If you’re involved in a wedding this year – be it as a bride, groom, planner or supplier – you won’t want to miss our feature on 2024 wedding trends. We’ve hand-picked a group of experts whom work with, or for, venues within our portfolio, to get their advice on how to plan a wedding experience to remember in 2024.
From the predicted colour palettes of the year to the best wedding dates in 2024. We asked the wedding planning experts for their thoughts on 2024 wedding themes and when to start the wedding planning process.
Thanks to wedding planners Emma from Emma Jane Weddings and Leah from Leah the Wedding Planner (and bride-to-be), and to our exquisite venues, Amie Murphy, Business Development and Marketing Manager from {10-11} Carlton House Terrace, Emily Moss, Events Manager from the RAF Club, and Inga Mikusauskiene, Events Manager from the Lansdowne Club.
Emma: ‘We’ll likely continue to see a growing trend in brighter, more colourful palettes as couples move away from the ‘white, blush pink and green’ template.’
Amie: ‘We love seeing the highly anticipated Pantone colour of the year. This year is Peach Fuzz which is a gorgeous shade between pink and orange.’
Leah: ‘Pale pink, peach, oranges and bright colours.’
Emily: ‘I expect we will see a surge in light colour palettes in 2024 following Pantone’s colour of the year Peach Fuzz, that brings a feeling of tenderness. With blush weddings and classic navy being expected to dominate, I imagine we will see many weddings with a light, elegant and traditional aesthetic.’
Inga: ‘The influence from Barbie is likely to continue, with pinks of all shades and plentiful flowers.’ So, experts predict that Pantone’s Colour of the Year will make a huge impact on 2024 weddings. With the wedding experts all agreeing delicate colours like peach, pink, and orange will be popular 2024 wedding trend colours. We believe this choice is beautiful and can be emphasised with stunning florals throughout the wedding ceremony and reception.
Emma: ‘Some of the most interesting trends we’ve spotted on Instagram lately include vegetables as part of the table flowers, wedding day content creators and an increase in quirky hand-painted or drawn stationery styles.’
Leah: ‘Long sleeve, long train dresses with longer veils with embroidery. Textured materials for wedding gowns are becoming more popular in 2024 as well as the grooms adding more pizzazz to their tux or lapels with florals or a two-tone, textured jacket.’
Inga: ‘Wedding weekends, with couples extending the festivities over multiple days, wedding wardrobes, because multi-day celebrations mean multiple outfit changes, wedding cake meadows, with living flower cake displays and Champagne towers, because everything old is now new again for 2024!’
Emily: ‘There has already been a strong environmental focus emerging for 2024, couples are incorporating sustainable elements, with eco-friendly décor and locally sourced florals.’
Amie: ‘We’re seeing lots of our couples choose to reduce their guests list and have more intimate wedding celebrations.’
Inga: ‘Based on the enquiries and bookings we’ve already had, Autumn is emerging as the most popular season. The prolonged fine weather and the comfortable temperatures, which are perfect for outdoor ceremonies and drinks receptions as well as, of course, the photographs.’
Emma: ‘Unlike previous years, 2024 is seeing suppliers receive more last-minute bookings which leads us to think that the autumn/winter period might be unexpectedly busy.’
Emily: ‘Especially in London, we anticipate more autumn weddings this year. London’s charm is heightened by the warm autumnal tones.’
2024 is the year of Autumnal weddings! With the peach colour themes and Autumnal Westminster backdrops predicted by our expert wedding planners, we’re predicting a lot of truly magical weddings!
Leah: ‘Setting a budget! Set your budget for a venue and what you’d like to be included in a package for your guests.’
Amie: ‘It’s all about research – taking the time to look over a venue’s website, social media channels and request for further information about costs and availability before booking in that all-important venue viewing.’
Emily: ‘The first step in finding the perfect wedding venue is defining your vision and priorities. Whether it’s a grand ballroom or intimate garden setting, clarifying your preferences sets the tone for a focused search tailored to your dream celebration.’
Inga: ‘Post-pandemic, we’ve noticed shorter lead times for weddings – more like 6-12 months, as opposed to two years.’
Emma: ‘If you’re open to various venues and flexible with your supplier choices, you can still plan a wedding within 12 months.’
Amie: ‘People are usually looking 12 – 18 months ahead of time. But we do find that for city weddings lead times can be shorter.’
Amie: ‘Usually, our couples visit the venue once. But depending on who is involved in the planning, I would say two visits would be sufficient.’
Emily: ‘I would advise that couples visit their potential wedding venue twice to see the space in different lights and ensure they are confident in their decision.’
Inga: ‘Hopefully, it’s love at first sight! One thing we would recommend is that it’s always good to pay a return visit when the space has actually been set up for another wedding, to give you more of an idea of how the room could look.’
Emma: ‘There is absolutely no need to book something for your wedding day just because ‘it’s what other people do’ or for the sake of tradition. Don’t want to hold a bouquet when walking down the aisle? Don’t bother! Not a fan of cake? Your guests won’t miss it, I promise.’
Leah: ‘A lot of couples put other people’s opinions before their own and forget this is their special day. Do what you want to do and wear what you want to wear!’
Emily: ‘A common oversight in wedding planning is underestimating transportation logistics. Account for travel times between venues, especially in London, to ensure a seamless flow and avoid unnecessary stress.’
Leah: ‘As a northerner, I’d say don’t miss out on all the iconic London architecture and scenery. There are so many unique photo opportunities to get in London and listen to your photographer. They know the best spots, lighting and techniques to help you remember your perfect day.’
Amie: ‘Our couples LOVE to plan for a picture on The Mall. Usually with a black London taxi in the background to capture a quintessentially London moment.’
Emily: ‘For a distinctive Westminster wedding, draw inspiration from the regal surroundings and opt for a theme centred around British elegance. Incorporate classic elements like fine China, ornate candelabras, and floral arrangements inspired by traditional English gardens for a timeless celebration.’
Inga: ‘Why not have your photo taken in a ubiquitous red telephone box? If your wedding ceremony is taking place elsewhere, transporting your guests aboard a traditional double-decker red bus is a fun way to take in the London landmarks along the way.’
Westminster Venue Collection members know a thing or two about hosting fabulous nuptials, with dozens of our wedding venues boasting some of the best spaces in the capital. If you’re looking for a central Westminster wedding venue for your big day, use our enquiry form to narrow down your search for the perfect venue.
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