by: Lauren

In keeping with the wedding planning advice from earlier today about choosing your style, I thought I would chat with you all a little more about wedding styles and wedding trends, and how they are most definitely NOT the same thing. With all of the beautiful inspiration all over the web today, there are lots of things that are commonly referred to as a trend, when in reality they are a style, and styles aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Thursday Tips: Wedding Trends VS Weddings Styles via TheELD.com Photo by Laura Ann Miller Photography, Modern Inspiration Shoot 

You see, a little while ago, I created something called the Wedding Style Dictionary. I haven’t called too much attention to it lately, but it’s still there, alive and kicking! I created the Wedding Style Dictionary as way to define wedding styles for what they are. All too often, I was hearing brides say that they wanted one thing, but their actual inspiration indicated something totally different. And so, I took it upon myself to go ahead and define potential wedding styles in the Style Dictionary, with the aim of helping brides have a cohesive wedding style. (Go take a look, and if you don’t see a particular style in there, let me know so I can add it!)

I like going back to the roots of things (hence the Style Dictionary), so how about starting with the definitions of “style” and “trend”?

Style (n): a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character

Trend (v): to be currently popular

The big question is: what is a wedding style? And how is it different than a wedding trend?

Thursday Tips: Wedding Trends VS Weddings Styles via TheELD.com

A wedding style describes the general look and feel of your wedding. 

A wedding trend is something that is popular at the time. 

Now remember- choosing your wedding style should definitely be one of the first things you do when you start planning your wedding. Often times, it helps to have your wedding style even reflect your own personal style (home, fashion, etc). Your wedding style lays out the foundation for everything else- your venue, your decor, your details… even your dress and everyone else’s attire! It’s what your wedding will be presented as and a combination of everything that makes up a wedding- visual elements, atmosphere, and location.

What the common misconception is though, is that a wedding style is a wedding trend. No. Way. Those two things are totally different, as you can with the definitions above. A wedding trend is something that is popular for that time. In my experience, it will usually be a design element, color palette, or a certain way to do things at a wedding (like a picnic reception). Oh, but let’s not forget that you can have a wedding with a “trendy” style, in which your wedding is focused on all types of trends. ;)

Examples: Chevron and Ombre. In my opinion, totally trends. Both things are awesome and modern and I love them, but they are design elements that have been seen in lots of weddings this year. Vintage? NOT a trend. Sure, there are lots of vintage weddings being seen around the web, but vintage is a style. It affects the whole look and feel of a wedding, not just a single part.

Thursday Tips: Wedding Trends VS Weddings Styles via TheELD.comVia A&P Designs 

The thing about wedding styles and trends is that these things can be seen in a different way by everyone. And so I asked some of my fellow wedding blogger friends (all with totally different “styles” of wedding blogs) to share their opinions on wedding trends and wedding styles with us…

“Style is timeless, trends are fleeting. Your wedding style is the overall vibe or theme for your event- such as rustic, elegant, modern, vintage, etc. Trends are details of the day that are in fashion for a while and then make their way out. To me, a rustic ‘style’ wedding includes burlap, mason jars, chalkboards and the like so I personally do not believe these things are trends. Things like ombré color schemes, chevron, jumbo balloons or serving cake pops I see as trends, because they most likely won’t be around forever.”  – Jessica of The Budget Savvy Bride

“In my opinion, a wedding style is the “theme” of the event…the feel, the look, the ambiance. Every wedding has a style. On the other hand, what I view a wedding trend as is a popular concept or item included as part of the wedding such a specific detail like mason jars or burlap or using sparklers or bubbles during the send off.”  – Stephanie of Fab You Bliss

“Wedding Styles are how the couple are expressed throughout the wedding. A vegetarian bride and her mountain biking groom might have an organic, rustic and casual style for their wedding. Wedding Trends are fun things that pop up in our industry that planners, stylists, brides, photographers, etc. love to incorporate into the wedding style. The same bride and groom might love the tandem bicycle trend for their getaway and they may serve a vegetarian family style meal to their guests, also trendy.”  – Desiree of Floridian Weddings

“A style is the mood or feel you want to convey for your wedding (modern, classic, glamour, vintage, rustic, etc). They are adjectives you want to describe your day (think of how you’d describe your personal style in your fashion and home). Trends are in the details. They are popular items or ideas that help define your style. Trends can be anything from mason jars, mustache photo booth props, and chevron to specific colors and flowers. Pick a style that reflects who you are as a couple and if some trends fit perfectly into that style, add as many as you love!” – Megan of Glamour & Grace

