Modern Monochrome

Appearing in everything from stationery to flowers, minimal monochrome is the chicest modern wedding decor trend we've seen in a long time! While monochrome is often associated with a subdued, "less is more" aesthetic, bold graphic details take it to a new level for 2022 - look to the portraits in this real wedding for inspiration!

Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Outdoor First Dances
Photo by Photography by Ciara
Top Wedding Trends for 2022 | One Fab Day | Outdoor First Dances
Photo by Darek Novak

20. Outdoor First Dances

Over the past two years, we've seen lots of couples and their guests spill out of their dining rooms onto terraces, rug-carpeted courtyards or twinkly light-strewn gardens for their first dance, mostly for safety reasons. But, if the weather allows, we think an outdoor first dance is magical enough to warrant carrying this trend through to 2022. Start by running the idea by your wedding venue and take it from there!

Get more unique ideas for your big day here.

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