“Styles and trends are exactly the same for weddings as they are in fashion. A style is an overall look and feel that define YOU while a trend is a fun little something that you include because it makes you smile (and everyone else is doing it).”  – Cris of Kiss My Tulle

“It the most general sense, wedding style is an over all theme for wedding, i.e. rustic, vintage, modern, elegant. But a wedding style is also very much a personal expression of who you are a couple, family or individual. It’s your personal stamp on your wedding. This is where things get fun, like sporty vintage, to represent your quirky mid-century modern vibe and his love of Sunday night football. I see wedding trends more as popular details, i.e hipster headbands, burlap runners, and handmade Thank You sign portraits. But don’t be afraid of the popularity of wedding trends. Take a few you love, mash them up with your own personal wedding style, and voila, you still have a lovely personalized wedding that’s on-trend and still uniquely you!”  – Christie of Mountainside Bride

I think there is such a big deal made about wedding trends and styles because in the wedding world, the trends tend to stick around for a few years. So sure, wedding pros know that some things are trends, but as brides, you don’t know- you just know what you like! So remember- stick to what you like and what best reflects you. Don’t worry about it if something that you do like is trendy or not. As long as you love it and you’re going to be happy with it, that’s all that matters! Just know the difference between the two, and always keep your wedding style in mind! :)

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So what is YOUR wedding style? Are you using anything that is currently a “trend” right now for your own wedding? 

 

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Thursday Tips: Wedding Trends VS Weddings Styles via TheELD.com

Lauren

Founder & Editor at Every Last Detail
Lauren Grove is the editor and owner of Every Last Detail. A clueless bride-turned-wedding planner, Lauren uses her experiences and knowledge to educate and inspire brides all over the world.

7 responses to Thursday Tips: Wedding Trends VS Weddings Styles

We love your comments, but please remember to keep them kind and positive, as this is a place for inspiration and sharing information. We have the right to remove or not approve any negative or harmful comments.
  1. I Do WedDING cONSULTING

    GREAT ARTICLE- VERY INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL! ESPECIALLY SINCE ITS BECOME THE NORM TO “LABEL” YOUR WEDDING. i THINK ITS SOMETHING BRIDES STRUGGLE WITH- SO THANK YOU! :-)

  2. Anna

    I definitely prefer a rustic wedding. Something about getting married in the country really appeals to me!

  3. naomi

    Great post! I think trends are the same as they are in fashion for a moment..style translates across the board whether it’s your wedding, decor style, or your dressing style. Your style stays with you.

  4. Liz

    I don’t think this is an easy comparison as it’s not an either/or kind of thing. you can have trendy styles (like Vintage) and non Trendy Styles (Fairy Tale Princess maybe… it still happens but it hasn’t captured current features the way maybe “bohemian” has). Things like chevron and ombre are motifs, recurring elements, that enhance or enrich a style choice, like modern or garden. These are trendy examples but you could have less trendy examples like maybe Toile. It’s become hard to define something as trendy now because we aren’t held tight to one set of rules and we live in a nostalgic time where EVERYTHING old is new again. I don’t like how trendy has become a negative buzzword as the Blog World has created a greater diversity of opinion than the old magazine model and it really shapes how one sees trends developing. A bride may have seen a million dessert bars online, but it could be her guests first time encountering one, as they haven’t been buried in wedding things for a year. I feel it’s okay to have your wedding look like it took place in a specific time, because it did, and if we all restricted ourselves to carefully constructed “Classical” rules, we’d get bored pretty quickly.

    • Lauren Grove

      @Liz, you’re so right- everyone has different ways that they see what trends and styles are. I wrote this post with the aim of pointing out the literal definitions of the two, because they are definitely totally different things when you’re defining them. As for what constitutes a trend and a style, that can differ from person to person, location to location- as I’m sure you noticed with the different takes from different bloggers that I shared. All in all though, a bride shouldn’t feel as if she has to stick to any particular thing at all- whatever she wants to do, she should do. :) This is all about the education :)

  5. South Asian Wedding Planner

    This is really a great blog great comparison has been made. Thanks for sharing.

  6. scott

    Wow! These wedding tips are absolutely beautiful. I am hoping that mine will be close to as amazing as this looks. I really hope it is a top 2013 Lancaster, PA wedding!

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